15 And yf it seeme euyll vnto you to serue the Lorde then chose you this day whō you wil serue whether y e goddes which your fathers serued that were on the other side of the fludde either y e goddes of the Amorites in whose land ye dwel As for me and my house we wil serue the Lorde 16 The people aunswered and sayd God forbyd that we should forsake the Lord and serue straunge goddes 17 For the Lorde our God he it is that brought vs our fathers out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage and whiche did those great miracles in our sight and preserued vs in al the way that we went and among al the people which we came thorowe 18 And the Lord did cast out before vs all the people euen the Amorites whiche dwelt in the lande And therfore wil we also serue the Lord for he is our God 19 And Iosuah sayde vnto the people Ye can not serue the Lord for he is an holy God and a ielous God and cannot beare your iniquite and sinne 20 Yf ye forsake the Lorde and serue straunge goddes he will turne and do you euill and consume you after that he hath done you good 21 And the people sayde vnto Iosuah Nay but we will serue the Lorde 22 And Iosuah sayde vnto the people Ye are witnesses against your selues that ye haue chosen you the Lorde to serue him And they sayde we are witnesses 23 Then put away sayde he the straūge goddes whiche are among you bowe your heartes vnto the Lorde God of Israel 24 The people sayde vnto Iosuah The Lorde our God will we serue and his voyce will we obey 25 And so Iosuah made a couenaūt with the people the same day and set an ordinaunce lawe before them in Sichem 26 And Iosuah wrote these wordes in the booke of the lawe of God and toke a great stone and pitched it on ende in the sayde place euen vnder an oke that was in the sanctuarie of the Lorde 27 And Iosuah sayde vnto al the people Behold this stone shal be a witnesse vnto vs for it hath hearde al the wordes of the Lorde whiche he spake with vs it shal be therfore a witnesse vnto you lest ye denie your God 28 And so Iosuah let the people depart euery man vnto his inheritaunce 29 And after these thinges it came to passe that Iosuah the sonne of Nun the seruaunt of the Lorde died being an hundreth and ten yeres old 30 And they buryed him in the countrey of his inheritaunce euen in Thamnath Serah whiche is in mount Ephraim on the northside of the hill of Gaas 31 And Israel serued the Lorde all the dayes of Iosuah and all the dayes of the elders that ouer lyued Iosuah and whiche had knowne all the workes of the Lorde that he had done for Israel 32 And the bones of Ioseph whiche the childrē of Israel brought out of Egypt buried they in Sichem in a parcell of ground whiche Iacob bought of the sonnes of Hemor the father of Sichem for an hundreth peeces of siluer and it became the inheritaunce of the children of Ioseph 33 And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron died whom they buried in a hill that pertayned to Phinehes his sonne which hill was geuen him in mount Ephraim ¶ The ende of the booke of Iosuah whom the Hebrues call Iehosuah ⧠The booke of Iudges called in the Hebrue Sophtim and in Latin Judicum ¶ The fyrst Chapter 1 After Iosuah was dead Iuda was constitute captayne 6 Adonibezek is taken 14 The request of Achsah 16 The children of Keni 19 The Chanaanites are made tributaries but not destroyed 1 AFter the death of Iosuah it came to passe that the childrē of Israel asked the Lord saying who shall go vp for vs against the Chanaanites to fight fyrste a-against them 2 And the Lorde sayde Iuda shall go vp beholde I haue deliuered the land into his handes 3 And Iuda sayde vnto Simeon his brother Come vp with me in my lot that we may fight against the Chanaanites and I likewyse will go with thee into thy lot And so Simeon went with him 4 And Iuda went vp and the Lord deliuered the Chanaanites and Pherezites into their handes And they slue of them in Bezek ten thousande men 5 And they found Adombezek in Bezek And they fought against him and slue the Chanaanites and Pherezites 6 But Adonibezek fled and they folowed after hym caught hym and cut of his thombes and his great toes 7 And Adonibezek sayde Three score and ten kinges hauing their thombes great toes cut of gathered their meate vnder my table As I haue done so God hath done to me agayne And they brought him to Hierusalem and there he died 8 The childrē of Iuda had fought against Hierusalem and had taken it and smitten it with the edge of the sword set the citie on fire 9 Afterward the children of Iuda went downe to fight against the Chanaanites that dwelt in the mountayne towarde the south in the lowe countrey 10 And Iuda went against the Chanaanites that dwelt in Hebron whiche before time was called Kiriath Arba slue Sesai Ahiman and Thalmai 11 And from thence they went to the inhabitauntes of Dabir whose name in olde time was called Kiriathsepher 12 And Caleb sayd He that smiteth Kiriathsepher and taketh it to him will I geue Achsah my daughter to wyfe 13 And Othoniel the sonne of Kenez Calebs younger brother toke it to whom he gaue Achsah his daughter to wyfe 14 When she came to him she counsayled him to aske of her father a fielde And then she lighted of her asse and Caleb sayde vnto her What wilt thou 15 She aunswered vnto him Geue me a blessing for thou hast geuen me a southward land geue me also springes of water And Caleb gaue her springes both aboue and beneath 16 And the childrē of the Kenite Moyses father in lawe went vp out of the citie of paulme trees with the children of Iuda into the wildernesse of Iuda that lieth in the south of Arad and they went and dwelt among the people 17 And Iuda went with Simeon his brother and they slue the Chanaanites that inhabited Zephath and vtterly destroyed it and called the name of the citie Horma 18 And also Iuda toke Azzah with the coastes therof Askalon with y e coastes therof and Akaron with the coastes therof 19 And the Lorde was with Iuda and he conquered the mountaines but could not dryue out the inhabitauntes of the valleyes because they had charettes of iron 20 And they gaue Hebron vnto Caleb as Moyses sayde And he expelled thence the three sonnes of Anak 21 And the children of Beniamin did not cast out the Iebusites that inhabited Hierusalem but the Iebusites dwell with the children of Beniamin in Hierusalem vnto
tymâ— of the lawe written which did eâ—dure vnto the natiuitie of Christe and conteyneth yeres 1510. H This Ahud was lame of his right hand or left handed he slue the king of the Moabites the land had peace fourscore yeres Iud. 3. I Sanger slue sixe hundred Philistians with one share he defended the Israelites but after his death they sinned against god and therfore were afflicted 20. yeres by Sisara in whose time Troia was buylden of Tros king of Dardan Iud. 4. K Debora wyfe to Barak a prophetesse she fought against Sisara and slue him by Iahel the wyfe of Hebar song her canticle â—nd the land had rest fourtie yeres after whose death the Israelites sinned against God therfore were deliuered into the handes of Madian seueÌ„ yeres in whose time Apollo founde the art of Phisicke and the harpe Iud. 4. L Gedeon saluted of the angel he sacrificed to God vnder an oke who for destroying the aulter of Baal was called Ieroboal he had a signe in a fleece that God woulde deliuer Israel by his hand in whose time Mercurius made the lute Tyrus the citie was buylded 250. yeres before the temple Iud. 6. M Abimelech sonne of Gedeon slue 70. of his brethren vpon one stone in one day yet Ioatham thâ— youngest fled to thâ— mountaynes and spake the parable of y e oliue of the figtree of the vine of the bryer this Abimelech was striken with a peece of a milstone bad his squire kill hym with his sworde Iud. 8. C Mary Moyses sister wife to Calef for y e drowning of Pharao in the red sea song y e Canticle Exo. 15. and because she dyd chyde Moyses for his wyfe the Ethiopian she was striken with lepri Num. 12. D Chore straue against Moyses and Aaron for the priesthood because he was of the first begotten of Caaf for which offence he was deuided from others swalowed into y e grouÌ„de with his family with Dathan and Abiron Num. 16 N Naason comming foorth out of Egpyt a prince in y e tribe of Iuda and so it is true that the Lorde said to AbrahaÌ„ gen 15. that in the fift generation the childreÌ„ of Israel went out of Egypt and so making an accompt according to y e kingly tribes as telling the generations and not the persons and therfore the successions which is to be seene counting from Iuda to Naason for fiue times it is saide there he begat But if it be coÌ„tayned in that letter in the 4. generation the order must be taken in the priestly tribe couÌ„ting from Leui to Eleazar Exo. 5. Mat. 1. O Salmon maryed Rahab the harlot of Iericho which receaued y e spies that Iosue sent and hid them vnder the bunches of flax of whom Salmon begat Booz the grandfather of that Booz which begat Obeth for they were three ioyntly together the father the sonne and the nephewe they were called Booz and because it was a name of three men Mathew the euangelist putteth him but once in his genealogie Math. 1. Rom. Moyses A 120. 40. Iudges of Israel Iosue F 110. 27. Othoniel G 40. Ahud H 80. Sangaâ— I 1. Debora K 40. Gedeon L 40. Abimelech M 3. Aaron R 113. Abin Eleazar Ythamar Phinces E Abisue Boezi Maria. C Chore. D In this figure folowing be the names of the â—tions repâ— â–ª where the children of Israel pitched their tentes in y e desâ—r by the space of fourtie yeres as appeareth in the bookes of Exodus and Leuiticus whose names be briefely recyted in the bookes of â—umerie 33. Esrom THE MANSIONS OF THE FIRST YERE XII FROM THEIR DEPARTVRE OVT OF AEGIPT TO THE DESERT OF SINAI 12 MANSIONS RAMESES RED SEA SVCOTH DESERT OF SYN ETHAM DAPHKA PIHALROTH ALVS MARAH RAPHIDIM ELIM DESERT OF SINAI THE MANSIONS OF THE SECOND YERE XXI NVMERI CAP .33 FROM THE DESERT OF SINAI TO CADEâ— EARNE 21. MANSIONS GRAVE â—F LVST MOVNT SEPHER MOVNT SEROTH HAZEROTH HARADA BENEIAAKAN RITHMA MAKELOTH GADGAD RIMON PHARES THAHATH IETHEBATHA LIENA THARATH ABRONA RISSA MITHCA EZEON GABER KEHELATHA HASMONA DESERT OF CADES THE MANSIONS OF THE THIRD YERE IX FROM CADES BARNE TO THE FEELDE OF MOAB 9 MANSIONS MOVNT HOB ALMON DIRLATHAIM ZALMONA MOVNTS ABARIM PHVNCN FEâ—Lâ—ES OF MOAB OBOTH II MABARIM DIBONGAD THES BE THE 42 MANSIONS OF FR PEOPLE 2OF ISRAEL BY YEREâ— Aram. Aminadab Nanson N Salmon O THE TABERNACLE OF COVENANT THE CITYES OF PRIESTES 13 THE CYTIES OF CHAATHITS 10 THE CYTIES OF GERSONITS 13 THE CYTIES OF MERARIE 12 ISACHAR IVDAS RVBEN SYMEON GAD EPHRAIM BENIAMIN MANASSES NEPTALIM ASER DAN ZABVLON EAST SOVTH WEST NORTH This figure folowing serueth to vnderstand the disposing of the Tribes and Leuites by foure quarters of the world about the tabernacle At the cast was Iudas with 74600. of whom the chiefe was Naason â–ª with other about him y e whole nuÌ„ber was 186400 Towarde the south was Ruben with 46500. fighting men of his stocke of whom the chiefe was Elisur and about him was others to the number in the whole 18100. men Toward the west was Ephraim with 40500 men of whom the chiefe was Elisama nigh vnto him were others which were in the whole 108â—00 Toward the north was Dan with 72700. men the head of whom was Abiasar and about him were others to the number of 175000. of fighting men This is the summe of the children of Israel by the houses of their kindredes so that the hoast amounted to 600550. men The Leuites were not numbred within the other tribes and all these pitched their tentes about the tabernacle as appeareth Num. 2. but most largely Exo. 27. This figure also serueth to vnderstand what Leuites what cities in what tribes the children of Leui with their suburbes dyd receiue by lot for the tenthes of the tabernacles as in Iosue 21.1 Paâ— 6. This figure also sheweth the sixe cities of refuge vnto the which they did flee that by chaunce slue any man and were therein saued and after the death of the high priest they returned againe into their owne houses Deu. 4. Iosue 20. A Bishops Ozi Azaria Meraioth Amazias Achitob Hely F Hely 88. 40. Ophni and Phinees Achitob Abimelech From this Ozi was the priesthood translated from the children of Eleazar to Eli whiche was of y e children of Ithamar â— these 4. outward of y e children of Eleazar were depriued of the priesthood vntil Sadoch G. Abdon had 40 sonnes and 30. nephewes of them in whose dayes the people of Israel receeded not from the Lord some thinke that that notable fact of the Leuits wyfe which is red in Iudg. 19. after whose death the Israelites dyd offende was comitted therfore were plagued of the Philistines Iud. 12. C Iudges Thola A 23. Iahir B 22 Iepte C 7 Abession D 7 Ailon E 10 Abdon G 8 Sampsou H 29 Hely 40 Samuel I 20 Ioel. Abias These 2 sonnes of Samuel were iudges the one in Bethel the other in Barsabe whiche bothe peruerted iudgment by their
Iosippus which was also called Caiphas vnder whom Christe suffered he after .xi. yeres forsoke Iurie and returned to Rome after him Tiberius sent Pontius Pilate vnder whom Herode Agrippa to the honor of Tiberius Caesar builded the citie of Tiberias After y e death of Herode Ascolonita the monarchie of the kingdome of the Iewes was deuided into two partes by the Senate of Rome and one part was geuen to Archelaus vnder the name of the Tetrarch that is of Iurie and Idumea and it was promised him that if he did worthily he shoulde be made king An other part was deuided into two Tetrarches and one part therof was geuen to Herode Antipas ouer the riuer and Galilee and to his brother Philippus was geuen the Tetrarchie of Ituria or Traconitis and to Lisania was geuen the Tetrarchie of Abilen Christes line Christe Iesus our Lorde was borne the .42 yere of the Empire of Augustus in the .30 yere of Herode the kyng on the Sunday at nyght and in the .15 yere of Tiberius Christ was 30. yeres of age Christes birth Christes childhood Christes suffering Christes rising Octauianus or Augustus 57 I. Tiberius Caesar 23 K. 〈…〉 in the 〈…〉 you ioyne the 〈…〉 so begynneth the sixt age which shall continue to the day of iudgement H. Pontius Pilate was made Procurator of Iurie by Tiberius Caesar who commyng to Hierusalem woulde haue the image of Iulius Caesar to be set in the temple in the .17 yere of his rule he pronounced false sentence agaynst Christe he woulde haue brought into the temple the images of the Gentiles contrarie to the lawe of the Iewes and the money receaued into Corbonam that is of the Arke wherin was put the offrings of the priestes to the repayryng of the temple also of the Treasure house wherin was put the oblations of all passengers he turned to his owne vse and therfore Tiberius exiled him to Lions his owne countrey where he dyed to his shame Ioh. 19. I. Octauianus or Augustus Caesar after he came to the empire found pacified the whole world therfore he disired to knowe what regions what cities what castles what villages what men were vnder his Empire for he had the rule of the whole worlde and this description was first made of Cirinus the liefetenaunt of Syria and than was Christe borne And hauyng desire to builde a notable pallace he woulde knowe howe long it shoulde continue and had aunswere from Cibilla that it shoulde endure so long tyll a virgin should bring foorth a childe whervpon he called it eternum that is euerlastyng But Christe beyng borne of a virgin the pallace fell downe whervpon he builded an aulter to God borne of the virgin and called it the aulter of heauen he raigned .13 yeres after Christes birth and in the .41 yere of his rule he numbred the people in Rome and there were founde ninetie tymes three hundred thousand and 80. thousande and sixe hundred men Luk. 2. K. Tiberius was the sonne of Augustus and of Iulia his wife he had two Nephues one of his sonne called Tibur and another of his brother called Gaius he woulde haue substituted after him the sonne of his sonne whom he loued better but Herode Agrippa loued better Gaius and wished him to be Emperour for which wishe he put Herode in prison In the .15 yere of his raigne Iohn Baptist began for to preache and to baptise and in his 18. yere Christe was crucified and Tiberius dyed Hismeria Zacharia man Elizabeth wife Iohn Baptist L. Hismeria and Anna sisters Anna wife to these three Salomas Ioachim Cleophas Zebedeus man Maria wife Maria wife Ioseph man Maria wife Alpheus man Petrus Iames the great Iohn the Euangelist Iames the lesse Simon Cananeus Taddeus S. Iudas Christe Andreas Philippus Bartholomeus Mattheus Thomas Matthias Paulus M. Ioseph or Barsabas Barnabas The Apostles dispearsed through the whole worlde to preache the Gospell of Christe were for Christes sake slayne by diuers tormentes except Iohn the Euangelist Peter and Paule in the â—9 from Christes passion and in the .14 yere of Nero were slaine at Rome the same day Andrewe in Patras Iames both of them and Matthias in Iurie Iohn the Euangelist was translated from Ephesus Thomas and Bartholmewe in Iudea Simon and Iudas in Persia Matthewe in Ethiope Marke in Alexandria Luke in Bithinia Barnabas was martered in Cipresse M. Paul in the seconde yere from Christes death was by miracle conuerted to the fayth in the .13 yere Paul and Barnabas were deuided in Antioche and went vp to Peter and Iames in Hierusalem and in the .14 yere they went to preache and Paul after long preachyng in Iurie and Greece came to Rome ¶ The whole scripture of the Bible is deuided into two Testamentes the olde Testament and the newe which booke is of diuers natures some legall some historicall some sapientiall and some propheticall The olde teacheth by figures and ceremonies the lawe was geuen terribly in lightnyng and thundryng to induce the people to obseruaunce therof by feare The newe Testament came in more gloriously with the gentle name of the Gospel and good tidynges to induce men to obserue it by loue Bookes Legal be so named wherin the lawes and iudgementes of God be pronounced by his owne mouth and they be 5. bookes which is to say Genesis Which doth treate of the beginning of the world and of all creatures of the deluge of Noes ship and the confusion of tongues of the election of Gods people and of the goyng downe of the people into Egypt Chapters 50. Exodus Sheweth of the ten plagues of Pharao and of the departyng of the children of Israel out of Egypt of the ten preceptes and iudgementes and of the instruction of Gods people of the arke of Gods couenaunt and of the Tabernacle of the aulter of Aarons vestures Chapters 40. Leuiticus It doth treate of sacrifices and oblations to be offered of the pot and the vestures of Aaron of the order and ministery of the Leuites Chapters 27. Numeri It treateth of the numbryng of the people of the tribes of Israel of the prophecie of Balaam of the mansions in wildernesse Chapters â—6 Deuteronomie Doth report agayne those thinges that were done in the former foure bookes Chapters 34. Historical be so called wherein histories of diuers actes be expressed there be of theÌ„ bookes 19. Iosuah Whiche doth treate of the passing ouer the flud of Iordane and of the subuersion of the kingdome that were the Iewes aduersaries of the bryngyng in of Gods people into the lande of beheste and of the deuision of that lande Chapters 24. Iudges Which treateth of Princes and Iudges and of the defence of the people of Israel and of their conquest and triumphes had agaynst their enemies Chapters 21. Ruth Which treateth of the matrimonie betwixt Booz and Ruth of whom Christ did spring Chapters 4. Samuel 1 Which treateth of the gouernaunce of the people of Israel by Iudges of
hath had such care to prescribe these bookes thus vnto vs I say not prescribe them only but to maintaine them and defende them against the malignitie of the deuill and his ministers who alway went about to destroy them and yet could these neuer be so destroyed but that he woulde haue them continue whole and perfect to this day to our singuler comfort and instruction where other bookes of mortall wise men haue perished in great numbers It is recorded that Ptolomeus Philadelphus kyng of Egypt had gathered together in one librarie at Alexandria by his great coste and diligence seuen hundred thousand bookes wherof the principall were the bookes of Moyses whiche reserued not much more then by the space of two hundred yeres were all brent and consumed in that battayle when Caesar restored Cleopatra agayne after her expulsion At Constantinople perished vnder Zenon by one common fire a hundred and twentie thousande bookes At Rome when Lucius Aurel Antonius dyd raigne his notable librarie by a lightning frō heauen was quite consumed yea it is recorded that Gregorie the first did cause a librarie of Rome cōtayning only certaine Paynims workes to be burned to thintent the scriptures of God should be more read and studied VVhat other great libraries haue there ben cōsumed but of late daies And what libraries haue of olde throughout this realme almost in euery abbey of the same ben destroyed at sundry ages besides the losse of other mens priuate studies it were to long to rehearse VVherevpon seyng almightie God by his deuine pouidence hath preserued these bookes of the scriptures safe and sounde and that in their natiue languages they were first written in the great ignoraunce that raigned in these tongues and contrary to all other casualties chaunced vpon all other bookes in mauger of all worldly wittes who would so fayne haue had them destroyed and yet he by his mightie hande would haue them extant as witnesses and interpreters of his will toward mankind we may soone see cause most reuerently to embrace these deuine testimonies of his wyll to studie them and to search them to instruct our blinde nature so sore corrupted and fallen from the knowledge in whiche first we were created Yet hauing occasion geuen somewhat to recouer our fall and to returne againe to that deuine nature wherein we were once made and at the last to be inheritours in the celestiall habitation with God almightie after the ende of our mortalitie here brought to his dust agayne These bookes I say beyng of suche estimation and aucthoritie so muche reuerenced of them who had any meane taste of them coulde neuer be put out of the way neither by the spyte of any tiraunt as that tiraunt Maximian destoyed all the holy scriptures wheresoeuer they coulde be founde and burnt them in the middes of the market neither the hatred either of any Porphirian philosopher or Rhetoritian neither by the enuie of the romanystes and of such hypocrites who from tyme to time did euer barke against them some of them not in open sort of condempnation but more cunningly vnder suttle pretences for that as they say they were so harde to vnderstande and specially for that they affirme it to be a perilous matter to translate the text of the holy scripture and therefore it can not be well translated And here we may beholde the endeuour of some mens cauillations who labour all they can to slaunder the translatours to finde fault in some wordes of the translation but them selfe will neuer set pen to the booke to set out any translation at al. They can in their constitutions prouinciall vnder payne of excommunication inhibite al other men to translate them without the ordinaries or the prouinciall counsayle agree therevnto But they wyll be well ware neuer to agree or to geue counsayle to set them out VVhiche their suttle compasse in effect tendeth but to bewray what inwardly they meane if they coulde bring it about that is vtterly to suppresse them being in this their iudgement farre vnlike the olde fathers in the primatiue Church who hath exhorted indifferently all persons aswell men as women to exercise them selues in the scriptures which by Saint Hieroms aucthoritie be the scriptures of the people Yea they be farre vnlike their olde forefathers that haue ruled in this realme who in their times and in diuers ages did their diligence to translate the whole bookes of the scriptures to the erudition of the laytie as yet at this day be to be seene diuers bookes translated into the vulgar tongue some by kynges of the realme some by bishoppes some by abbottes some by other deuout godly fathers so desirous they were of olde tyme to haue the lay sort edified in godlynes by reading in their vulgar tongue that very many bookes be yet extant though for the age of the speache and straungenesse of the charect of many of them almost worne out of knowledge In whiche bookes may be seene euidently howe it was vsed among the Saxons to haue in their Churches read the foure gospels so distributed and piked out in the body of the euangelistes bookes that to euery Sunday and festiuall day in the yere they were sorted out to the common ministers of the Churche in their common prayers to be read to their people Nowe as of the most auncient fathers the prophetes Saint Peter testifieth that these holy men of God had the impulsion of the holy ghost to speake out these deuine testimonies so it is not to be doubted but that these latter holy fathers of the englishe Church had the impulsion of the holy ghost to set out these sacred bookes in their vulgar language to the edification of the people by the helpe whereof they might the better folowe the example of the godly Christians in the begining of the Churche who not only receaued the worde withall redinesse of heart but also did searche diligently in the scriptures whether the doctrine of the Apostles were agreable to the same scriptures And these were not of the rascall sort saith the deuine storie but they were of the best and of most noble byrth among the Thessalonians Birrhenses by name Yea the prophetes them selues in their dayes writeth S. Peter were diligent searchers to inquire out this saluatiō by Christe searching when and at what article of time this grace of Christes dispensation should appeare to the world VVhat ment the fathers of the Church in their writinges but the aduauncing of these holy bookes where some do attribute no certaintie of vndoubted veritie but to the canonicall scriptures Some do affirme it to be a foolishe rashe boldnesse to beleue hym who proueth not by the scriptures that whiche he affirmeth in his worde Some do accurse all that is deliuered by tradition not founde in the legall and euangelicall scriptures Some say that our fayth must needes stagger if it be not grounded vpon the aucthoritie of the scripture Some testifieth that
translation as that hereafter might folowe no other that might see that which as yet was not vnderstanded In this poynt it is conuenient to consider the iudgement that Iohn once byshop of Rochester was in who thus wrote It is not vnknowen but that many thinges hath ben more diligently discussed and more clearely vnderstanded by the wittes of these latter dayes aswell concerning the gospels as other scriptures then in olde tyme they were The cause whereof is saith he for that to the olde men the yse was not broken or for that their age was not sufficient exquisitely to expende the whole mayne sea of the scriptures or els for that in this large field of the scriptures a mā may gather some eares vntouched after the haruest men howe diligent soeuer they were For there be yet saith he in the gospels very many darke places whiche without all doubt to the posteritie shal be made muche more open For why should we dispayre herein seing the gospell wryteth he was deliuered to this intent that it might be vtterly vnderstanded of vs yea to the very inche VVherfore forasmuche as Christe sheweth no lesse loue to his Churche now then hitherto he hath done the aucthoritie wherof is as yet no whit diminished and forasmuch as that holy spirite the perpetuall keper and gardian of the same Church whose gyftes and graces do flowe as continually and as aboundantly as from the deginning who can doubt but that such thinges as remayne yet vnknowen in the gospell shal be hereafter made open to the latter wittes of our posteritie to their cleare vnderstanding Thus farre this wryter Only good readers let vs oft call vpon the holy spirite of God our heauenly father by the mediation of our Lorde and sauiour with the wordes of the octonary psalme of Dauid who did so importunatly craue of God to haue the vnderstanding of his lawes and testament Let vs humblye on our knees pray to almightie God with that wyse kyng Solomon in his very wordes saying thus O God of my fathers and Lorde of mercies thou that hast made all thynges with thy worde and didst ordayne man through thy wisdome that he shoulde haue dominion ouer thy creatures which thou hast made and that he shoulde order the worlde according to holinesse and righteousnesse and that he shoulde execute iudgement with a true heart geue me wisdome whiche is euer about thy seate and put me not out from among thy chyldren For I thy seruaunt and sonne of thy handmayden am a feeble person of a short time and to weake to the vnderstanding of thy iudgementes and lawes And though a man be neuer so perfect among the children of men yet if thy wisdome be not with him he shal be of no value O sende her out therfore from thy holy heauens and from the throne of thy maiestie that she may be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight for she knoweth and vnderstandeth all thinges and she shall leade me soberly in my workes and preserue me in her power So shall my workes be acceptable by Christe our Lorde To whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glorie worlde without ende Amen ⧠A prologue or preface made by Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie COncernyng two sundry sortes of people it seemeth much necessarie that some thyng be sayde in the entrie of this booke by the way of a preface or prologue wherby hereafter it may be both the better accepted of them which hitherto coulde not well beare it and also the better vsed of them which heretofore haue misused it For truely some there are that be to slowe and neede the spurre some other seme to quicke and neede more of the brydle some lose their game by short shotyng some by ouer shotyng some walke to much on the left hande some to much on the ryght In the former sort be all they that refuse to reade or to heare redde the scripture in the vulgar tongue much worse they that also let or discourage the other from the readyng or hearyng therof In the latter sort be they which by their inordinate readyng vndiscrete speakyng contentious disputyng or otherwise by their licentious lyuyng slaunder and hynder the worde of God most of all other wherof they woulde seeme to be greatest furtherers These two sortes albeit they be most farre vnlyke the one to the other yet they both deserue in effect lyke reproche Neither can I well tell whether of them I may iudge the more offendour hym that doth obstinately refuse so godly and goodly knowledge or hym that so vngodly and so vngoodly doth abuse the same And as touchyng the former I woulde maruayle much that any man shoulde be so mad as to refuse in darknesse lyght in hunger foode in colde fire for the worde of God is lyght Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete It is foode Non in solo pane viuit homo sed in omni verbo dei Man shall not lyue by bread only but by euery worde of God It is fire Ignem veni mittere in tertam quid volo nisi vt ardeat I am come to sende fire on the earth and what is my desire but that it be kindled I woulde maruayle I say at this saue that I consider how much custome vsage may do So that if there were a people as some write de Cymeriis which neuer sawe the sunne by reason that they be situated farre towarde the North pole and be inclosed and ouershadowed with hye mountaynes it is credible and lyke inough that yf by the power and wyll of God the mountaynes shoulde sinke downe and geue place that the lyght of the sunne myght haue entraunce to them at the first some of them woulde be offended therwith And the olde prouerbe affirmeth that after tillage of corne was first founde many delited more to feede of mast and acornes wherwith they had ben accustomed then to eate bread made of good corne Such is the nature of custome that it causeth vs to beare al thinges well and easyly wherwith we haue ben accustomed and to be offended with all thynges thervnto contrary And therfore I can well thinke them worthy pardon which at the commyng abrode of scripture doubted and drewe backe But such as wyll persist styll in their wilfulnesse I must needes iudge not only foolishe frowarde and obstinate but also peeuishe peruerse and indurate And yet if the matter shoulde be tryed by custome we myght also to aleage custome for the readyng of the scripture in the vulgar tongue and prescribe the more auncient custome For it is not muche aboue one hundred yere ago since scripture hath not ben accustomed to be read in the vulgare tongue within this realme and many hundred yeres before that it was translated and red in the Saxones tongue which at that time was our mother tongue
this worlde but it may be abused and turned from vnhurtfull wholsome to hurtfull and noysome What is there aboue better then the sunne the moone and the starres Yet was there that toke occasion by the great beautie and vertue of them to dishonour God and to defile them selues with idolatrie geuyng the honour of the lyuyng God and creatour of all thynges to such thynges as he had created What is there here beneath better then fire water meates drynkes metals of golde siluer iron and steele Yet we see dayly great harme and much mischiefe done by euery one of these aswell for lacke of wisdome prouidence of them that suffer euyll as by the malice of them that worke the euyll Thus to them that be euyll of them selues euery thyng setteth forwarde and increaseth their euyll be it of his owne nature a thyng neuer so good lyke as contraryly to them that studie and endeuoure them selues to goodnesse euery thyng preuayleth them and profiteth vnto good be it of his owne nature a thyng neuer so bad as S. Paul sayd Hiis qui diligunt deum omnia cooperantur in bonum All thinges do bryng good successe to such as do loue God euen as out of most venimous wormes is made triacle the most soueraigne medicine for the preseruatiō of mans health in time of daunger Wherfore I would aduise you al that come to the reading or hearing of this booke which is the worde of God the most precious iewell and most holy relique that remayneth vpon earth that ye bryng with you the feare of God and that ye do it with all due reuerence vse your knowledge therof not to vayne glorie of friuolous disputation but to the honour of God encrease of vertue and edification both of your selues and other And to the intent that my wordes may be the more regarded I wyll vse in this part the aucthoritie of saint Gregorie Nazianzene like as in the other I dyd of saint Iohn Chrisostome It appeareth that in his tyme there were some as I feare me there be also nowe at these dayes a great number which were idle bablers and talkers of the scripture out of season and all good order and without any increase of vertue or example of good lyuyng to them he writeth all his first booke de theologia Wherfore I shall briefly gather the whole effect and recite it here vnto you There be some saith he whose not only eares and tongues but also their fistes be whetted and redy bent all to contention and vnprofitable disputation whom I woulde wishe as they be vehement and earnest to reason the matter with tongue so they were all redy and practiue to do good deedes But forasmuch as they subuertyng the order of all godlinesse haue respect only to this thyng howe they may bynde and loose subtile questions so that nowe euery market place euery alehouse and tauerne euery feast house briefly euery company of men euery assembly of women is fylled with such talke Since the matter is so saith he and that our fayth and holy religion of Christe begynneth to waxe nothyng els but as it were a sophistrie or a talkyng craft I can no lesse do but say some thyng thervnto It is not fyt saith he for euery man to dispute the hygh questions of diuinitie neither is it to be done at all tymes neither in euery audience must we discusse euery doubt but we must knowe when to whom and howe farre we ought to enter into such matters First it is not for euery man but it is for such as be of exact and exquisite iudgementes and such as haue spent their tyme before in studie and contemplation and such as before haue clensed them selues aswell in soule as body or at the least endeuoured them selues to be made cleane For it is daungerous saith he for the vncleane to touche that thyng that is most cleane lyke as the sore eye taketh harme by lokyng vpon the sunne Secondarily not at all tymes but when we be reposed and at rest from all outwarde dregges and trouble and when that our heades be not encumbred with other worldy and wandryng imaginations as yf a man shoulde mingle balme and dirt together For he that shall iudge and determine such matters and doubtes of scriptures must take his tyme when he may apply his wittes thervnto that he may therby the better see and discerne what is trueth Thirdly where and in what audience There and among those that haue ben studious to learne And not among such as haue pleasure to trifle with such matters as with other thynges of pastime which repute for their chiefe delicates the disputation of hygh questions to shewe their wittes learnyng and eloquencie in reasonyng of hygh matters Fourthly it is to be considered howe farre to wade in such matters of difficultie No further saith he but as euery mans owne capacitie wyll serue hym and agayne no further then the weakenesse or intelligence of the other audience may beare For lyke as to great noyse hurteth the eare to much meate hurteth the mans body heauy burthens hurt the bearers of them to much rayne doth more hurt then good to the grounde briefly in all thynges to much is noyous euen so weake wittes and weake consciences may soone be oppressed with ouer harde questions I say not this to diswade men from the knowledge of God and readyng or studiyng of the scripture For I say that it is as necessarie for the lyfe of mans soule as for the body to breathe And yf it were possible so to liue I woulde thinke it good for a man to spende all his life in that and to do none other thyng I commende the lawe which biddeth to meditate and studie the scriptures alwayes both nyght and day and sermons preachynges to be made both mornyng noone and euentyde and God to be lauded and blessed in all tymes to bed warde from bed in our iourneys and all our other workes I forbyd not to reade but I forbyd to reason Neither forbyd I to reason so farre as is good and godly but I alowe not that is done out of season and out of measure and good order A man may eate to much of hony be it neuer so sweete and there is tyme for euery thyng and that thyng that is good is not good yf it be vngodly done Euen as a flowre in wynter is out of season and as a womans apparell becommeth not a man neither contraryly the mans the woman neither is weepyng conuenient at a bridale neither laughyng at a buriall Nowe yf we can obserue and kepe that is comely and tymely in all other thynges shall not we then the rather do the same in the holy scriptures Let vs not runne foorth as it were wilde horses that can suffer neither bridle in their mouthes nor sitter on their backes Let vs kepe vs in our boūdes and neither let vs go to farre on the one side lest we returne
sonnes shall washe ' their handes and their feete therin ' 20 Euen when they go into the tabernacle of the congregation or when they go in to the aulter to minister and to burne the Lordes offeryng they shall washe them selues with water lest they dye 21 Likewise they shal washe their handes their feete lest they dye and it shal be an ordinaunce vnto them for euer both vnto hym his seede throughout their generations 22 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses ' saying ' 23 Take vnto thee principal spices of the most pure Mirrhe fiue hūdreth sicles of sweete Synamond halfe so much euen two hundreth and fiftie sicles of sweete Calamus two hundreth and fiftie sicles 24 Of Cassia fiue hundreth sicles after the waight of the sanctuarie and of oyle Olyue an hyn 25 And thou shalt make of the oyle an holy oyntment euen an oyntment compound after the craft of the apoticarie 26 It shal be the oyle of holy oyntment and thou shalt annoynt the tabernacle of the congregation therwith and the arke of the testimonie 27 And the table and al his apparell and the candlesticke and all his vessels and the aulter of incense ' 28 And the aulter of burnt sacrifice with ' all his vessels and the lauer his foote 29 And thou shalt sanctifie them that they may be most holye whatsoeuer toucheth them shal be sanctified 30 And thou shalt anoynt Aaron and his sonnes and consecrate them that they may minister vnto me in the priestes office 31 And thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel saying This shal be an holy oynting oyle vnto me throughout your generations 32 Vpon mans fleshe shall it not be powred neither shal ye make any other after the makyng of it for it is holy and ' shal be holy vnto you ' 33 Whosoeuer maketh lyke that or whosoeuer putteth any of it vpon a straūger shall perishe from amongst his people 34 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses Take vnto thee sweete spices Starte Onycha sweete Galbanum these spices with pure Frankensence of eche a lyke wayght 35 And make of them sweete smellyng incense after the craft of the apoticarie mingled together pure and holy 36 And beate it to powder and put of it before the arke of the testimonie in the tabernacle of the congregation where I wyll meete with thee it shal be vnto you most holy 37 And you shal not make to your selues after the makyng of that incense which thou shalt make it shal be vnto you holy for the Lorde 38 Whosoeuer shall make lyke vnto that ' to smell thereto shall perishe from amongst ' his people ¶ The .xxxj. Chapter 1 God geueth his spirite to Besaleel and Ooliab the workemen to inuent all thynges which appertayne to the trimme makyng of the tabernacle 13 What signe the Sabboth is 18 Tables of stone written with the finger of God 1 AND the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 2 Beholde I haue called by name Besaleel the sonne of Vri the sonne of Hur of the tribe of Iuda 3 And I haue fylled hym with the spirite of God in wisedome and vnderstandyng in knowledge and in all maner worke 4 To fynde out wittie deuises and to worke in golde siluer and in brasse 5 And in the craft to set stones and to carue in tymber and to worke in all maner workmanship 6 And beholde I haue geuen hym to be his companion Ooliab the sonne of Achisame◠of the tribe of Dan and in the heartes of all that are wise hearted I haue put wisedome to make all that I haue commaunded thee 7 The tabernacle of the congregation the arke of the testimonie the mercie seate that is thervpon and all the furniture of the tabernacle 8 And the table and his furniture and the pure candlesticke with all his furniture and the aulter of incense 9 And the aulter of burnt offeryng and all his furniture and the lauer with his foote 10 The vestmentes to minister in and the holy garmentes for Aaron the priest and the garmentes of his sonnes to minister in 11 And the annoyntyng oyle and sweete incense for the sanctuarie accordyng to all that I haue commaunded thee shal they do 12 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 13 Speake vnto the children of Israel and say In any wyse see that ye kepe my Sabbothes for it is a signe betweene me you in your generations for to knowe that I the Lorde am he that doth sanctifie you 14 Kepe my Sabboth therefore for it is holy vnto you He that defileth it shal be put to death for whosoeuer worketh therin the same soule shal be rooted out from amongst his people 15 Six dayes shall men worke and in the seuenth day is the Sabboth of the holy rest of the Lorde whosoeuer doth any worke in the Sabboth day shall dye the death 16 Wherefore let the children of Israel kepe the Sabboth that they obserue the Sabboth throughout their generations it is a perpetuall couenaunt 17 For it is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for euer for in six dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth and in the seuenth day he rested and was refreshed 18 And when the Lorde had made an end of commnuyng with Moyses vpon the mount Sinai he gaue hym two tables of witnesse euen tables of stone writen with the finger of God ¶ The .xxxii. Chapter 1 The Israelites do pray vnto the golden calfe 7 God warneth Moyses of the sinne of the people 9 The people of Israel of a styffe necke 11 Moyses intreateth God for Israel cityng his promises 15 Moyses descendeth of the hyll The tables described of God 19 Moyses beyng angry breaketh the tables and the calfe 21 He chideth his brother Aaron 27 The Idolaters be murdered of the Leuites at Moyses commaundement 30 Moyses rebuketh the offence of the people 31 He wyll be putten out of the booke of lyfe and haue the peoples offence pardoned 33 They that be writen in the booke of God 1 ANd when y e people sawe that it was lōg or Moyses came downe out of the mountaine they gathered them selues together vnto Aaron and sayd vnto hym Vp make vs Gods to go before vs for we wote not what is become of this Moyses the man that brought vs out of the lande of Egypt 2 And Aaron sayd vnto them Plucke of the golden earynges which are in the eares of your wiues of your sonnes of your daughters bring them vnto me 3 And all the people plucked of the golden earinges which they had in their eares and brought them vnto Aaron 4 And he receaued them of their handes fashioned it with a grauer made of it a calfe of molten mettel and they said These be thy gods O Israel which brought thee out of the lande of Egypt 5 And when Aaron sawe that he made an aulter before it and Aaron made proclamation saying To morowe is
thine handes therfore shalt thou be glad 16 Three tymes in the yere shall all thy males appeare before the Lorde thy God in the place which he shall choose In the feast of vnleauened bread in the feast of weekes and in the feast of tabernacles And they shal not appeare before the Lorde emptie 17 Euery man shall geue accordyng to the gift of his hande accordyng to the blessyng of the Lorde thy God which he hath geuen thee 18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities which the Lorde thy God geueth thee throughout thy tribes and they shall iudge the people with iust iudgement 19 Wrest not thou the lawe nor knowe any person neither take any rewarde for giftes do blinde the eyes of the wise peruert the wordes of the righteous 20 That which is iust and ryght shalt thou folowe that thou mayst lyue and enioy the lande which the Lorde thy God geueth thee 21 Thou shalt plant no groue of any trees neare vnto the aulter of the Lord thy God which thou shalt make thee 22 Thou shalt set thee vp no piller which the Lorde thy God hateth ¶ The .xvij. Chapter ◠The punishment of the idolater 9 Harde controuersies are brought to the priest and the iudge 12 The contempner must dye 15 The election of the kyng 16 17 What thynges he ought to auoyde 18 And what he ought to imbrace 1 Thou shalt offer vnto the Lorde thy God no oxe nor sheepe wherin is blemishe or any euyll fauourednesse for that is an abhomination vnto the Lorde thy God 2 If there be founde among you within any of thy gates which the Lorde thy God geueth thee man or woman that hath wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde thy God in transgressyng his couenaunt 3 And gone and serued straunge gods and worshipped them as the sunne or moone or any of the hoast of heauen which I haue not commaunded 4 And it is tolde thee thou hast hearde of it then shalt thou enquire diligently and if it be true the thyng of a suretie that such abhomination is wrought in Israel 5 Then shalt thou bryng foorth that man or that woman which haue committed that wicked thyng vnto the gates and shalt stone them with stones tyll they dye 6 At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death dye and at the mouth of one witnesse let no man dye 7 The handes of the witnesses shal be first vpon him to kyll him afterward the handes of all the people and thou shalt put the wicked away from thee 8 If there rise a matter to harde for thee in iudgement betweene blood and blood betweene plea and plea betweene plague and plague and the matters come to strife within thy gates then shalt thou arise and get thee vp vnto the place whiche the Lorde thy God hath chosen 9 And come vnto the priestes the Leuites and vnto the iudge that shal be in those dayes and aske and they shall shewe thee the sentence of iudgement 10 And thou must do accordyng to that which they of that place which the Lord had chosen shewe thee and thou shalt obserue to do accordyng to all that they enfourme thee 11 Accordyng to the sentence of the lawe which they tell thee shalt thou do and bowe not from that which they shewe thee neither to the right hande nor to the left 12 And that man that wyll do presumptuously and wyll not hearken vnto the priest that standeth there before the Lorde thy God to minister or vnto the iudge that man shall dye and thou shalt put away euyll from Israel 13 And all the people shall heare feare and shall do no more presumptuously 14 When thou art come vnto the lande which the Lorde thy God geueth thee and enioyest it and dwellest therin and if thou shalt say I wyll set a king ouer me lyke as all the nations that are about me 15 Then thou shalt make hym king ouer thee whom the Lorde thy God shall choose Euen one from among thy brethren shalt thou make kyng ouer thee and thou mayest not set a straunger ouer thee which is not of thy brethren 16 But he shall not multiplie horses to hym selfe nor bryng the people agayne to Egypt to increase the number of horses forasmuch as the Lorde hath sayde vnto you ye shall hencefoorth go no more agayne that way 17 Also he ought not to multiplie wyues to him selfe lest his heart turne away neither shall he gather hym siluer and golde to much 18 And when he is set vpon the seate of his kingdome he shall write hym out a copie of this lawe in a booke before the priestes the Leuites 19 And it shal be with hym and he ought to reade therin all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lorde his God and to kepe all the wordes of this lawe and these ordinaunces for to do them 20 And that his heart arise not aboue his brethren and that he turne not from the commaundement to the right hand or to the left but that he may prolong his dayes in his kyngdome he and his children in the middes of Israel ¶ The .xviij. Chapter ◠The portion of the Leuites ◠Of the Leuite commyng from another place 9 To auoyde the abhomination of the Gentiles 15 God wyll not leaue them without a true prophete 20 The false prophete shal be slayne 22 Howe he may be knowen 1 THe priestes of the Leuites all the tribe of Leui must haue no part nor inheritaunce with Israel but shall eate y e fierie offeringes of the Lorde and his inheritaunce 2 Therfore shall they haue no inheritaunce among their brethren but the Lorde he is their inheritaunce as he hath sayde vnto them 3 And the priestes duetie of the people and of them that offer whether it be oxe or sheepe they must geue vnto the priest the shoulder the two chekes and the mawe 4 The first fruites also of thy corne wine and oyle and the first of the fleece of thy sheepe shalt thou geue hym 5 For the Lorde thy God hath chosen hym out of all thy tribes to stande and to minister in the name of the Lorde he and his sonnes for euer 6 If a Leuite come out of any of thy cities of all Israel where he is a soiourner and come with all the lust of his heart vnto the place which the Lorde hath chosen 7 He shall minister in the name of the Lorde his God as his other brethren the Leuites do which remayne there before the Lorde 8 And they shall haue lyke portions to eate beside that which commeth of the sale of his patrimonie 9 When thou art come into the lande which the Lorde thy God geueth
goyng in and thy fury against me 28 And because thou ragest against me thy tumult is come vp to myne eares I will put my hoke in thy nostrels and my byt in thy lippes and wil bring thee backe againe the same way thou camest 29 And this shal be a signe vnto thee O Hezekia Ye shall eate this yere of such thinges as grow of themselues and the next yere such as come vp of those that dyd growe of their owne accorde and the thirde yere sowe ye and reape plant vineyardes and eate the fruites therof 30 And it that is escaped and left of the daughter of Iuda shall yet againe take roting downewarde and beare fruite vpwarde 31 For out of Hierusalem shall go a remnaunt and a number that shall escape out of moūt Sion The zeale of the lord of hoastes shal bring this thing to passe 32 Wherfore thus sayth the Lord concerning the king of Assyria he shall not come to this citie nor shote an arrowe into it nor come before it with shielde nor cast a banke against it 33 But shall go backe againe the way he came and shall not come into this citie sayth the Lorde 34 For I will defende this citie to saue it for myne owne sake and for Dauid my seruauntes sake 35 And it came to passe that the selfe same night the angell of the Lorde went out and smote in the hoast of the Assyrians an hundred fourescore fyue thousand And when the remnaunt were vp early in the morning beholde they were all dead coarses 36 And so Sennacherib king of Assyria auoyded and departed and went againe and dwelt at Niniue 37 And it fortuned that as he was in a temple worshipping Nisroch his God Adramelech Saresar his owne sonnes smote hym with the sworde And they escaped into the lande of Armenia and Asarhaddon his sonne raigned in his steade The .xx. Chapter 1 Hezekia is sicke and receaueth the signe of his health 12 He receaueth rewardes of Berodach 13 sheweth his treasures and is reprehended of Isai 22 He dieth and Manasse his sonne raigneth in his steade 1 ABout that time was Hezekia sicke vnto the death And the prophete Isai the sonne of Amoz came to him and sayde vnto him Thus saith the Lord Put thine houshold in an order for thou shalt dye and not lyue 2 And Hezekia turned his face to the wal and prayed vnto the Lord saying 3 I beseche the O Lorde remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart haue done that whiche is good in thy sight And Hezekia wept sore 4 And it fortuned that afore Isai was gone out into the middle of the court the word of the Lorde came to him saying 5 Turne againe and tell Hezekia the captayne of my people thus sayth the Lorde God of Dauid thy father I haue hearde thy prayer and seene thy teares and beholde I will heale thee so that on the thirde day thou shalt go vp into the house of the Lorde 6 And I wil adde vnto thy dayes yet fifteene yeres I will deliuer thee this citie out of the hand of y e king of Assyria will defende this citie for myne owne sake for Dauid my seruauntes sake 7 And Isai sayd Take a lumpe of dried figges And they toke and layed it on the sore and he recouered 8 And Hezekia sayde vnto Isai What shal be the signe that the Lorde will heale me and that I shal go vp into the house of the Lorde the thirde day 9 Isai aunswered This signe shalt thou haue of the Lord that the Lord will do that he hath spoken Shall the shadowe go forwarde ten degrees or go backe againe ten degrees 10 Hezekia aunswered It is a light thing for the shadowe to go downe ten degrees I desire not that but let the shadowe go backwarde ten degrees 11 And Isai the prophete called vnto the Lord and he brought the shadowe ten degrees backwarde by whiche it had gone downe in the dyall of Ahaz 12 The same season Berodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present vnto Hezekia for he had hearde howe that Hezekia was sicke 13 And Hezekia was glad of them and shewed them all his treasure house siluer golde odours precious oyntment all the house of his armory and all that was found in his treasures There was nothing in his house in all his realme that Hezekia shewed them not 14 And Isai the prophete came vnto king Hezekia and sayd vnto him What sayde these men and from wence came they to thee And Hezekia sayde They be come from a farre countrey euen from Babylon 15 And he sayde againe What haue they seene in thy house Hezekia aunswered All y e thinges that are in my house haue they seene there is nothing among my treasures that I haue not shewed thē 16 And Isai sayde vnto Hezekia Heare the word of the Lord 17 Beholde the dayes come that all that is in thy house and whatsoeuer thy fathers haue layde vp in store vnto this day shal be caryed into Babylon and nothing shal be left sayth the Lorde 18 And of thy sonnes that shall proceede out of thee and which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shal be chamberlaynes in the palace of the king of Babylon 19 And Hezekia sayde vnto Isai Welcome be the worde of the Lorde whiche thou hast spoken And he sayde Shall there not be peace trueth in my dayes 20 The remnaunt of the wordes that concerne Hezekia and all his power and howe he made a poole and a conduite brought water into the citie are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Iuda 21 And Hezekia slept with his fathers Manasse his sonne raigned in his steade The xxi Chapter 3 King Manasse restoreth idolatrie 16 And vseth great crueltie 18 He dieth and Amon his sonne succeedeth 23 who is killed of his owne seruauntes 26 After him raigneth Iosia 1 MAnasse was twelue yeres old when he began to raigne and raigned fyftie and fyue yeres in Hierusalē his mothers name also was Hephziba 2 And he did euil in the sight of the Lord euen after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lorde cast out before the children of Israel 3 For he went and buylt vp the hygh places whiche Hezekia his father had destroyed and he reared vp aulters for Baal and made idol groues as dyd Ahab king of Israel and worshipped all the hoast of heauen and serued them 4 And he buylt aulters in the house of the Lord of which the Lorde sayde in Hierusalem will I put my name 5 And he buylt aulters for all the hoast of heauen euen in two courtes of the house of the Lorde 6 And he offred his owne sonne in fire and gaue heede vnto witchcraft and sorcery and mainteyned
Ezer And the singers sange loude hauing Iesrahiah for their ouersear 43 And the same day they offered great sacrifices and reioyced for God had geuen them great gladnesse so that both the wiues children were ioyfull the mirth of HierusaleÌ„ was hearde farre of 44 At the same time were the men appoynted ouer the treasure houses wherin were the heaue offeringes the firstlinges and the tythes that they shoulde gather them out of the fieldes about the cities to distribute them vnto the priestes and Leuites according to the lawe for Iuda was glad of the priestes and Leuites that serued â—â— And there stoode and wayted vpon the office of their God whiche is a pure office both the singers and porters after the commaundement of Dauid and of Solomon his sonne 46 For in the time of Dauid and Asaph of olde were the chiefe singers founded the songes of prayse and thankesgeuing vnto God 47 In the time of Zorobabel and Nehemia did all they of Israel geue portions vnto the singers and porters euery day his portion and they gaue tythes vnto the Leuites the Leuites gaue tythes againe vnto the children of Aaron The .xiii. Chapter 1 The lawe is read â— They separate from them all straungers 15 Nehemia reproueth â–ª them that breake the Sabbath â–ª â— An ordinaunce to serue God 1 ANd that day dyd they read in the booke of Moyses in the audience of the people and therein was founde written that the Ammonites Moabites shoulde neuer come into the congregation of God 2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them and our God turned the curse into a blessing 3 Nowe when they had hearde the law they separated from Israel euery one that had mixt him selfe therin 4 And before this had the priest Eliasib the ouersight of the treasurie of the house of our God and he was kynsman vnto Tobia â— And had made hym a great chamber and there had they afore time layed the offringes frankencence vessels and the tythes of corne wine and oyle according to the commaundementes geuen to the Leuites singers and porters and the heaue offringes of the priestes â— But in all this time was not I at Hierusalem for in the two and thirtie yere of Artaxerâ—es king of Babylon came I vnto the king after certayne dayes obtayned I licence of the king to come to Hierusalem 7 And I gat knowledge of the euyll that Eliasib dyd for Tobia in that he had made hym a chamber in the court of the house of God 8 And it greeued me sore therefore I cast foorth all the vessels of the house of Tobia out of the chamber â— And commaunded them to clense the chambers and thyther brought I againe the vessels of the house of God with the meate offring and the incense 10 And I perceaued that the portions of the Leuites had not ben geuen them and that euery one was fled to his land euen the Leuites and singers that executed the worke 11 Then reproued I the rulers and sayd Why is the house of God forsaken And I gathered them together and set them in their place 12 Then brought all Iuda the tythes of corne and wine and oyle vnto the treasure 13 And I made treasures ouer the treasure euen Selemiah the priest and Zadoc the scribe and of the Leuites Phadaâ—a and vnder their hand was Hanan the sonne of Zacur the sonne of Mathania for they were counted faythful and their office was to distribute the portions vnto their brethren 14 Thinke vpon me O my God herein and wype not out my mercie that I haue shewed on the house of my God and on the offices therof 15 And the same time sawe I in Iuda some treading wine presses on the Sabbath and bringing in sheues and which laded asses also with wine grapes and figges and all burthens and brought them into Hierusalem vpon the Sabbath day And I rebuked them earnestly the same day that they solde the vittayles 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein which brought fish and all maner of ware and solde on the Sabbath vnto the childreÌ„ of Iuda euen in Hierusalem 17 Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda sayd vnto them What euyl thing is this that ye do breake the Sabbath day 18 Dyd not your fathers euen thus and our God brought all this plague vpon vs and vpon this citie And ye make the wrath more yet vpon Israel in that ye breake the Sabbath 19 And when the poâ—s of Hierusalem began to be darke in the euening before the Sabbath I commaunded to shut the gates â–ª and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath and some of my seruauntes set I at the gates that there shoulde no burthen be brought in on the Sabbath day 20 Then remayned the chapmen and marchauntes once or twyse ouer night without Hierusalem with all maner of wares 21 Then reproued I them sore and sayde vnto them Why tary ye all night about the wall If ye do it once againe I will lay handes vpon you From that time foorth came they no more on the Sabbath 22 And I said vnto the Leuites that they should clense them selues and that they shoulde come and kepe the gates to halowe the Sabboth day Thinke vpon me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to thy great mercie 23 In those dayes also sawe I Iewes that maried wyues of Asdod of Ammon and of Moab 24 And their children spake halfe in the speach of Asdod and could not speake in the Iewes language but according to the language of the one people and of the other people 25 Then I reproued them and cursed them and smote certayne men of them and made them bare and toke an oth of them by God Ye shall not geue your daughters vnto their sonnes neither shall ye take their daughters vnto your sonnes or for your selues 26 Dyd not Solomon the king of Israel sinne by these thinges and yet among many heathen was there no king like him which was deare vnto his God God made hym king ouer all Israel and yet neuerthelesse outlandishe women caused him to sinne 27 Shall we then obey vnto you to do al this great euyll and to transgresse against our God and marie straunge wyues 28 And one of the children of Iehoiada the sonne of Eliasib the hye priest was the sonne in law of Sanaballat the Horonite but I chased him from me 29 O my God thinke thou vpon them that defile the presthod and the couenaunt of the presthod and of the Leuites 30 Thus clensed I them from all such as were outlandishe and appoynted the courses of the priestes and Leuites euery one in his office 31 And to offer the wood at times appoynted and the first fruites Thinke thou vpon me O my God for the best The ende of the seconde
And the Lorde tourned the captiuitie of Iob when he prayed for his friendes Yea the Lorde gaue Iob twyse as much as he had afore 11 And then came there vnto him all his brethren all his sisters and all they that had ben of his acquaintaunce afore and did eate bread with him in his house and had compassion on him and comforted him ouer all trouble that the Lorde had brought vpon him euery man also gaue him a certaine summe of money and a iewell of golde 12 So the Lorde blessed the last dayes of Iob more then the first for he had fourteene thousand sheepe sixe thousand camels a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand she asses 13 He had seuen sonnes also and three daughters 14 The first daughter called he Iemima the second Kezia and the third Kerenhapuch 15 In al the land were no women found so faire as the daughters of Iob and their father gaue them inheritaunce among their brethren 16 After this liued Iob an hundred and fourtie yeres so that he sawe his children and his childrens children into the fourth generation 17 And so Iob dyed being olde and of a perfect age The ende of the booke of Iob. A. P. C. ⧠The thirde part of the Bible contayning these bookes The Psalter Ecclesiastes The prouerbes Cantica canticorum ⧠The Prophetes Esai Ieremi Ezechiel Daniel Osee Ioel. Amos. Abdi Ionas Micheas Nahum Habacuc Sophoni Aggeus Zachari Malachi ¶ A Prologue of saint Basill the great vpon the Psalmes DAVID that not able king and prophete a man singulerly 〈◊〉 not almightie God after his own heart being 〈◊〉 both 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 him selfe and being through vexeâ— saint 〈…〉 〈◊〉 experience 〈◊〉 the world â—â—reth his sundry affection as his 〈◊〉 â—crued 〈◊〉 in this 〈◊〉 〈…〉 out with diuers names but sounding all to one thing Hebreus name â—â—m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a 〈…〉 and expresse it by the name of a musicall instrument 〈…〉 â—alled Our 〈…〉 â— that a bookâ— of psalmes as his disciple Peter doth the same Some intituâ— that liber contemplationum â—iue soliloquiorum A booke of contemplations or secrete meditatiâ—n 〈…〉 speaketh solitarily and alone to almightie God â–ª A booke of â—oly scripture 〈…〉 â—able in doctrine â—igâ— misterie and profounde in sense but yet familier and ready tâ— be vnderstanded of the true christen heart To the diligent vsing of which booke the holy Apâ—stle saint Truth by graue aduisement no lesse than in two of his epistles exhorteth vs saying in the â—ne thus Let tâ—e worde of Christe dwell in you richly in all wysdome thereof teaching and admâ—nishing your 〈◊〉 in psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songes singing with grace in your heartes to the Lord 〈◊〉 admonition so serious ought not to be contemned Now forasmuch as the vse of the psalmes 〈…〉 speciall peculiar grace aboue all other partes of scripture therâ—fore it ought of all other chiâ—fâ—ly tâ— be esteemed and duely to be vsed as euermore in the Church of God aswell of the olde people of 〈…〉 of the new people of the christians it hath ben in mâ—st frequâ—nt vse and reuerence Furthermâ—re all 〈…〉 that it is â—nspirde from God abâ—ue aâ— necessary for instruction is expressed by the determination of the holy ghost to the 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of a â—iere house of plaâ— for the soulâ— peculiar remeaâ—es euery one of vs for our owne infirmitie 〈◊〉 such 〈…〉 writeth 〈…〉 great and in any sinnes Now wheras the propheteâ— haue doctrine proper to them selues and the 〈…〉 them self the law haue his peculiar fâ—urm 〈◊〉 tâ—aching and the prouerbiall bookes haue their seuerall kinde â—f exhortatiâ—n â–ª Tâ—e 〈…〉 the whâ—e commâ—ditie of all their doctrines aforesaide for it prophecieth of thinges to come it â—câ—th the â—siâ—◠〈…〉 what ought to be done and to be short it is a common storehouse of all god doctrine which doth 〈…〉 not only olde â—estâ—ed woundes of the saide but 〈◊〉 geue quicke remedie to 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and comfâ—rtâ—d that 〈◊〉 may which his sake and corrupt and preserueth that which is while and 〈◊〉 it plucketh thâ— by the 〈…〉 and raigne 〈…〉 in the whole 〈◊〉 of mans lyfe which of 〈◊〉 it wâ—rketh 〈…〉 pleaâ—auntly 〈◊〉 our hearte all bâ—â—â—onestie For where as the hâ—ly ghâ—ste perceaued that mankind was hardly traâ—â—o 〈…〉 we bâ— very nâ—gâ—igent in thinges concerning the true lyfe in deede by reason of our 〈◊〉 to worldly pleasures and deâ—eâ—â—ationâ— â—ll â—â—at 〈…〉 in her fâ—urm of doctrine the deâ—eâ—tation of musicke to the intent that the commoditie of the doctrine might secretly 〈…〉 inâ—â—â—s 〈…〉 be touched with the pleaâ—antnesâ—e of the melodie Euen much lyke as expert Phisitions vse to do when they minister their bâ—tter â—ons to 〈…〉 they shoulde abâ—ethâ— aâ—th for the bitternes of their drinkes for the most part they annoynt the brinkes of the cuppes with â—y â–ª And 〈…〉 these sweete and harmonious songes deuised for vs that such as be children either by age or children by maners should in deede haue their 〈…〉 instructed though for the time they seeme but to sing onely Furthermore we see commonly that they which be of the vulgare peâ—ple or of rich and grosse nature can not reâ—dy tâ— bâ—are away and kepe in minde the graue preceptes of the Apostles or Prophetes where yet the deuine psalmes they sing at him â–ª in their houses and abrode they can recorde them And certainly though a man were neuer so furiously raging in ire and wrath yet assâ—e as be heareth the sweeteâ—es of the psalmes straight way is he asswaged of his fury and must depart more quiet in minde by reason of the melody The psalme is the reâ—t of the soule the radile of peace it stillâ—th and pacifieth the raging bellowes of the minde for it doth asswage and malisie that irefull power and passion of the suâ—e it indureth châ—stitie whâ—re raigned wantonnesse it maketh amitie where was discorde it knitteth friendes together it returneth enemies to an vnitie againe For who can long reputâ— iâ—â—as an enemie with whom be ioyneth him selfe in lyfting vp his voyce to God in prayer So that the song of the psalme work tâ— charitie which is the greatest treasure of all goodnesse that can be deuising by this enducement of concord singing the knot and bonde of vnitie so ioyning the people together after the similitude of a quyâ—r in their vnitie of singing The psalme is an introduction to beginners it is a furtherer to them which 〈…〉 vertue it is to the perfect man a stable foundation to rest on it is the sweete voyce the only mouth of the spouse of Christe the Church The psalme doth cheâ—re the leastfull day the better to reioyce it wâ—rketh that same heauinesse which is heauinesse to Godwarde For the psalme is able to plucke out teares of any mans heart though it be neuer so stony barde O wyse and maruâ—ylous deuise of our heauenly schoolemaister