THere is none, I presume, of those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, but will account that a good service done to Religion, and an ac­ceptable work unto the Church of God, of those who imploy their whole studies and endeavours for saving the soules of men, and for the propa­gating of the true worship of God in all places throughout the world: Since that it is our duty not onely to have regard of our selves, but we ought likewise, so farre as we are able, to endeavour the salvation of others also, and to be industrious in the promoting of it. He that doth the worke of the Lord deceitfully, or having put his hand to the plough, doth through slothfulnesse draw it backe againe, is pronounced accursed: But a crowne of eternall glo­ry is laid up for those who have kept the faith, have brought sinners unto righteousnesse, and accomplished their course with cheerfulnesse. It is not ease or idlenesse, but industry and labour, is the portion of those who desire to do service in the Church of God; difficulties & dangers they must expect to meet with, the crosse also, & many grievous things to be undergone, the weight whereof without the assistance of the holy spirit were insupportable. Of this Moses [...]ha [...] faithfull servant in the house of God, had much experience, when with many signes and wounders he brought the Children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, and did in the wildernesse [...] [Page 2] that people to be observed the law of God published for that end on mount Sinai. He found the like in preparing and erecting the Tabernacle, the draught whereof he received from God himselfe, for notwithstanding the large contribution of materialls to the worke, yet was there need also, that Bezaleel and Aholiab the workmen of it should be furnished by God himselfe, with a spirit of wisdome and skill, to prepare it, and the severall sorts of ves­sells belonging to it; whereby God, the most wise Architect of the whole Universe, would make knowne to us, that to the do­ing of Gods worke, the spirit and help of God is mainly necessa­ry, which is not in the power of man to confer, but proceedes a­lone from the Father of lights. 'Twas the worke of God to put into Solomons heart a spirit of wisdome, which made him sur­passe the wisest of men; and to stir him up with cherefullnesse and resolution, to undertake and accomplish the building of that famous Temple at Jerusalem: as also to incline the heart of Hiram King of Tyre, to supply wood and stones for that magnificent structure, and fit workmen for the imployment; who were by God also inabled to perform the worke. The same Spirit of God it was, that put it into the heart of Cyrus King of Persia, to afford to the people of God then in captivity, a safe returne to their owne land. 'Tis God also that put courage into Zerubbabel and Jo­shua, and a spirit of alacrity into the people, to set to their whole strength for rebuilding the Temple, and not be dismayed by diffi­culties or dangers, and their Enemies stratagems. And 'twas God that over ruled the spirit of Darius a heathen King, and made him by a publike edict give order to the neighbouring people, to for­bear demolishing the work once begun, which by divers subtil­ties and artifices they were indeavouring to do. Nor was it lesse a worke of the same spirit of God, which stirred up the holy Pro­phets of old, who made it their businesse to extirpate the false worship of feigned deities, and bring the people under their charge to the true worship of God; nor would suffer themselves by the many threatenings of an ungratefull world, or the many hazards that did attend the service, to be deterred from it.

To these succeeded Christs holy Apostles; who, notwith­standing they were looked upon as the off-scouring of the world [Page 3] and as sheep appointed to the slaughter; though what they preach­ed were to the Jewes a stumbling-blocke, and to the Greeks foolish­nesse; though exposed to the hatred and injuries of the world which they did undergo; yet could not be drawn off from the love of Christ, whose Church, by their ministry, was greatly inlarg­ed, both amongst Jewes, and Gentiles. And after them, the Orthodox Fathers of the Primitive Church; who faithfully trans­mitting to the Church the word of God, detecting hypocrites and stopping the mouthes of hereticks, were eminently service­able to Christ the Prince of Glory: To whom I must adde also those faithfull labourers in the Lords vineyard in these latter ages; furnished with his spirit, and taught of God; who arming them­selves with Religions buckler, have fought manfully in the cause of God against Sathan and Antichrist, have vindicated the light of truth from out of darknesse, have restored the learned languages and the liberall arts and sciences to their pristine splendour, nor spare any paines for the propagating of truth: To say nothing of those many others whose names are yet flourishing, who at this day by their learned writings, and good name, both at home and abroad, improve that light transmitted to them; whose mo­desty forbids to name them. To conclude, what ever at any time, by the holy men of God, in matter of Religion and Gods worship, hath been prudently managed or successefully accomplish­ed, 'tis all to be ascribed to divine providence. Nor can I beleeve, that it is without this secret and wise disposall of the divine Maje­sty, that my selfe, the meanest of those who minister to Christ or serve under him, and no wayes comparable with others; have been inabled in these last times, when the day of the consum­mation of all things is at hand, (many signes whereof we have all­ready seen, and many more dayly discovering themselves both in heaven and in earth, so that scarce any of them remaine as yet un­accomplished, save that onely, foretold by Christ Math. 24. of preaching the Gospell throughout the world, a testimony to all nations, and then shall the end be,) willingly to begin, con­stantly to persevere in, and happily to consummate, a worke of vast labour, (namly) the TRANSLATION of the BIBLE, into the LI­THUANIAN TONGUE.

[Page 4] For having long ago considered that severall pious and learned men, since the yeare of our Lord 1387. (at which time Lithu­ania received the Christian faith, by meanes of that most religi­ous King Jagello,) have hitherto in vaine expected, that some body would haue been raised up by God, to translate the Holy Scriptures into that tongue, (which not only in those large Ter­ritories but also in the neighbouring Countries of Livonia, Cur­landia, Russia, Prussia, and in the borders of Moscovy, it selfe is commonly used,) I thought it my duty (having dedicated my selfe to the service of the Church from my youth) to furnish my selfe with such abilities, whereby I might be advantagious to it. Wherefore imploring the assistance and direction of Christ, (through whome we can do all things,) that a work so acceptable and signally conducing to the edification of the Church of God, may continue no longer unattempted, or be put off till the coming of Elias, or our Saviour Christ, I have adventured up­on it, and my aime is not only now by this Translation (with the summe and contents of all the Historicall, Dogmaticall, Propheticall bookes, of the Gospels, Epistles and Chapters,) to be helpfull to those people, who have hitherto been destitute of bookes in that language for the furtherance of the practice of piety, saue only the Lords prayer, the Apostles Creed, the Ten Commandements, some few Catecheticall tracts, fragments of Gospells and Epistles, and a late Booke in Quarto, set out in the yeare 1653. (con­taining only seventy eight of Davids Psalmes, some Hymnes com­posed by Luther and others, the Gospells for the Lords dayes, with a short analysis, the History of Christs passion, and a Catechisme for the younger:) but also for their fuller knowledge of the articles of Christian religion, by faithfully translating out of the English Tongue, the Confession of faith, the Larger and Lesser Catechisme, framed by the Assembly of Divines, convened by the Authority of the Parliament of England, to whom being afterwards exhibited, they were examined and approved by them, as also by the Church­es of Scotland: I have a purpose shortly also by Gods assistance, to turne the booke of Psalmes, into meeter, according to that melo­dy, that is now in use in the Churches of this happy Island, which is easy to be learned by ordinary persons; for having skill but in [Page 5] three tunes, they may be able to sing all the Psalmes, whereas contrariwise in the French Psalter (otherwise very excellent,) according to which almost all the Protestant Churches in Europe, have theirs composed, it comes to passe, by reason of the diffi­culty of the tunes, and unskilfullnes in singing, that only some of the easier Psalmes are wont to be sung, even in the publike Assemblyes. It were to be wished, that others also in their gene­ration, after the same manner, would endeavour, to roll away, that reproach, from the Israel of God: likewise they would do a thing very pleasing, both to God and good men, if they would compile Notes on the Bible, out of the most learned Eng­lish and Dutch Annotations, (of which sort nothing hath as yet been done in severall nations) or meerly by their joynt labor translate both of them, especially in this age, wherein Antichrist attempts an universall apostasie from the truth.

For it is meet, that they who debarr the faithful of the free use of the Scriptures that principle of Christian faith, allowing the reading thereof to none, but Austins, Ambroses and Chrysostoms, should know that not one, or two alone, but many among the or­thodox professers do watch for the soules of the godly, especially seeing the papists boast so much of their number. Every builder of the new Babylon hath wherewithall to defend the apostasie of Rome, and to maintaine the servitude and tyranny of the Do­ctrine of the pope, the cheife bulwark and Helena of their divini­ty; let Christ also have such meanes through the industry of his servants, who succeed in their room, who continual labour, the burden of mens unthankfullnes, and the tyranny of their enemyes hath broken and enervated; by which, not only those who are al­ready in the Lords sheep-fold may be guarded, but also that a watch tower may be erected for such who are without it, by the light of which they may be brought into the haven of salvation, from the stormes of errors and idolatry, whereby they are mise­rably tossed to the present hazard of their soules. This being the grounde of my undertaking, God grant, that by it I may see, some at least, if not all, in my owne nation converted from the darknesse of humane traditions, to the true Gospell worship, and that God would keep and continue others in the heavenly truth [Page 6] by the help of these labors, which I heartily wish, nothing doubt­ing, that his divine favour who hath stirred up my heart in the carrying on of this work will not here leave me, but raise up some religious Patrons, who will judge it unfit to suffer so Christian a work to remaine unpublished, considering how laudable and wor­thy a thing it is for pious men, out of the love of the truth, and a desire of the increase of Christs Kingdome in this world, to use all endeavours that the Church and true religion may take roote and bring forth abundant fruits in forreigne nations also. And surely; if in times of the Olde Testament, the building of the materiall Temple was pleasing to God, how much more acceptable shall we think the building of his spirituall house, whose corner Stone is Christ, on whome believers are built as living stones, wil be to him. The memory of those that framed the Tabernacle is blessed, and their names also who are wont to put their helping hands to such pious workes, shall not only, as others, be written in heaven, but they also shall be made pillars in the house of God, and Christ shall write on them the name of his God, and the name of the City of his God, that is new Jerusalem, which descendeth from God out of heaven and his new name, to whome with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all ho­nour and glory for ever. Amen.