The following is a List of the principal Transla tions, with their dates : Tyndal's first translation of the New Testament more correct .... of the Pentateuch Coverdale's whole Bible Matthews' (alias John Rogers') Bible The Great Bible, (being a large folio for Churches) 1526 1530 1530 1535 1537 1539 Cranmer's Bible, (being the above, with a preface by Arch bishop Cranmer) ............ 1540 The Geneva Bible, published by the English Refugees, who, during Queen Mary's persecution, had fled to Geneva.... 1560 The Bishops' Bible, printed by order of Queen Elizabeth; and so called, because out of the fifteen persons appointed to These two were published by the Romanists, in self-defence; because they found it impossible to prevent the common people from reading the Scriptures. But by retaining in their version many Eastern, Greek, and Latin words, they rendered it, after all, unintelligible to common readers. King James's Bible.-Fifty-four learned men, from the Uni versities and other places, were appointed for the work.Of these, seven died or declined; and the remaining fortyseven were divided into six companies, who met at Cambridge, Oxford, and Westminster, and translated the portions appointed them respectively. These portions were revised again by six persons, chosen from the translators; .......... 1611 and lastly, they were revised a second time by the Bishop of Winchester (Bilson), and Dr. Myles Smith This is the authorised version now in use; and it has always been considered as a most incomparable work, both for the fidelity of the translation, and the magnificent simplicity of the language. THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND LITURGY *. Before the Reformation, when the Romish religion was the established religion of this country, the public service of our Church was in Latin; and different Liturgies were used in different parts of the kingdom. Some of these Liturgies consisted of prayers and offices, transmitted from very ancient times; and some were of later date, and accommodated to the Romish superstitions. In the beginning of Edward the Sixth's reign, when the public mind had become enlightened by the translations of the Scriptures; and when the Reformation had taken place, the King commanded Cranmer, Ridley, and other eminent Divines, to draw up a Liturgy in the English language, for the use of the Church, free from the corruptions and superstitions of the Latin Liturgies. It was com Λειτουργια (λειτος publicus, εργον opus,) a public ministry or service. pleted in 1548, presented to the King, and ratified by Parliament. This first English Liturgy was, however, soon perceived to be imperfect, and in some points objectionable. And in two years afterwards, a commission was appointed for its revision. This was made very carefully; some things savouring of Popery were omitted, and other judicious alterations and additions made; and the book, generally called 'King Edward's Second Book,' thus improved, was again confirmed by Parliament in 1552. On Edward's death, Mary set aside the Liturgy, and restored the Latin ones, according to the Popish forms. Early in Elizabeth's reign, another commission was appointed, to frame a Liturgy on the basis of Edward's Second Book.' " It was ratified by Parliament, and came into use in April, 1559, continuing without alteration during the whole of that reign. James the First, being desirous to accommodate the differences between the non-conformists or Puritans, (who were now becoming numerous,) and those of the established Church, appointed a conference at Hampton Court, between a select number of Bishops, and of the dissenting Leaders, at which the King himself presided. The demands of the Puritans were, however, far too unreasonable to be granted; and all hope of agreement between the parties was at an end. Some additions and improvements, indeed, were made soon after, which most probably had been suggested in the course of the discussions. In the reign of Charles the Second, after the Liturgy had been for fourteen years entirely laid aside by the Puritanical Usurpers, a commission was again appointed, consisting of twelve Episcopalians, and twelve Presbyterians, as principals, with nine assistants on each side, to frame a Liturgy which might suit all parties. This was, as before, found to be impracticable. But the Convocation which met in the same year adopted many improvements, suggested by the Episcopalian commissioners; removing ambiguities of expression, selecting the Epistles and Gospels from the New translation of the Bible*, &c. The Book then was subscribed by the Bishops and Clergy, ratified by *The Psalms from the old translation, were still retained. This accounts for the differences of expression observable in the Psalms, as they stand in our Book of Common Prayer, when compared with our authorized version of the Bible. |