THIS is not a work of compromises, or of conjecturalinterpretations of the sacred Scriptures, neither is it aparaphrase, but a strict literal rendering. It neither adds nortakes away; but aims to express the original with the utmostclearness, and force, and with the utmost precision. It adopts,however, except in the prayers, a thoroughly modern style, and makesfreely whatever changes are necessary for this purpose.

Besides being a contribution to Biblical science, itis designed to be a still more important contribution to practicalreligion, for which the Bible in its original languages and in allits translations is chiefly valuable. The translation dependsmainly on its superior adaptation to this end, under the blessingof God, for its success and usefulness. If it shall be found ontrial to be a superior instrument of piety and virtue, it willdoubtless meet with favor and do good. The ascendency of practicalreligion is not so general or complete, that any additional helpfor its promotion can be deemed unnecessary.

New translations of the Scriptures are generallyintroduced with apologies and received with caution and distrust.In many cases men have resisted them as dangerous innovations, andattempted to exterminate them with fire and sword. This was thecase with the translations of Wickliffe and of Tindal. But truthand the kind providence of God were too mighty for their enemies,and these translations lived to see their persecutors in the dust,and to laugh them to scorn. Wickliffe's translation was publishedin 1380, in a dark age. Many good men anticipated from it thegreatest calamities, and resisted it with the most intemperatezeal, and every species of denunciation was used against it. It wasmade from the Vulgate, and not from the Greek and Hebrew, and wasimperfect; but it was a great improvement on what existed before,and it proved a great blessing.

Tindal was contemporary with Luther, and undertookto giv

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