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138. (8) EIGHTH WORK; prepared, but not begun. Materials only prepared, and a model drawn of it.

Glory be to God on high.

The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in twenty-six languages, with Arabic, Syriac, Greek, all interpreted, word for word, with Latin; likewise Hebrew, Chaldee, Samaritan, Arabic, Syriac and Greek, all having their several Latin translations lying opposite to them; which six languages are taken out of that most rare and accomplished Bible of the king of France, lately come forth, and as the French report, at the expense of very many thousand pounds, and great pains taken in it, and no few years spent to finish it. All these twenty-six languages are so composed and ordered, that at one view they may be seen and read, with much ease and pleasure as well as to use and benefit. The several twenty-six languages are these that follow:

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And moreover there are twelve several English translations; twenty various Latin translations; three Italian; three Spanish; three French; three High Dutch; and three Netherlands. And all these1 also so placed, ordered, and

1 "But these several translations are since resolved to be omitted, and in the place and stead of them, some other

contrived that the eye may discern them at one time, and peruse them all with great content: and for the conclusion of the work there is added at the end of the book, that of doctor Fulke, intitled, "A Defence of the sincere and true translation of the holy Scripture in the English tongue, against the manifold cavils and insolent slanders of Gregory Martin, one of the translators of the Rhemish Bible:" and theirs and ours compared together in two several columns. And the Lord's Prayer is also annexed in three-score several languages. Laus Deo.

139. Of this eighth piece the model and form was contrived to be as you have seen on the foregoing page in that manner. But these sad times coming on amain gave an obstruction to the proceedings

thing of more use and consequence there placed, and more suitable to this work.

"Since this frontispiece was contrived, and the model of the work framed, it is by the advice and counsel of second thoughts determined that in the place and stead of the twelve several English translations, the twenty various, &c. there shall be placed now either a Concordance of the Four Evangelists, according to that first pattern you have seen and read, being the first work done at Gidding, and presented to the king, and set forth with pictures; or that in that place of the several translations, if no Concordance be there placed, then doctor Hammond's, that learned man's, comments lately printed, shall be placed, and brought into this book, as a necessary and profitable jewel, to be interwoven into the book, as the model drawn doth justly declare to the eye. Glory be to God on high: Peace on earth: Good will amongst men. Amen."-Marginal note in the MS.

and attempt, so that it hath lain still till this year 165-. And now it hath so fallen out' that (to the honour of those worthy learned men, that have by their great care and diligence set it on foot), the printing of the holy Bible in eight several languages is designed here in England; the which work in many respects is like to pass that Bible both of the king of Spain's, and the aforenamed king of France's: in which regard it is now thought fitting to defer this model and intended work, till that our Bible be finished. And then by the good blessing of God, and the help of some of those active hands, that are yet alive, who were instruments of the other many precedent works, as you have heard, this may in a good hour be begun, and by the help of God and good friends brought into light and finished so contriving it by that neat way of pasting upon mighty large paper, provided for the same purpose, without which it cannot be effected, that these twenty-six or twenty-eight several languages may be, upon the opening of the book, all seen and read with much profitableness and no less pleasure. A book it will be that hath not its parallel or match in the whole world, and may well

:

1 "The printing of the Polyglot, an illustrious monument of zeal and learning, erected to the glory of their country by bishop Walton, and other episcopal divines, in times of great distress and persecution, began in 1653, and was finished in 1657. The first printed proposals respecting it were issued in the year 1652."-Dr. Wordsworth's note.

become, as many learned men say that have seen the model of it, the best library in the Christian world, and a jewel not misbeseeming the greatest potentate's study. God Almighty give both means and heads and hands to effect it: to whom must be the glory, praise and honour! Amen, Amen, Amen.

Σέβειν δὲ δεῖν ἐγκελευόμεθα καὶ τιμᾶν τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ λόγον σωτῆρά τε αὐτὸν καὶ ἡγεμόνα εἶναι πεισθέντες καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὸν πατέρα οὐκ ἐν ἐξαιρέτοις ἡμέραις, ὥσπερ ἄλλοι τινές, ἀλλὰ συνεχῶς τὸν ὅλον βίον τοῦτο πράττοντες καὶ κατὰ πάντα τρόπον. ἀμέλει τὸ γένος τὸ ἐκλεκτόν· “ ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ᾔνεσά σοι,” φησί, κατ ̓ ἐντολὴν δικαι ούμενον. ὅθεν οὔτε ὡρισμένον τόπον οὐδὲ ἐξαίρετον ἱερὸν οὐδὲ μὴν ἑορτάς τινας καὶ ἡμέρας ἀποτεταγμένας, ἀλλὰ τὸν πάντα βίον ὁ γνωστικὸς ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ, κἂν καθ ̓ ἑαυτὸν μόνος ὢν τυγχάνῃ καὶ ὅπου τινὰς ἂν τῶν ὁμοίως πεπιστευ κότων ἔχῃ, τιμᾷ τὸν θεόν, τουτέστιν χάριν ὁμολογεῖ τῆς γνώσεως τῆς πολιτείας. εἰ δὲ ἡ παρουσία τινὸς ἀνδρὸς ἀγαθοῦ διὰ τὴν ἐντροπὴν καὶ τὴν αἰδῶ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον ἀεὶ σχηματίζει τὸν ἐντυγχάνοντα, πῶς οὐ μᾶλλον ὁ συμπαρὼν ἀεὶ διὰ τῆς γνώσεως καὶ τοῦ βίου καὶ τῆς εὐχαριστίας

ἀδιαλείπτως τῷ θεῷ οὐκ εὐλόγως ἂν ἑαυτοῦ παρ ̓ ἕκαστα κρείττων εἴη εἰς πάντα καὶ τὰ ἔργα καὶ τοὺς λόγους καὶ τὴν διάθεσιν ; τοιοῦτος ὁ πάντῃ παρεῖναι τὸν θεὸν πεπεισμένος, οὐχὶ δὲ ἐν τόποις τισὶν ὡρισμένοις κατακεκλεισμένον ὑπολαβών, ἵνα δὴ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ποτὲ οἰηθεὶς εἶναι καὶ νύκτα καὶ μεθ ̓ ἡμέραν ἀκολασταίνῃ. πάντα τοίνυν τὸν βίον ἑορτὴν ἄγοντες, πάντῃ πάντοθεν παρεῖναι τὸν θεὸν πεπεισμένοι, γεωργοῦμεν αἰνοῦντες, πλέομεν ὑμνοῦντες, κατὰ τὴν ἄλλην πολιτείαν ἐντέχνως ἀναστρεφόμεθα, προσεχέστερον δὴ ὁ γνωστικὸς οἰκειοῦται θεῷ σεμνὸς ὢν ἅμα καὶ ἱλαρὸς ἐν πᾶσι, σεμνὸς μὲν διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ θεῖον ἐπιστροφήν, ἱλαρὸς δὲ διὰ τὸν ἐπιλογισμὸν τῶν ἀνθρω πείων ἀγαθῶν, ὧν ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ θεός.

S. Clem. Alex. Strom. vii. 7. § 35.

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