study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第5部分
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we might expect the version to be valuable。
＇1＇ Herman Buschius。
＇2＇ This will mean the more to us when we realize that the literary men
of the day despised the English tongue。 Sir Thomas More wrote his Utopia
in Latin； because otherwise educated men would not deign to read it。 Years
later Roger Ascham apologized for writing one of his works in English。
Putting the Bible into current English impressed these literary men very
much as we would be impressed by putting the Bible into current slang。
All this while； and especially between the time when Tindale first
published his New Testament and the time they burned him for doing so；
an interesting change was going on in England。 The King was Henry VIII。；
who was by no means a willing Protestant。 As Luther's work appeared； it
was this same Henry who wrote the pamphlet against him during the Diet
of Worms； and on the ground of this pamphlet； with its loyal support of the
Church against Luther； he received from the Roman pontiff the title
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〃Defender of the Faith；〃 which the kings of England still wear。 And yet
under this king this strange succession of dates can be given。 Notice them
closely。 In 1526 Tindale's New Testament was burned at St。 Paul's by the
Bishop of London； ten years later； 1536； Tindale himself was burned with
the knowledge and connivance of the English government； and yet； one
year later； 1537； two versions of the Bible in English； three…quarters of
which were the work of Tindale； were licensed for public use by the King
of England； and were required to be made available for the people！ Eleven
years after the New Testament was burned； one year after Tindale was
burned； that crown was set on his work！ What brought this about？
Three facts help to explain it。 First； the recent years of Bible
translation were having their weight。 The fugitive copies of the Bible were
doing their work。 Spite of the sharp opposition fifty thousand copies of
Tindale's various editions had actually been published and circulated。 Men
were reading them； they were approving them。 The more they read； the
less reason they saw for hiding the Book from the people。 Why should it
not be made common and free？ There was strong Lutheran opinion in the
universities。 It was already a custom for English teachers to go to
Germany for minute scholarship。 They came back with German Bibles in
Luther's version and with Greek Testaments； and the young scholars who
were being raised up felt the influence； consciously or unconsciously； of
the free use of the Bible which ruled in many German universities。
The second fact that helps to explain the sudden change of attitude
toward the Bible is this： the people of England were never willingly ruled
from without； religiously or politically。 There has recently been a
considerable controversy over the history of the Established Church of
England； whether it has always been an independent church or was at one
time officially a part of the Roman Church。 That is a matter for
ecclesiastical history to determine。 The foundation fact； however； is as I
worded it a moment ago： the people of England were never willingly ruled
from without； religiously or politically。 They were sometimes ruled from
without； but they were either indifferent to it at the time or rebellious
against it。 Those who did think claimed the right to think for themselves。
The Scotch of the north were peculiarly so； but the English of the south
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claimed the same right。 There has always been an immense contrast
between the two sides of the British Channel。 The French people during
all those years were deeply loyal to a foreign religious government。 The
English people were never so； not in the days of the fullest Roman
supremacy。 They always demanded at least a form of home government。
That made England a congenial home for the Protestant spirit； which
claimed the right to independent study of the sources of religion and
independent judgment regarding them。 It was only a continuance of the
spirit of Wiclif and the Lollards。 The spirit in a nation lives long；
especially when it is passed down by tradition。 Those were not the days of
newspapers。 They were instead the days of great meetings； more important
still of small family gatherings； where the memory of the older men was
called into use； and where boys and girls drank in eagerly the traditions of
their own country as expressed in the great events of their history。
Newspapers never can fully take the place of those gatherings； for they do
not bring men together to feel the thrill of the story that is told。 It must be
remembered that the entire population of England at that time was only
about three millions。 And that old spirit of independence was strongly at
work in the middle…class villages and among the merchants； and they were
a ruling and dominant class。 That was second； that in those ten years there
asserted itself the age…long unwillingness of the English people to be ruled
from without。
The third fact which must be taken into account to explain this
remarkable change of front of the public English life is Henry VIII。
himself。 There is much about him that no country would willingly claim。
He was the most habitual bridegroom in English history； he had an almost
confirmed habit of beheading his wives or otherwise ridding himself of
them。 Yet many traits made him a typical outstanding Englishman。 He had
the characteristic spirit of independence； the resentment of foreign control；
satisfaction with his own land； the feeling that of course it is the best land。
There are no people in the world so well satisfied with their own country
as the people of England or the British Isles。 They are critical of many
things in their own government until they begin to compare it with other
countries； they must make their changes on their own lines。 The pamphlet
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of Henry VIII。； which won him the title of Defender of the Faith； praised
the pope； and； though Sir Thomas More urged him to change his
expressions lest he should live to regret them； he would not change them。
But that was while the pope was serving his wishes and what he felt was
England's good。
There arose presently the question； or the several questions； about his
marriage。 It sheds no glory on Henry VIII。 that they arose as they did； but
his treatment of them must not be mistaken。 He was concerned to have his
marriage to Anne Boleyn confirmed； and there are some who think he was
honest in believing it ought to be confirmed； though we need not believe
that。 What happened was that for the first time Henry VIII。 found that as
sovereign of England he must take commands from a foreign power； a
power exercising temporal sovereignty exactly as he did； but adding to it a
claim to spiritual power； a claim to determine his conduct for him and to
absolve his people from loyalty to him if he was not obedient。 It arose
over the question of his divorce； but it might have arisen over anything
else。 It was limitation on his sovereignty in England。 And he let it be seen
that all questions that pertain to England were to be settled in England； and
not in another land。 He would rather have a matter settled wrong in
England than settled right elsewhere。 That is how he claimed to be head of
the English Church。 The people back of him had always held to the belief
that they were governed from within； though they were linked to religion
from without。 He executed their theory。 That assertion of English
sovereignty came during the eventful years of which we are speaking。
Here； then； are our great facts。 First； thoughtful opinion wanted the
Bible made available； and at a convention of bishops and university men
the King was requested to secure the issuance of a proper translation。
Secondly； the people wanted it； the more because it would gratify their
English instinct of independent judgment in matters of religion。 Thirdly；
the King granted it without yielding his personal religious position； in
assertion of his human sovereignty within his own realm。
So England awoke one morning in 1537 to discover that it had a
translation of the Bible two of them actually； open to its use； the very thing
that had been forbidden yesterday！ And that； one year after Tindale had
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been burned in loyal France for issuing an Englis
