described, and directed unto thee of Him, by the most holy apostle and evangelist Saint John. Wherein it is fully, by all due circumstances manifested of the said Holy Ghost, what the innocent Christian church is, with all her justifications and blessings, to the singular comfort of the Lord's true elect. And what the proud synagogue of antichrist is, with her filthy superstitions and plagues, to their forewarning also. This is specially done here of the Holy Ghost, that no true believer should profess himself a citizen of this wretched world, with Cain, Nimrod, and other reprobate vessels, at the execrable doctrine of men; but at the pure voice of God, with Abel and Abraham, to seek for that heavenly heritage which is purchased for them in Christ's blood. Mark here the condition of John, being in most painful exile, for he, in mystery, through all these books, representeth every godly believer. By this shall ye well know in this revelation the one church from the other; for the one is maintained only by the preaching of God's pure word, the other by all kinds of Jewish ceremonies, and heathenish superstitions. And by this they also differ, that Christ would have all of love; antichrist of tyrannous constraint, as evidently appeareth in Mahomet and the pope. For that only cause are many necessary things here written In mystery, that they should be hid from the worldly wise hypocrites, and that the just, or God's meek spirited servants, should ask them of their Lord in faith and prayer. in the which daily prayer, is that most worthy minister of God, king Edward the sixth, before all other to be remembered, who hath so sorely wounded the beast, that he may throw all his superstition into the bottomless lake again, from whence they have come, to the comfort of his people. The grace and peace directed from God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, in the beginning of this revelation, he unto all them which unfeignedly love his verity. Amen.

SOME ACCOUNT

OF

MILES COVERDALE,

Bishop of Exeter.

MILES COVERDALE was a native of Yorkshire, where he was born in 1487. In early life he was a zealous papist, and became an Augustine monk. He entered into orders in 1514, but continued in the monastery of the Augustines at Cambridge, of which Dr. Barnes, afterwards martyr, was prior. About 1526, the doctrines of the reformation began to influence many at Cambridge. Serious persons resorted together for conference sake, and attended the sermons of such preachers as were inclined to the protestant faith. Their meetings for edification were chiefly at a house called the White Horse, which was consequently nicknamed Germany by their enemies, in allusion to the German Reformation. This house was convenient for the private access of students from several of the colleges. Coverdale and his superior, Dr. Barnes, were amongst the earliest who threw off the errors of popery. From the recantation of Thomas Topley, a friar at Stoke Clare, in Suffolk, we find Coverdale at Bumstead in Essex in 1528, where he declared openly against the mass, the worship of images, and private confession. He maintained that contrition for sin, between God and a man's own conscience, was enough, without confession to a priest. This was in conversation. Topley also states, that by Coverdale's preaching, his mind was drawn from the Romish doctrine of the sacrament. He also had heard Coverdale preach against images. Fox, the curate of Bumstead, seems to have been intimate with Coverdale, and to have held similar views.

Coverdale appears very soon to have devoted himself to the important work of translating the scriptures into the English language. He was on the Continent in 1530, where he had gone to escape the persecution then commenced. While there, he assisted Tindal in his translation of the Pentateuch after the first copy had been lost. He continued to take part in the biblical labours of that reformer, and when Tindal had fallen a victim to the malice of his enemies, Coverdale pursued these studies, till 1535, when the first complete translation of the English bible appeared. It seems to have been printed at 41 441

COVERDALE.

Zurich. By residing on the Continent, he was enabled to carry it through the press without interruption. He also had the assistance of the Lutheran divines, many of whom were well skilled in Hebrew, as well as the German translation. These helps he acknowledges in his preface, which is given in the following pages. Coverdale's version was dedicated to Henry VIII. and allowed by royal authority; the interest Cranmer took in these labours has been noticed in his life.

Fulk relates from Coverdale's own statement, that Henry VIII. gave this translation to some of the bishops to peruse, who alleged there were faults therein, but admitted that no heresies were maintained thereby. "If there be no heresies," said the king, "let it go abroad among the people."

In 1538, Coverdale was employed in France in superintending another edition of the English scriptures, then printing at Paris, on account of the skill of the workmen, and the superiority of their materials. The attention of the papists, however, was attracted to the work, and the "lieutenant criminel" was ordered to seize the edition, consisting of 2500 copies. The greater part were burned, some copies, however, escaped which had been sold to a haberdasher. The types and workmen were then removed to London, and in 1539, Cranmer's, or the great bible," appeared with the advantage of farther corrections from Coverdale, who was much assisted in these labours by the protection of Cromwell. The opposition of the prelates to the English translation of the bible has been noticed in the life of Cranmer, and elsewhere.

Coverdale maintained his ground during the chequered pro ceedings of the latter years of Henry VIII. and hesitated not to defend the memory of his former prior and friend, Dr. Barnes. He was almoner to queen Catharine Parr, and assisted in the translation of the paraphrase of Erasmus, carried forward under her influence. He wrote a preface to the epistle to the Romans. He preached at the funeral of this pious queen in 1548, when he warned the people that the offerings then made, were for the benefit of the poor and the honour of the clergyman, “not any thing to profit the dead." He was also chaplain to king Edward VI.

In August, 1551; Coverdale was nominated to the see of Exeter, in the place of Veysey, a decided Romanist; to this he was presented, on account of his knowledge of the scriptures, and his unblemished character. He had previously attended the king's commissioners, who were sent to quiet the disturbances in the west of England, and preached the public thanksgiving sermon on that occasion. He was then appointed coadjutor to the bishop, an office not uncommon in those days. At the intercession of Cranmer, the payment of first fruits was remitted on account of his poverty. Veysey also had much injured the revenues of the see.

Coverdale exerted himself to promote the reformed religion in

His labours for the reformation; his imprisonment.

3

his diocese. His conduct was most exemplary. Like a true primitive bishop, he was a constant preacher, and much given to hospitality. He was sober and temperate in all things, holy and blameless, friendly to good men, liberal to the poor, courteous to all, void of pride, clothed with humility, abhorring covetousness and every vice. His house was like a little church, in which was exercised all virtue and godliness. He suffered no one to abide under his roof, who could not give some satisfactory account of his faith and hope, and whose life did not correspond with his profession. He preached constantly on Sundays, and lectured during the week in the churches of Exeter, but notwithstanding his charity, humility, and hospitality, the papists exerted themselves to oppose his labours.

Immediately after queen Mary came to the throne, Coverdale was deprived and imprisoned. He was confined with the other leading reformers, and signed with them the confession of faith. During his imprisonment, he wrote An Exhortation to the Cross, which is noticed by Strype. He therein says, "Pray for us, for, God willing, we will not leave you; we will go before you. You shall see in us that we preached no lies, nor tales of tubs, but even the true word of God, for which we, by God's grace, and help of your prayers, will willingly and joyfully give our blood to be shed for confirmation of the same.

He exhorts the professors of the gospel to be steadfast in their course. "Like God's children let us go on forward apace; the wind is on our back. Hoist up the sails, lift up your hearts and hands unto God in prayer; and keep your anchor of faith to cast in time on the rock of God's word, and on his mercy in Christ, and I warrant you." He also wrote a confutation of a sermon preached at Paul's Cross by Dr. Weston, in which that bigoted Romanist had called the people to pray for souls departed," who were neither in heaven nor hell, but in a place not yet sufficiently purged to come to heaven, in order that they might be relieved by the devout prayers of the congregation."

It was intended that he should suffer martyrdom, but he had become related by marriage to the chaplain of the king of Denmark, who interfered in his behalf. His release being procured with some difficulty, not till twelve months after the first application, and on condition of his leaving the kingdom,* Coverdale went to Denmark, where the king wished him to remain, but this he declined, being unable to preach in that language. He then proceeded to Geneva, where he occupied himself partly in preaching and partly as a teacher. But labours connected with the English scriptures again claimed his attention; with the assistance of several fellow exiles he set forth the English Bible,

Queen Mary endeavoured to evade compliance with this request of the king of Denmark, by alleging that Coverdale was in prison for a debt due to her by reason of his bishopric! The king availed himself of this to urge his release as the more reasonable, inasmuch as he had cleared his accounts.

usually called the Geneva Bible, with brief explanatory notes. His coadjutors in this work are said to have been Gilby, Goodman, Wittingham, Cole, and Sampson, to whom some add Knox, Bodleigh, and Pullain. This version is in some respects superior to our present translation; it passed through above thirty editions during the reign of queen Elizabeth, mostly set forth by the royal printers. It was sanctioned by archbishop Parker and bishop Grindal. Some of the notes offended James I. who in the conference at Hampton Court, in the early part of his reign, said, that "he had never yet seen a bible well translated in English, though he thought the Geneva the worst, and therefore wished that some special pains should be taken for one uniform translation." He added, "that there should be no marginal notes, having found in those annexed to the Geneva translation, some very partial, untrue, seditious, and savouring too much of dangerous and traitorous conceits." It is hardly necessary to say that such blame from such a character, may be considered as a testimony in favour of the version. This opinion of the Geneva Bible, made king James more zealous in promoting our present authorized translation. The Geneva Bible, however, continued to be very generally used in families during a great part of the seventeeth century. The first edition of the new testament printed in 1557, was the earliest English translation in which the verses were numbered.

The following extract from the address to theChristian reader, prefixed to this version, shows the spirit in which this important work was executed, and the attention bestowed upon it.

"Besides the manifold and continual benefits which almighty God bestoweth upon us, both corporeal and spiritual, we are especially bound, dear brethren, to give him thanks without ceasing, for his great grace and unspeakable mercies, in that it hath pleased him to call us into this marvellous light of his gospel, and mercifully to regard us after so horrible backsliding and falling away from Christ to Antichrist, from light to darkness, from the living God to dumb and dead idols, and that after so cruel murder of God's saints, as also hath been among us, we are not altogether cast off, as were the Israelites, and many others for the like, or not so manifest wickedness, but received again to grace, with most evident signs and tokens of God's especial love and favour. To the intent, therefore, that we may not be unmindful of these great mercies, but seek by all means, according to our duty, to be thankful for the same, it behoveth us so to walk in his fear and love, that all the days of this life we may procure the glory of his holy name.

"Now, forasmuch as this is chiefly to be attained by the knowledge and practising of the word of God, which is the light to our paths, the key of the kingdom of heaven, our comfort in affliction, our shield and sword against Satan, the school of all wisdom, the glass wherein we behold God's face, the testimony of his favour, and the only food and nourishment of our souls,