AN

Hiftorical ACCOUNT

Of the Several

English Translations

OF THE

BIBLE,

AND THE

OPPOSITION

They met with from the

Church of ROME.

By ANTHONY JOHNSON, A. M. Rector
of Swarkfton in Derbyfbire.

LONDON:

Printed for C. RIVINGTON, in St. Paul's
Church-Yard, and fold by J. ROE Book-
feller in Derby, and S. LOBB Bookfeller in
Bath. M.DCCXXX. [Price I s.

130. f. 59.

BI

LIOTH

A

MONG the many and grievous Errors we charge the Church of Rome with, the withholding from the People the Scriptures in the Vulgar Tongue, is not the leaft. The Artifice of this hath been very learnedly and strongly oppofed by us, and the Cheat

of

vi

To the READER.

of it abundantly difcovered. And there cannot be a plainer Evidence of the Judgment of the Univerfal Church in this Matter, than the early and numerous Verfions of the Scriptures into all Vulgar Languages. For thus Theodoret peaks, That which was formerly uttered in Hebrew, is not only tranflated into the Language of the Gracians, but alfo the Romans, Egyptians, Perfians, Indi-" ans, Armenians, Scythians, Sarmatians, and, in a Word, into all the* Languages that are used by any Na-, tion. The fame is faid by others. This was done not by the blind Zeal of inconfiderable Men, but the' moft learned Doctors of the Church were concerned herein, Origen, Chryfoftome, St. Jerom, and others.

But obferving we have not any continued perfect Account of Tranflations of the Bible into our own National Language, I purposed to col

lect

me,

To the READER.

Vii

lect what I had obferved to lie fcattered up and down in our Hiftorians, and other Writers relating thereunto. But being quickly removed to a Place where I had no Affiftance of Books, but what my Small Study could afford I gave over my Defign, till finding in the Hiftoria Literaria, an Efay on our English Tranflation of the Bible, and taking it to be very imperfect, I looked over my Papers, intending to publish them as an Appendix to a Difcourfe of our Church's, but afterwards determined to venture them Abroad alone, to fee what Entertainment they should meet with.

I was induced to make them publick, not by the Solicitations of Friends, or any of the commonly pretended Reafons; but out of a natural Fondness Men ufually have for their own Productions, thinking that all elfe should have the fame; and likewife a Hope that they might provoke some one else

to