The version of the New Testament in the Bible of 1560 does not exactly agree with the separate Testament of 1557: plainly it was to some degree revised; and the Old Testament has a much better claim to be regarded as a thoroughly new revision than any other since Coverdale's. The men who prepared it were scholars, acquainted with the original; and though they derived assistance from other versions, did not follow any of them with servility. "In all parts," says Canon Westcott, "they took the Great Bible as their basis, and corrected its text without ever substituting for it a new translation. Even where the changes are greatest the original foundation can still be traced, and the new work fairly harmonizes with the old. One chief aim of the revisers seems to have been to make the translation as nearly verbal as possible, and consequently in a great number of passages they replace the renderings of the Zurich scholars (Coverdale or Münster) by those of Pagninus. At the same time there is abundant evidence to shew that they were perfectly competent to deal independently with points of Hebrew scholarship; and minute expressions shew that they were not indifferent to style." The Genevan Bible has been nicknamed "the Breeches Bible," from the occurrence of that word in Gen. iii. 7; but it is curious to recollect that the word breeches in the same verse had been used by Caxton, in the fragmentary versions he introduced into his "Golden Legend." With the knowledge of that fact, only just brought to light, the Genevan Bible loses its old appellation. The work is dedicated to Elizabeth, who had ascended the English throne before the publication of the version; and one regrets to find in it traces of that intolerant spirit which was so characteristic of the age. These worthy but mis taken men, exiles themselves through religious intolerance, called upon her majesty to take out of the way such impediments as might hurt or deform the work of reformation, animating her by an appeal to the example of Josias, "who burned in sign of detestation the idolatrous priests' bones upon their altars, and put to death the false prophets and sorcerers, to perform the words of the law of God." Strange that those who had suffered so severely from the inflictions of intolerance, and who were still in the land of exile, to which that intolerance had driven them, should have learned so little wisdom in this matter from that which they had endured! But the duty of one man conceding to another the liberty in religious profession and worship which he claims for himself is a lesson which few indeed, if any, in those days, fully understood. They confounded the Jewish theocracy with mere human governments. They thought it a duty to support what they conceived to be truth by the employment of temporal punishments; and here was their grand error, not understanding the import of our Lord's words and those of His apostles, "My kingdom is not of this world;" The weapons of our warfare are not carnal." But the Epistle to the Reader in the Genevan Bible is written in a different spirit, and breathes sentiments of universal good-will. Amongst the comments is one on the observance of the Sabbath-all the more remarkable from being written in a city where, under the sway of Calvin, no strict Sabbath observance was maintained. Exod. xxxi. 14: "God repeateth this point, because the whole keeping of the law standeth in the true use of the Sabbath, which is to cease from our works, and to obey the will of God." It would seem from this statement that the Genevan Puritans were imbued with the spirit which was so strongly manifested in England during the next century. The Calvinism of the translators comes out strongly in their comment on Rom. ix. 15: "As the only will and purpose of God is the chief cause of election and reprobation, so His free mercy in Christ is an inferior cause of salvation, and the hardening of the heart an inferior cause of condemnation." Nor can one help noticing the burst of feeling against popery and prelacy in a note on Rev. ix. 3: "Locusts are false teachers, heretics, and worldly subtle prelates, with monks, friars, cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, doctors, bachelors, and masters, which forsake Christ to maintain false doctrine." The Church Book of the Puritans of Geneva, preserved in the Genevan archives, sheds interesting light upon their proceedings while these translations were being prepared.* By the aid of this record we are enabled to trace the arrivals and departures of the strangers, the marriages that took place and the children who were born amongst them. The registers of the city council add to the information; and there is something very touching in the notices taken of the removal of the hospitably entertained refugees, after the accession of Queen Elizabeth. On the 24th of January, 1559, several of the exiles, with their ministers, presented a formal request to the city authorities for a dismissal, on the ground of their being now able to return in peace to the home of their fathers. At the same time they thanked their hosts for the cordial entertainment they had vouchsafed to them. On the 24th of August * This book is in English, but it bears a French title, Livre des Anglais. An account of its contents may be found in the Memoirs and Documents of the Société d'Histoire et d'Archéologie de Genève, 1853. There is a good article on the subject in the Bibliotheca Sacra, July, 1862 the same year a person described as a bishop from England -no doubt Coverdale-made a similar application.* The last departure was at the end of May, 1560, and is thus noticed in the city archives: "English citizens and residents,-Wm. Whittingham, citizen, in his own name and that of his companions, came to thank messieurs for the good treatment which they have had in this city, and signified that to serve the Church in their own country it is necessary that they should remove thither, praying us to retain them as humble servants of the State, and declaring that at all times, and in every way in which they may be able to render service to the State and to individuals of the city, they will exert themselves to do so to the utmost of their power; and requesting us to give them an attestation of their life and conversation while they have been in this city." Then follows a reference to the Church records which the English exiles left behind them, and which are still preserved in the Town Hall. "They have presented the book of those of their nation who came to sojourn in the city, as a perpetual memorial. Decreed that an honourable dismission be granted to them, and an attestation of the contentment we have had with them; and that they be exhorted to pray for us, and to do to strangers among themselves as others have done to them: and let them always be ready to bear good affection to this city. And it is agreed that we retain those that are citizens and subjects as such in future." + * Registre du Conseil, ii. vol. de 1559, fol. 81. THE BISHOPS' BIBLE. HE accession of Elizabeth created the deepest joy in the hearts of English Protestants, and in that pageant-loving age expression was given to the predominant feeling in a congenial fashion. By the Little Conduit at the upper end of Cheapside, an old man appeared with scythe and wings, representing Father Time coming out of a cave, leading a second person clad in white silk, his own daughter, bearing the name of Truth. She had a book in her hand on which was written Verbum Veritatis. It was the Bible in English, and this, after a short speech, Truth handed to her Majesty. "As soon as she received it she kissed it, and with both her hands held it up, and then laid it upon her breast, greatly thanking the city for that present, and said she would often |