Mr. Bunyan's dispute with a scholar to this effect.
As Mr. Bunyan was upon the road near Cambridge, there overtakes him a scholar that had observed him a preacher, and said to him, How dare you preach, seeing you have not the original, being not a scholar?
Then said Mr. Bunyan, Have you the original?
Yes, said the scholar.
Nay, but, said Mr. Bunyan, have you the very self-same original copies that were written by the penmen of the scriptures, prophets and apostles?
No, said the scholar, but we have the true copies of those originals.
How do you know that? said Mr. Bunyan.
How? said the scholar. Why, we believe what we have is a true copy of the original.
Then, said Mr. Bunyan, so do I believe our English Bible is a true copy of the original.
Then away rid the scholar.