The Scripture Guide, a Familiar Introduction to the Study of the Bible [pp. 201-221]

1839.] Critical Study of the English Bible.
ten when he seems to be most loose in the expression, he is
most successful in embodying the very life and soul of his
original. Though a hundred generations of philologists and
critics should arise in Germany to re-translate the Bible,
the nation would be false to their own honour and the cause
of truth, if they should suffer one or all to supersede this noble
monument of Luther's learning, skill, and zeal for God.
This bright example was soon followed. The Germans were
not suffered to monopolize the honour of a national translation. Wherever the reformed religion was embraced, there
was a hungering for the word of God. And at no remote
period from the finishing of Luther's work, the Dutch, the
Danes, the Swedes, the English, and the Protestants of
France, had the whole Bible in their mother-tongues. A
late biographer of Calvin expresses his regret that a French
translation of the Scriptures was not executed by the great
Reformer, who might then have shared the honours of his
German fellow-worker in this as well as other things; and
the two might have stood forth to posterity in this, as they
now stand in so many other points of view, the Jachin and
Boaz of the Reformation. The effect of such a version must
have been immense, as the writer already cited well observes, not only on the Protestants of France, but on the language, taste, and intellect of that great nation. But these are
vain regrets, and may especially be spared over the grave
and amidst the memorials of stlch a man as Calvin. If he
did less than Luther for bible translation, he did vastly more
for doctrinal theology. Non omnes possumus omnia.
Among the national translations of the Bible, which the Reformation brought into existence, we have mentioned that of
England. The history and character of this important version
have, of late years, been favourite subjects both of investigation
and discussion. Into this inquiry it is not our present purpose to enter. Instead of inquiring whence our version came,
and wherein it excels, we rather wish to bring before the
reader some of the effects which have resulted from its general
adoption and continual use. Premising, then, that it is, by
those most competent to judge, regarded as one of the best
versions of the Bible, or of any other book, now extant, we
would call attention to the fact, that when this version was,
by common consent, taken as a national translation, for the
benefit of all who speak the English tongue; when the zeal
for original research and re-translation had been merged in
general approbation of this common version; there was of
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