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
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
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
So be they pronounced both reader and hearer by the holy prophete Ieremie accursed which do the worke of God fraudulently and negligently From the which he defende vs who bought vs with his most precious blood To whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glorie Amen ¶ A Preface into the Byble folowyng OF all the sentences pronounced by our sauiour Christe in his whole doctrine none is more serious or more worthy to be borne in remembraunce then that which he spake openly in his Gospell saying Scrutamini scripturas quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam eternam â—abere et ille sunt quae testimonium perbibent de me Search ye the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall lyfe and those they be which beare witnes of me These wordes were first spoken vnto the Iewes by our sauiour but by hym in his doctrine ment to all for they concerne all of what nation of what tongue of what profession soeuer any man be For to all belongeth it to be called vnto eternall life so many as by the witnes of the scriptures desire to finde eternall life No man woman or chylde is excluded from this saluation and therfore to euery of them is this spokeÌ„ proportionally yet and in their degrees and ages and as the reason and congruitie of their vocation may aske For not so lyeth it in charge to the worldly artificer to searche or to any other priuate man so exquisitely to studie as it lyeth to the charge of the publike teacher to searche in the scriptures to be the more able to walke in the house of God which is the Church of the lyuyng God the pyller and ground of trueth to the establishing of the true doctrine of the same and to the impugnyng of the false And though whatsoeuer difference there may be betwixt the preacher in office and the auditor in his vocation yet to both it is said Search ye the scriptures whereby ye may fynde eternall lyfe and gather witnesses of that saluation which is in Christe Iesus our Lorde For although the prophete of God Moyses byddeth the kyng when he is once set in the throne of his kingdome to describe before his eyes the volume of Gods lawe according to the example whiche he shoulde receaue of the priestes of the leuiticall tribe to haue it with him and to reade in it all the dayes of his life to th ende that he might learne to feare the Lorde his God and to obserue his lawes that his heart be not aduaunced in pryde ouer his brethren not to swarue eyther on the ryght hande or on the left yet the reason of this precept for that it concerneth all men may reasonably be thought to be commaunded to all men and all men may take it to be spoken to them selfe in their degree Though almightie God him selfe spake to his captayne Iosue in precise wordes Non recedat volumen legis huius ab ore tuo sed meditaberis in eo diebus ac noctibus c. Let not the volume of this booke depart from thy mouth but muse therin both dayes and nyghtes that thou mayest kepe and perfourme all thinges which be written in it that thou mayest direct well thy way and vnderstande the same yet aswell spake almightie God this precept to all his people in the directions of their wayes to himwarde as he ment it to Iosue For that he hath care of all he accepteth no mans person his wyll is that all men shoulde be saued his wyll is that all men shoulde come to the way of trueth Howe coulde this be more conueniently declared by God to man then when Christe his welbeloued sonne our most louing sauiour the way the trueth and the lyfe of vs all dyd byd vs openly Searche the scriptures assuring vs herein to finde eternall life to finde full testification of all his graces and benefites towardes vs in the treasure thereof Therefore it is most conuenient that we shoulde all suppose that Christe spake to vs all in this his precept of searching the scriptures If this celestiall doctour so aucthorised by the father of heauen and commaunded as his only sonne to be hearde of vs all biddeth vs busily to Search the scriptures of what spirite can it proceede to forbid the reading and studiyng of the scriptures If the grosse Iewes vsed to reade them as some men thinke that our sauiour Christ dyd shew by such kynd of speaking their vsage with their opinion they had therin to finde eternall lyfe and were not of Christe rebuked or disproued either for their searching or for the opinion they had howe superstitiously or superficially soeuer some of them vsed to expende the scriptures Howe muche more vnaduisedly do suche as bost them selfe to be either Christes vicars or be of his garde to lothe christen men from reading by their couert slaunderous reproches of the scriptures or in their aucthoritie by lawe or statute to contract this libertie of studiyng the worde of eternall saluation Christe calleth them not onlye to the single readyng of scriptures saith Chrisostome but sendeth them to the exquisite searching of them for in them is eternall lyfe to be founde and they be saith hym selfe the witnesse of me for they declare out his office they commende his beneuolence towardes vs they recorde his whole workes wrought for vs to our saluation Antechriste therefore he must be that vnder whatsoeuer colour woulde geue contrary precept or counsayle to that whiche Christe dyd geue vnto vs. Very litle do they resemble Christes louing spirite mouing vs to searche for our comfort that wyll discourage vs from suche searching or that woulde wishe ignoraunce and forgetfulnesse of his benefite to raigne in vs so that they might by our ignoraunce raigne the more frankly in our consciences to the daunger of our saluation VVho can take the light from vs in this miserable vale of blindnesse and meane not to haue vs stumble in the pathes of perdition to the ruine of our soules who wyll enuie vs this bread of lyfe prepared and set on the table for our eternall sustenaunce and meane not to famishe vs or in steede thereof with their corrupt traditions and doctrines of man to infect vs All the whole scripture saith the holy apostle Saint Paul inspired from God aboue is profitable to teache to reproue to refourme to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be sounde and perfect instructed to euery good worke Searche therefore good reader on Gods name as Christe byddeth thee the holy scripture wherein thou mayest finde thy saluation Let not the volume of this booke by Gods owne warrant depart from thee but occupie thy selfe therein in the whole iourney of this thy worldly pilgrimage to vnderstande thy way howe to walke ryghtly before hym all the dayes of thy lyfe Remember that the prophete Dauid pronounceth hym the blessed man whiche wyll muse in
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
them aswell publicanes fishers and sheepheardes may fynde their edification as great doctours their erudition For those bookes were not made to vayne glorie lyke as were the writynges of the gentile Philosophers and Rethoritians to the intent the makers shoulde be had in admiration for their hye styles and obscure maner and writyng wherof nothyng can be vnderstanded without a maister or an expositour But the Apostles prophetes wrote their bookes so that their speciall intent and purpose myght be vnderstanded and perceaued of euery reader whiche was nothyng but the edification of amendement of the lyfe of them that reade or heare it Who is it that readyng or hearyng read in the Gospell Blessed are they that be meeke Blessed are they that be mercifull Blessed are they that be of cleane heart and such other lyke places can perceaue nothyng except he haue a maister to teache hym what it meaneth Likewyse the signes miracles with all other histories of the doynges of Christe or his Apostles who is there of so simple wit capacitie but he may be able to perceaue and vnderstande them These be but excuses and clokes for the rayne coueringes of their owne idle slouthfulnesse But styll ye wyll say I can not vnderstande it What maruayle Howe shouldest thou vnderstande yf thou wylt not reade nor loke vpon it Take the bookes into thyne handes reade the whole story and that thou vnderstandest kepe it well in memorie that thou vnderstandest not reade it agayne and agayne yf thou can neither so come by it counsayle with some other that is better learned Go to thy curate preacher shewe thy self to be desirous to know learne and I doubt not but God seyng thy diligence and readinesse if no man els teache thee wyll hym selfe vouchsafe with his holy spirite to illuminate thee to open vnto thee that which was locked frō thee Remember the Eunuch of Candace Queene of Ethiopia which albeit he was a man of a wylde and barbarous countrey and one occupied with worldly cares and businesse yet rydyng in his charret he was readyng the scripture Nowe consider yf this man passyng in his iourney was so diligent as to reade the scripture what thynkest thou of lyke was he wont to do sittyng at home Agayne he that letteth not to reade albeit he dyd not vnderstande what dyd he then trowest thou after that when he had learned and gotten vnderstandyng For that thou mayest wel knowe that he vnderstoode not what he redde hearken what Philip there saith vnto hym Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And he nothyng ashamed to confesse his ignoraunce aunswered Howe shoulde I vnderstande hauyng no body to shewe me the way Lo when he lacked one to shewe hym the way and to expounde to hym the scriptures yet dyd he reade and therfore God the rather prouided for hym a guide of the way that taught hym to vnderstande it God perceaued his wyllyng and towarde mynde and therfore he sent hym a teacher by by Therfore let no man be negligent about his owne health and saluation Though thou haue not Philip alwayes when thou wouldest the holy ghost which then moued and stirred vp Philip wyll be redy and not fayle thee yf thou do thy diligence accordyngly All these thynges be written vnto vs for our edification and amendement which be borne towardes the latter ende of the worlde The readyng of the scriptures is a great and strong bulwarke or fortresse agaynst sinne the ignoraunce of the same is a greater ruine and destruction of them that wyll not knowe it That is the thyng that bryngeth in herisie that is it that causeth all corrupt and peruerse lyuyng that is it that bryngeth all thynges out of good order Hitherto all that I haue sayde I haue taken and gathered out of the foresayde sermon of this holy doctour saint Iohn Chrisostome Nowe yf I shoulde in lyke maner bryng foorth what the selfe same doctour speaketh in other places and what other doctours and writers say concernyng the same purpose I myght seeme to you to write another Byble rather then to make a preface to the Byble Wherfore in fewe wordes to comprehende the largenesse and vtilitie of the scripture howe it contayneth fruitfull instruction and erudition for euery man yf any thyng be necessary to be learned of the holy scripture we may learne it If falshood shal be reproued therof we may gather wherwithall If any thyng be to be corrected and amended yf there neede any exhortation or consolation of the scripture we may well learne In the scriptures be the fat pastures of the soule therin is no venimous meate no vnholsome thyng they be the very daintie and pure feedyng He that is ignoraunt shall fynde there what he shoulde learne He that is a peruerse sinner shall there fynde his dampnation to make hym to tremble for feare He that laboureth to serue God shall fynde there his glorie and the promissions of eternall lyfe exhortyng hym more diligently to labour Herein may princes learne howe to gouerne their subiectes Subiectes obedience loue and dreede to their princes Husbandes howe they shoulde behaue them vnto their wiues howe to educate their children and seruauntes And contrary the wiues children and seruauntes may knowe their duetie to their husbandes parentes and maisters Here may all maner of persons men women young olde learned vnlearned riche poore priestes lay men lordes ladyes officers tenauntes and meane men virgins wiues widdowes lawyars marchauntes artificers husbandmen and all maner of persons of what estate or condition soeuer they be may in this booke learne all thinges what they ought to beleue what they ought to do what they should not do aswell concernyng almightie God as also concernyng them selues and all other Briefly to the readyng of the scripture none can be enemie but that either be so sicke that they loue not to heare of any medicine or els that be so ignoraunt that they knowe not scripture to be the most healthfull medicine Therfore as touchyng this former part I wyll heare conclude and take it as a conclusion sufficiently determined appointed that it is conuenient and good the scriptures to be redde of al sortes and kyndes of people and in the vulgar tongue without further allegations or probations for the same which shall not neede since that this one place of Iohn Chrisostome is inough and sufficient to perswade all them that be not frowardly peruersly set in their owne wylfull opinion specially nowe that the kinges highnesse being supreme head next vnder Christe of this Churche of Englande hath approued with his royal assent the setting foorth hereof which only to all true obedient subiectes ought to be a sufficient reason for the alowaunce of the same without further delay reclamation or resistaūce although there were no preface nor other reason herein expressed Therfore nowe to come to the seconde and latter part of my purpose here is nothyng so good in
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
citie and laye theron a great heape of stones that remaineth vnto this day 30 Then Iosuah buylt an aulter vnto the Lorde God of Israel in mount Ebal 31 As Moyses the seruaunt of the Lord commaunded the chyldren of Israel and as it is written in the booke of the lawe of Moyses an aulter of whole stones ouer which no man hath lyft an iron And they sacrificed theron burnt sacrifices vnto the Lorde and offered peace offerynges 32 And he wrote there vpon the stones a rehearsal of the lawe of Moyses and wrote it in the presence of the chyldren of Israel 33 And all Israel and the elders therof and their officers iudges stoode part on this syde the arke and part on that syde before the priestes that were Leuites whiche bare the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde aswell the straunger as they that were borne among them halfe of thē ouer against mount Garizim halfe of them ouer against mount Ebal as Moyses the seruaunt of the Lorde had commaunded before that they shoulde blesse the people of Israel 34 Afterwarde he read all the wordes of the lawe the blessinges and cursinges accordyng to all that is written in the booke of the lawe 35 And there was not one worde of all that Moyses commaunded which Iosuah read not before all the congregation of Israel aswel the women and chyldren as the straungers that were conuersaunt among them The .ix. Chapter 1 Certaine kynges are gathered against Iosuah 2 The Gabaonites do guylefully require peace of Iosuah 21 The Gabaonites are made ministers in cuttyng wood and beryng of water 1 AND when al y e kinges that dwell beyonde Iordane in the hylles and valleys along by all the coastes of the great sea ouer against Libanon Namely the Hethites the Amorites the Chanaanites the Pherezites the Heuites and the Iebusites hearde therof 2 They gathered them selues together to fyght against Iosuah and against Israel with one accorde 3 And the inhabitours of Gibeon heard what Iosuah had done vnto Iericho and to Ai 4 And they dyd worke wylylye went and made them selues embassadours and toke olde sackes vpon their asses wine bottels old both rent boūde vp 5 And olde clowted shoes vpon their feete and their rayment was olde and all their prouision of bread was dryed vp and hored 6 And they came vnto Iosuah into the hoast to Gilgal and sayde vnto him and vnto all the men of Israel We be come from a far countrey and nowe make ye agreement with vs. 7 And the men of Israel sayde vnto the Heuite It may be thou dwellest amōg vs and then howe can I make peace with thee 8 And they sayde vnto Iosuah We are thy seruauntes And Iosuah sayde vnto them againe What are ye whence come ye 9 They aunswered him From a very farre coūtrey thy seruauntes are come for the name of the Lorde thy God for we haue hearde the fame of him all that he did in Egypte 10 And all that he did to the two kinges of y e Amorites that were beyonde Iordane Sehon king of Hesbon and Og king of Basā which were at Astaroth 11 Wherfore our elders and all the enhabitours of our countrey spake to vs saying Take vitailes with you to serue by the way and go meete them and say vnto them We are your seruaūtes And now make ye a couenaunt of peace with vs. 12 This our foode of bread we toke with vs out of our houses whot y e daye we departed to come vnto you But nowe beholde it is dried vp and hored 13 And these bottelles of wine whiche we filled were newe and see they be rent And these our garmentes and shoes are worne for oldenesse by the reason of the exceeding long iourney 14 And the men toke of theyr vitayles counseled not with the mouth of the Lorde 15 And Iosuah made peace which thē and made a couenaunt with them that they shulde be suffered to liue And the princes of the congregation sware vnto them 16 But at the ende of three dayes after they had made a league with them they hearde that they were their neighbours that they dwelt among them 17 And the children of Israel toke their iorney and came vnto their cities the thirde day and their cities were Gibeon and Caphira Beroth and Kiriathiarim 18 And the children of Israel slue them not because the princes of the congregation had sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel and all the multitude mourned agaynst the princes 19 But all the princes sayde vnto all the congregation We haue sworne vnto them by the Lorde God of Israel and therfore we may not hurt them 20 But this we wyll do to them We wyll let them liue lest wrath be vpon vs because of the othe which we sware vnto them 21 And the princes said vnto them againe Let them liue and hewe wood drawe water vnto all the congregation and they dyd as the princes sayde vnto them 22 And Iosuah called for them talked with them and sayde Wherfore haue ye beguiled vs saying We dwell farre from you when ye dwell among vs 23 And nowe are ye cursed and there shal not ceasse to be of you bondmen and hewers of wood drawers of water for the house of my God 24 And they aunswered Iosuah sayd It was tolde thy seruauntes how that the Lorde thy God had commaunded his seruaunt Moyses to geue you all the lande and to destroy all the inhabitours therof out of your sight and therfore we were exceedyng sore afrayde for our liues at the presence of you and haue done this thing 25 And beholde we are in thyne hande as it seemeth good and right in thyne eyes to do vnto vs so do 26 And euen so did he vnto them and rid them out of the hande of the chyldren of Israel that they slue them not 27 And Iosuah made them that same day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the aulter of God vnto this day in the place whiche he shoulde choose ¶ The .x. Chapter 1 Fiue kinges make warre against Gibeon whom Iosuah discomfiteth 11 The Lorde rayned haylestones and slue many 12 The sunne standeth at Iosuahs prayer 26 The fiue kinges are hanged 29 Many mo kinges and cities are destroyed 1 NOwe when Adonizedec kyng of Hierusalem had hearde howe Iosuah had taken Ai and had destroyed it and howe that * as he had done to Iericho and her king euen so he had done to Ai and her king and howe the inhabitours of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them 2 They feared exceedingly for Gibeon was a great citie as any citie of the kingdome and was greater then Ai all the men therof were very mightie 3 Wherfore Adonizedec king of Hierusalem sent vnto Hoham king of Hebron
and vnto Pira king of Iarmuth and vnto Iaphia king of Lachis and vnto Dabir king of Eglon saying 4 Come vp vnto me and helpe me that we may smite Gibeon for they haue made peace with Iosuah and with the chidren of Israel 5 Therfore the fiue kinges of the Amorites the king of Hierusalem the king of Hebron the king of Iarmuth the king of Lachis and the king of Eglon gathered them selues together and went vp they with all their hoastes and besieged Gibeon made warre against it 6 And the men of Gibeon sent vnto Iosuah to the hoast in Gilgal saying Withdrawe not thy hande from thy seruauntes come vp to vs quickly and saue vs and helpe vs for all the kinges of the Amorites which dwell in the mountaynes are gathered together agaynst vs. 7 And so Iosuah ascended from Gilgal he and all the people of warre with him and all the men of might 8 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah Feare them not for I haue deliuered them into thine hande neither shall any of them stande agaynst thee 9 Iosuah therfore came vnto them sodaynly and went vp from Gilgal all nyght 10 And the Lorde troubled them before Israel and slue them with a great slaughter at Gibeon and chased them along the way that goeth vp to Bethoron and smote them to Azeka and Makeda 11 And as they fled from before Israel and were in the going downe to Bethoron the Lorde cast downe great stones from heauen vpon them vntyll Azeka and they dyed there were mo dead with hayle stones then they were whom the children of Israel slue with the sworde 12 Then spake Iosuah to the Lorde in the day when the Lorde deliuered the Amorites before the children of Israel he sayd in the sight of Israel Sunne stande thou styll vpon Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialâ—n 13 And the sunne abode and the moone stoode styll vntyll the people auenged them selues vpon their enemies Is not this written in the booke of the righteous So the sunne I say abode in the middest of heauen and hasted not to go downe by the space of a whole day 14 And there was no day like that before it or after it that the Lorde hearde the voyce of a man for the Lorde fought for Israel 15 And Iosuah returned and all Israel with him vnto the campe to Gilgal 16 But the fiue kinges fled and were hyd in a caue at Makeda 17 And it was tolde Iosuah of one saying The fiue kinges are founde hyd in a caue which is at Makeda 18 And Iosuah sayd Roule great stones vpon the mouth of the caue and set men by it for to kepe it 19 And stand ye not styll but folowe after your enemies smite all the hindmost and suffer them not to enter inâ—o their cities for the Lorde your God hath deliuered them into your hande 20 And when Iosuah and the children of Israel had made an ende of slaying them with an exceedyng great slaughter tyll they were wasted the rest that remayned of them entred into walled cities 21 And all the people returned to the hoast to Iosuah at Makeda in peace neither dyd any man moue his tongue agaynst the children of Israel 22 Then sayde Iosuah Open the mouth of the caue and bryng out these fiue kinges vnto me out of the caue 23 And they did so and brought those fiue kinges vnto him out of the caue euen the king of Hierusalem the king of Hebron the king of Iarmuth the king of Lachis and the king of Eglon. 24 And when they brought out those kinges vnto Iosuah Iosuah called for all the men of Israel and saide vnto the chiefe of the men of warre which went with him Come neare put your feete vpoÌ„ the neckes of these kinges And they came neare and put their feete vpon the neckes of them 25 And Iosuah sayd vnto them Ye shall not feare nor be faynt hearted but be strong and plucke vp your heartes for thus shall the Lorde do to al your enemies against whom ye fight 26 And then Iosuah smote them and slewe them and hanged them on fiue trees And they hanged still vpon the trees vntill the euening 27 And at the goyng downe of the sunne Iosuah gaue commaundement And they toke them downe of the trees and cast them into the caue wherin they had ben hyd and layed great stones in the caues mouth which remayne vntil this daye 28 And that same day Iosuah toke Makeda and smote it with the edge of the sworde the king therof also destroyed he vtterly with al the soules that were therin and let none remayne And he dyd to the king of Makeda as he dyd vnto the king of Iericho 29 Then Iosuah went from Makeda and all Israel with him vnto Libna and fought agaynst Libna 30 And the Lorde deliuered it the king therof into the hande of Israel and he smote it with the edge of the sword and all the soules that were therin He let none remayne in it but dyd vnto the king therof * as he did vnto the king of Iericho 31 And Iosuah departed from Libna and all Israel with him vnto Lachis and besieged it and assaulted it 32 And the Lorde deliuered Lachis into the hande of Israel which toke it the seconde day and smote it with the edge of the sworde all the soules that were therin doing according to all as he had done to the citie of Libna 33 Then Horam king of Geser came vp to helpe Lachis And Iosuah smote him and his people vntill none remayned of him 34 And from Lachis Iosuah departed vnto Eglon and all Israel with him and they besieged it and assaulted it 25 And toke it the same day and smote it with the edge of the sworde al the soules that were therin he vtterly destroyed the same day according to all that he he had done to Lachis 26 And Iosuah departed vp from Eglon and all Israel with him vnto Hebron And they fought against it 37 And when they had taken it they smote it with the edge of the sworde the king therof and all the townes that parteined to it and all the soules that were therin and he left none remayning but dyd according to all as he had done to Eglon and destroyed it vtterly and all the soules that were therin 38 And Iosuah returned and all Israel with him to Dabir fought against it 39 And when he had taken it the king therof and all the townes that parteyded therto they smote them with the edge of the sworde vtterly destroyed all the soules that were therin neither let he any remayne Euen as he dyd to Hebron so he dyd to Dabir and the king therof as he had done also to Libna and her king 40 Iosuah therfore smote al the hil countreyes and the south countreyes the valleyes and the downes and al their
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
punishment vnto the rebellious Iewes 19 He promiseth prosperitie vnto the Rechabites for their obedience 1 THE wordes which the Lorde spake vnto Ieremie in the raigne of Iehoakim the sonne of Iosias kyng of Iuda are these 2 Go vnto the house of the Rechabites and call them out and bryng them to the house of the Lorde into some commodious place and geue them wine to drinke 3 Then toke I Iazaniah the sonne of Ieremie the sonne of Habaziniah and his brethren and all his sonnes and the whole housholde of the Rechabites 4 And brought them into the house of the Lord into the closet of the chyldren of Hanan the sonne of Iegedaliah the man of God whiche was by the closet of the princes that is aboue the closet of Maasiah the sonne of Sellum whiche is the treasurer 5 And before the sonnes of the kinred of the Rechabites I set pottes full of wine and cuppes and sayde vnto them Drinke wine 6 But they sayde We wyll drinke no wine for Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father commaunded vs saying Ye and your sonnes shall neuer drinke wine buylde houses sowe no seede plant no vines 7 Yea ye shall haue no vineyardes but for al your tyme ye shall dwel in tentes that ye may liue long in the land wherin ye be straungers 8 Thus haue we obayed the commaundement of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father in al that he hath charged vs and so we drinke no wine al our life long we nor our wiues our sonnes and our daughters 9 Neither buylde we any house to dwel therein we haue also among vs neither vineyardes nor corne lande to sowe 10 But we dwell in tentes we obay and do according vnto all that Ionadab our father commaunded vs. 11 But nowe that Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon came vp into the lande we sayde Come let vs go to Hierusalem that we may escape the hoast of the Chaldees and the Assyrians and so we dwell nowe at Hierusalem 12 Then came the worde of the Lorde vnto Ieremie saying 13 Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel Go and tell the men of Iuda and the inhabitours of Hierusalem wyll ye not be refourmed to obay my wordes saith the Lorde 14 The wordes whiche Ionadab the sonne of Rechab commaunded his sonnes that they shoulde drinke no wine are fast surely kept for vnto this day they drinke no wine but obay their fathers commaundement but as for me I haue stande vp early I haue spoken vnto you and geuen you earnest warning and yet haue ye not ben obedient vnto me 15 Yea I haue sent my seruauntes al the prophetes vnto you I rose vp early and sent you worde saying O turne you nowe euery man from his wicked way amende your liues and go not after straunge gods to worship them that ye may continue in the lande whiche I haue geuen vnto you and your fathers but ye woulde neither heare me nor folowe me 16 The chyldren of Ionabab Rechabs sonne haue stedfastly kept their fathers commaundement that he gaue them but this people is not obedient vnto me 17 And therfore thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel Beholde I wyll bryng vpon Iuda and vpon euery one that dwelleth in Hierusalem all the trouble that I haue deuised against them For I haue spoken vnto them but they woulde not folowe I haue called vnto them neuerthelesse they woulde geue me no aunswere 18 Ieremie also spake vnto the householde of the Rechabites Thus saith the Lord of hoastes the God of Israel forasmuche as ye haue obayed the commaundement of Ionadab your father and kept all his preceptes and done according to all that he hath bidden 19 Therefore thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God Israel Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shal not faile but haue one out of his flocke to stande alway before me The .xxxvj. Chapter 1 Baruch wryteth as Ieremie enditeth the booke of the curses against Iuda and Israel 9 He is sent with the booke vnto the people and readeth it before them all 14 He is called before the rulers and readeth it before them also 20 The rulers shewe vnto the kyng the wordes of the booke 23 Iehudi taketh the booke and readeth a litle of it and casteth it into the fire 28 There is another written at the commaundement of the Lorde 1 IN the fourth yere of Iehoakim the sonne of Iosias the kyng of Iuda came the worde of the Lorde vnto Ieremie saying 2 Take a booke and write therein all the wordes that I haue spoken to thee against Israel against Iuda and against all the people from the tyme that I began to speake vnto thee in the raigne of Iosias vnto this day 3 That when the house of Iuda heareth of the plague whiche I haue deuised for them they may peraduenture turne euery man from his wicked way that I may forgeue their offences and sinnes 4 Then dyd Ieremie call Baruch the sonne of Neriah and Baruch wrote in the booke at the mouth of Ieremie all the wordes of the Lorde whiche he had spoken vnto hym 5 And Ieremie commaunded Baruch saying I am in prison so that I may not come into the house of the Lorde 6 Therefore go thou thither and reade the booke that thou hast written at my mouth namely the wordes of the Lord and reade them in the Lordes house vpon the fasting day that the people whole Iuda and al they that come out of the cities may heare 7 Peraduenture they wyll pray meekelye before the face of the Lorde and turne euery one from his wicked way for great is the wrath and displeasure that the Lorde hath taken against this people 8 So Baruch the sonne of Neriah dyd according to all that Ieremie the prophete commaunded hym reading the wordes of the Lorde out of the booke in the Lordes house 9 And this was done in the fifth yere of Iehoakim the sonne of Iosias kyng of Iuda in the ninth moneth when it was commaunded that all the people of Hierusalem shoulde fast before the Lorde and they also that were come frō the cities of Iuda vnto Hierusalem 10 Then read Baruch the wordes of Ieremie out of the booke within the house of the Lorde out of the treasurie of Gamariah the sonne of Saphan the scribe which is beside the hyer loft of the new doore of the Lordes house that all the people might heare 11 Now when Micheas the sonne of Gamariah the sonne of Saphan heard all the wordes of the lord out of the booke 12 He went downe to the kynges palace into the scribes chaumbers for there all the princes were set Elisama the scribe Dalaiah the sonne of Semei Elnathan the sonne of Achbor Gamariah the sonne of Saphan Zedekias the sonne of Hananias with all the princes 13 And Micheas tolde them all the wordes that he hearde Baruch reade out of the booke before the people 14 Then all the
saide vnto me This is the worde of the Lorde vnto Zorobabel saying Neither through an hoast of men nor through strength but through my spirite saith the Lorde of hoastes 7 What art thou great mountaine before Zorobabel thou must be made euen and he shall bring foorth the head stone therof with showtinges crying Grace grace vnto it 8 Moreouer the word of the Lord came vnto me saying 9 The handes of Zorobabel haue layde the foundation of this house his hands shal also finishe it and thou shalt knowe that the Lorde of hoastes hath sent me vnto you 10 For who hath despised the day of small thinges they shall reioyce and shall see the stone of tynne in the hande of Zorobabel these seuen are the eyes of the lord which go through y e whole worlde 11 Then aunswered I saide vnto him What are these two olyue trees vpon the right left side of the candelsticke 12 I spake moreouer and saide vnto him What be these two olyue braunches which through the two golden pypes emptie them selues into the golde 13 He aunswered me said Knowest thou not what these be I said no my lord 14 Then said he These are the two oliue braunches that stand with the ruler of the whole earth ⧠The .v. Chapter 1 The vision of the fleeing booke signifying the curse of theeues and such as abuse the name of God 6 By the vision of the measure is signified the bringing of Iuda to Babylon 1 SO I turned me lifting vp myne eyes loked and beholde a fleeing booke 2 And he saide vnto me what seest thou I aunswered I see a fleeing booke of twentie cubites long and ten cubites broade 3 Then saide he vnto me This is the curse that goeth foorth ouer the whole earth for al theeues shal be iudged after this booke al pariured persons shal be iudged according to the same 4 And I wil bring it foorth saith the lord of hoastes so that it shall enter into the house of the theefe and into the house of him that falsely sweareth by my name and shall remayne in his house and consume it with the timber stones therof 5 Then the angel that talked with me went foorth and saide vnto me Lyft vp thyne eyes and see what is this that goeth foorth 6 And I said what is it He aunswered This is a measure going out He saide moreouer EueÌ„ thus are they that dwel vpon the whole earth to loke vpon 7 And behold there was lyft vp a talent of lead and lo a woman sate in the middest of the measure 8 And he said This is vngodlinesse So he cast her into the middest of the measure and threwe the lumpe of lead into the mouth of the measure 9 Then lyft I vp myne eyes and loked beholde there came out two women and the winde was in their winges for they had winges lyke the winges of a storke and they lyft vp the measure betwixt the earth and the heauen 10 Then spake I to the angel that talked with me Whyther wyll these beare the measure 11 And he saide vnto me Into the land of Sinnaar to builde it an house it shal be established set there vpon her owne place ¶ The .vi. Chapter 1 By the foure charrets he describeth the prosperitie of foure kingdomes 1 MOreouer I turned me lyfting vp myne eyes and loked and behold there came foure charrets out from betwixt two hylles which hylles were of brasse 2 In the first charret were red horses in y e seconde charret were blacke horses 3 In the third charret were white horses in the fourth charret were horses of diuers colours and strong 4 Then spake I and saide vnto the angel that talked with me O Lord what are these 5 The angel aunswerd saide vnto me These are the foure spirites of the heauen which be come foorth to stand before the ruler of all the earth 6 That with the blacke horse went foorth into the lande of the north the white folowed them and the speckled horses went foorth toward the south 7 And the strong horses went out required to go and take their iourney ouer the whole earth And he saide Get you hence go through the worlde So they went throughout the worlde 8 Then cryed he vpon me spake vnto me saying Beholde these that go toward the north shal stil my wrath in the north countrey 9 And the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 10 Take of the prisoners that are come from Babylon namely Heldai Tobiah Idaia and come thou the same day and go vnto the house of Iosiah the sonne of Zophonia 11 Then take golde and siluer make crownes therof and set them vpon the head of Iosua the sonne of Iosedech the hie priest 12 And speake vnto him thus saith the lord of hoastes Behold the man whose name is the braunche he shall growe vp out of his place and he shal build vp the temple of the Lorde 13 Yea euen he shal builde vp the temple of the lord he shal beare the prayse he shal sit vpon the lordes throne and haue the domination A priest shal he be also vpon his throne a peaceable counsell shal be betwixt them both 14 And the crowne shal be to Helem to Tobiah to Idaia to Hen the sonne of Zophoni for a memoriall in the temple of the Lorde 15 And such as be farre of shall come and build in y e temple of the lord that ye may know how that the lord of hoastes hath sent me vnto you And this shal come to passe if ye wyll hearken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lorde your God ¶ The .vij. Chapter 5 The true fasting 11 The rebellion of the people is the cause of their affliction 1 AND in the fourth yere of king Darius the word of the lorde came vnto Zacharia in the fourth day of the ninth moneth which is called Casâ—eu 2 What time as Sarasar Rogommelech and the men that were with them sent vnto the house of God for to pray before the Lorde 3 And that they shoulde speake vnto the priestes which were in the house of the Lorde of hoastes and to the prophetes saying should I wepe in the fifth moneth abstayne as I haue done nowe certaine yeres 4 Then came the worde of the Lorde of hoastes vnto me saying 5 Speake vnto al the people of the land and to the priestes say When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth seuenth moneth now this threescore ten yeres did ye fast vnto me 6 When ye did eate also drincke did ye not eate drincke for your owne selues 7 Are not these the wordes which the Lord spake by his prophetes aforetime when Hierusalem was yet inhabited wealthy she and the cities round about her wheÌ„ there dwelt men both toward the
the booke of the lawe before the whole multitude for he was the principall and had in most honour of them all 46 And when he expounded the lawe they stoode all straight vpon their feete So Esdras praysed the Lord the most hye God the almightie God of hoastes 47 And al the people aunswered Amen 48 And Iesus Anus Sarabias Adimus Iacobus Battaias Autamas Maâ—anias Calitas Azarias Iohasabdus Anatnas and Biatas the Leuites lyft vp their handes and fell downe on the grounde and worshipped the Lord 49 And taught the lawe of the Lord and were earnestly occupied together in the reading thereof 50 Then spake Atharates vnto Esdras the hye priest and reader and to the Leuites that taught the multitude saying 51 This day is holy vnto the Lord and all when they hearde the lawe wept 52 So Esdras sayde Depart your way therfore and eate the fat meates and drinke the sweete drinkes and sende gyftes vnto them that haue nothing 53 For this day is holy vnto the Lorde and be not ye sory for the Lorde wyll bryng you to honour 54 So the Leuites published all these thinges to the people saying This day is holy to the Lorde be not sory 55 Then went they their way euery one to eate and drinke and were mery and sent presents to them that had nothing and made very good cheare 56 For they were as yet filled with the wordes that had ben taught them and for the whiche they had ben assembled ¶ The ende of the thirde booke of Esdras ⧠The fourth booke of Esdras ¶ The first Chapter 8 The people is reproued for their vnthankefulnes 30 God wyll haue another people if these wyll not be refourmed 1 THE second booke of the prophete Esdras the sonne of Saraias the sonne of Azarias the sonne of Helchia the sonne of Sadanias the sonne of Sadoc the sonne of Achitob 2 The sonne of Achia the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Heli the sonne of Amerias the sonne of Aziei the sonne of Marimoth the sonne of Arna the sonne of Ozias the sonne of Borith the sonne of Abisei the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar 3 The sonne of Aaron of the tribe of Leui whiche Esdras was prisoner in the lande of Medes in the raigne of Artaxerxes kyng of Persia 4 And the worde of the Lord came vnto me saying 5 Go thy way and shewe my people their sinnefull deedes and their chyldren their wickednesses whiche they haue done against me that they may tell their chylders chyldren the same 6 For the sinnes of their fathers are increased in them And why they haue forgotten me and haue offered vnto straunge gods 7 Am not I euen he that brought them out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage But they haue prouoked me vnto wrath despised my counsels 8 Pull thou out than the heere of thy head and cast all euyll vpon them for they haue not ben obedient vnto my lawe But it is a people without learning and nurture 9 Howe long shall I forbeare them vnto whom I haue done so muche good 10 Many kynges haue I destroyed for their sakes Pharao with his seruauntes and all his power haue I smitten downe and slayne 11 All the nations haue I destroyed and rooted out before them and in the cast haue I brought two landes and people to naught euen Tyre and Sidon and haue slayne all their enemies 12 Speake thou therfore vnto them saying Thus saith the Lord 13 I led you thorowe the sea and haue geuen you sure streetes since the beginning I gaue you Moyses to be your captayne and Aaron to be the priest 14 I gaue you light in a piller of fire and great wonders haue I done among you yet haue ye forgotten me saith the Lorde 15 Thus saith the almightie Lord The quayles were as a token for you I gaue you tentes for your succour neuerthelesse in them ye murmured 16 And ascribed not the victory of your enemies vnto my name but euer to this day do ye yet murmure 17 Where are the benefites that I haue done for you When ye were hungry in the wyldernesse dyd ye not crye vnto me 18 Saying why hast thou brought vs into this wyldernesse to kill vs It had ben better for vs to haue serued the Egyptians then to die in this wyldernes 19 Then had I pitie vpon your mourninges and gaue you Manna to eate so ye dyd eate angels foode 20 When ye were thirstie dyd not I cleaue the rocke waters flowed out to satisfie you withall For the heate I couered you with the leaues of the trees 21 A good pleasaunt fat lande gaue I you I cast out the Chanaanites the Pherezites and Philistines before you What shall I do more for you saith the Lorde 22 Thus saith the almightie Lorde When ye were in the wyldernesse in the water of the Amorites beyng athirst and blaspheming my name 23 I gaue you not fire for your blasphemies but cast a tree into the water and made the riuer sweete 24 What shal I do vnto thee O Iacob Thou Iuda wouldest not obay me I will turne me to other nations and vnto those wyll I geue my name that they may kepe my statutes 25 Seyng ye haue forsaken me I wyll forsake you also When ye desire me to be gratious vnto you I shall haue no mercy vpon you 26 When ye call vpon me I wyll not heare you For ye haue defiled your handes with blood and your feete are swyft to commit manslaughter 27 Ye haue not as it were forsaken me but your owne selues saith the Lorde 28 Thus saith the almightie Lorde Haue I not prayed you as a father his sonnes as a mother her daughters and as a nurse her young babes 29 That ye woulde be my people and I shoulde be your God that ye would be my chyldren I should be your father 30 I gathered you together as an hen gathereth her chickens vnder her winges But nowe what shall I do vnto you I wyll cast you out from my face 31 When you offer vnto me I wyl turne my face from you for your solempne feast dayes your newe moones your circumcisions haue I forsaken 32 I sent vnto you my seruauntes the prophetes whom ye haue taken and slayne and torne their bodies in peeces whose blood I wyll require of your handes saith the Lorde 33 Thus saith the almightie lord Your house shal be desolate I wyll cast you out as the winde doth stubble 34 Your chyldren shall not be fruitefull for they haue despised my commaundement and done the thing that is euyll before me 35 Your houses wyll I geue to a people that shall come whiche not hauyng hearde of me yet shall beleue me to whom I haue shewed no signes yet they shall do that I haue commaunded them 36 They haue
howe that I haue had but litle labour yet haue founde much rest 28 O receaue wysdome and ye shal haue plenteousnes of siluer and golde in possession 29 Let your minde reioyce in his mercie and be not ashamed of his prayse 30 Worke his worke betimes and he shal geue you your rewarde in due season The ende of the booke of Iesus the sonne of Sirach which is called in Latine Ecclesiasticus ⧠The booke of the Prophete Baruch ¶ The first Chapter 1 Baruch wrote a booke during the captiuitie of Babylon which he read before Ieconias and all the people 10 The Iewes sent the booke with money vnto Hierusalem to their other brethren to the entent that they should pray for them 1 AND these are the wordes of the booke which were writteÌ„ by Baruch the sonne of Nerias the sonne of Maasias y e sonne of Sedechias the sonne of Helchias at Babylon 2 In the fifth yere and in the seuenth day of the moneth what time as the Chaldees toke Hierusalem and brent it vp with fyre 3 And Baruch did reade the wordes of this booke that Iechonias the sonne of Ioachin king of Iuda might heare and in the presence of all the people that were come to heare the booke 4 And before all the nobles the kinges sonnes and before the elders and before the whole people from the lowest vnto the highest before all them that dwelt at Babylon by the water of Sody 5 Which when they heard it wept fasted and prayed before the Lorde 6 They made a collection also of money according to euery mans power 7 And sent it to Hierusalem vnto Ioachin the sonne of Helchia the sonne of Salom priest with the other priestes and to all the people which were with him at Hierusalem 8 What time as they had gotten the vessels of the temple of the Lord that were taken away out of the temple that they might bring them againe into the lande of Iuda the tenth day of the moneth Siuan namely siluer vessels which Sedechias the sonne of Iosias king of Iuda had made 9 After that Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon had taken Iechonias with al his princes lordes and all the people and led them captiue from Hierusalem vnto Babylon 10 And they saide Beholde we haue sent you money to bye you burnt offringes and incense withall prepare a meate offering and offer for sinne vpon the aulter of the Lorde our God 11 And pray for the prosperitie of Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon and for the welfare of Balthasar his sonne that their dayes may be vpon earth as the dayes of heauen 12 That God also may geue vs strength and lighten our eyes that we may lyue vnder the defence of Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon and vnder the protection of Balthasar his sonne that we may long do them seruice and finde fauour in their sight 13 Pray for vs also vnto the Lorde our God for we haue sinned against the lord our God and vnto this day is not his wrath turned yet away from vs. 14 And see that ye reade this booke which we haue sent vnto you to be rehearsed in the temple of the Lorde vpon the hye dayes and at time conuenient 15 Thus shall ye say The Lorde our God is righteous but we are worthy of confusion and shame lyke as it is come to passe this day vnto all Iuda and to euery one that dwelleth at Hierusalem 16 To our kinges princes priestes prophetes and to our fathers 17 We haue sinned before the Lorde our God we haue not put our trust in him nor geuen him credence 18 We haue not obeyed him we haue not hearkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde our God to walke in the commaundementes that he gaue vs openly 19 Since the day that he brought our forefathers out of the lande of Egypt vnto this present day we haue ben euer a misbeleuing and an vnfaithfull people vnto the Lorde our God destroying our selues vtterly and shrincking backe that we should not heare his voyce 20 Wherefore there are come vpon vs great plagues and diuers curses lyke as the Lord deuised by Moyses his seruaunt which brought our fathers out of the lande of Egypt to geue vs a lande that floweth with milke hony lyke as it is to see this day 21 Neuerthelesse we haue not hearkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde our God according to all the wordes of the prophetes whom he sent vnto vs and to our rulers 22 But euery man folowed his owne minde and wicked imagination to offer vnto straunge goddes and to do euil in the sight of the Lorde our God The .ii. Chapter 1 The Iewes confesse that they iustly suffer for their sinnes 2 The true confession of the christen 11 The Iewes desire to haue the wrath of God turned from them 21 The Lorde wyll that we obeye vnto princes although they be euill 32 He promyseth that he wyll call againe the people from captiuitie and geue them a newe and an euerlasting testament 1 FOr the which cause the Lorde our God hath perfourmed his deuice whereof he certified vs our heades that ruled in Hierusalem yea our kinges our princes with all Israel and Iuda 2 And such plagues hath the Lorde brought vpon vs as neuer came to passe vnder the heauen lyke as it is fulfilled in Hierusalem according as it is written in the lawe of Moyses 3 That a man shoulde eate the flesh of his owne sonne the flesh of his owne daughter 4 Moreouer he hath deliuered them into the handes of all the kinges that are rounde about vs to be confounded and desolate and scattered them abrode in al landes and nations 5 Thus are we brought beneath and not aboue because we haue sinned against the Lorde our God and haue not ben obedient vnto his voyce 6 Therefore the Lorde our God is righteous and we with our fathers as reason is are brought to open shame as it is to see this day 7 And as for these plagues that are come vpon vs alredy the Lorde had deuised them for vs 8 Yet would we not pray vnto the Lord our God that we might euery man turne from his vngodlie wayes 9 So the Lord hath caused such plagues to come vpon vs for he is righteous â— all his workes which he hath coÌ„â—ded vs 10 Which we also haue not doâ—â—kened vnto his voyce 〈…〉 commaundeme◠〈…〉 he hath geuen vnto vs. 11 And nowe O Lorde God of Israel thou that hast brought thy people out of the lande of Egypt with a mightie hande with tokens and wonders with thy great power outstretched arme and hast gotten thy selfe a name as it is come to passe this day 12 O Lord our God we haue sinned we haue done wickedly we haue behaued our selues vngodly in all thy righteousnesses 13 Turne thy wrath from vs we beseche thee for we are but a fewe left among the heatheÌ„
Christe and his Apostles in Iudea Samaria and Galilee for into these three partes this lande is deuided ¶ The places specified in this mappe with their situation by the obseruation of the degrees concerning their length and breadth Ascalon 65.24 23.31 Azot 65.35 32. Bethlehem 65.55 31.51 Bethphage 68. 31.58 Bethsaida 66.51 32.29 Bethabara 66.34 32.1 Bethania 66. 31.58 Cana of Galilee 66.52 32.48 Capernaum 66.53 32.29 Catmel mount 66.31 32.50 Cesarea Stratonis 66.16 32.25 Cesarea Philippi 67.39 33.5 Chorazim 66.53 32.29 Dan one of the fountaines whence Iordane springeth 67.25 33.8 Ennon 66.40 32.18 Emaus 65.54 31.59 Ephren 66.8 32. Gadara or Gazara 66.48 32.23 Gaza 65.10 31.40 Iericho 66.10 32.1 Hierusalem 66. 31.55 Ioppe 65.40 32.5 Ior the other fountaine whence Iordane springeth 67.31 33.7 Magdalon called also Dalmanutha 66.48 32.28 Naim 66.35 32.33 Nazareth 66.56 32.42 Ptolemais 66.50 32.58 Samaria the citie 66.22 32.19 Sidon 67.15 33.30 Silo 66.27 32.19 Tyrus 67. 33.20 Tyberias 66.44 32.26 HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENCE ¶ The newe Testament of our sauiour Iesus Christe I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christe because it is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beleue Rom. i. A preface into the newe Testament 〈…〉 Christ Apostleâ— â–ª and with other such 〈…〉 vnto vs the sumâ— at 〈…〉 the s◠〈…〉 that whiche was 〈…〉 〈…〉 and â—phetes in their propheticall volumes written by the inspiration 〈…〉 in this booke more playnely and 〈…〉 out â–ª vtterd 〈…〉 selfe same spâ—nt by the children of the prophetes the holy Apostleâ— In deede the 〈◊〉 was geuen by Moyses but grace and veritie came by Iesus Christe whiche grace this booke of the newe Testament doth most euidently commende and set out In thâ— discoursed the wholy misterie of our saluation and redemption purchased by our 〈◊〉 our Christe here is his holy conception described his natiuitie his circumcision â–ª 〈◊〉 whole life and conuersation his godly doctrine â–ª his diuine miracles In this booke of the newe Testament is set out his death his resurrection his ascention his sending of the holy spirite his session in our fleshe on the right hande of his father making â—nuall intercession to him for vs. In this booke contayned the fourme and ordâ—r of his last iudgement after the generall resurrection of our bodyes These be the 〈…〉 of our fayth these be the groundes of our saluation these be thuâ— written that we shoulde beleue them â–ª and by our beliefe shoulde enioy life euerlasting Once and in tymes past God diuersly and many vvayes spake vnto the father â–ª by the propheteâ— but in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs vpon vvhom the endes of the vvorlde be come by his ovvne sonne vvhom he hath made heire of all thinge vvhose dignitie is suche that he is the brightnesse of his fathers glory the very image of his substaunce ruling all thinges by the vvorde of his povver This heauenly doctour so indued vvith glory and maiestie â–ª vve ought most reuerently to beleue as commended vnto vs from the aucthoritie of the heauenly father to be hearde as his most vvelbeloued sonne in vvhom is his vvhole delight by vvhom he vvyll be pleased and pacified It vvyll els come to passe saith that prophete Moyses that vvhosoeuer shall not here and obay that prophete in the vvordes that he shall speake in his fathers name I vvill be saith the father reuenger of him This is the last prophete to be looked for to speake vnto vs In hym be vniuersally inclosed the riches and treasures oâ— the vvisdome and knovvledge of God his father by him he hath decreed finally to iudge the vvhole vvorlde the liuing and the dead â–ª by him hath he decreed to geue to his elect the life euerlasting and to the reprobate vvho hath contempned his life and doctrine death euerlasting Let vs therfore seriously heare and obay this our heauenly teacher submit our selues to this our iudge and revvarder Let vâ— esteeme his doctrine and conuersation as a ful perfect and sufficient patterne of al holyneâ— and vertue Let vs esteeme the doctrine of this booke as a most inflexible rule to leade vs to all trueth and nevvnesse of life Here may vve beholde the eternall legacies of the nevve Testament bequeathed from God the father in Christe his sonne to all his electâ—â— â–ª I say the legacies liuely renevved vnto vs not of deliueraunce from Pharao his seruitude but from the bondage and thraldome of that perpetuall aduersarie of ours the deuill here may vve beholde our inheritaunce not of the temporall lande of Chanaan or of the translation of vs to the place of vvorldly paradise but here vve may see the full restitution of vs both in body and soule to the celestiall paradise the heauenly citie of Hierusalem aboue there to raigne vvith God the father God the sonne and God the holy ghost for euer â–ª vvhiche legacies of his Testament promised and bequeathed vvere notvvithstanding recorded in the bookes of the olde Testament to our auncient fathers vvhiche in hope beleued in Christe to come vvho vvas painted before them in figures and shadovves and signified in their olde sacramentes ordayned for that tyme but novve more euidently renevved and exhibited vnto vs â–ª not in figure â–ª but in deede not in promise but in open sight â–ª in feeling in handling and touching of this eternall life most manifestly confirmed vnto vs in Christe his blood in this his nevve Testament continued and reuiued yet in nevve sacramentes the better to beare in our remembraunce this his eternall Testament of all ioyfull felicities Let vs novve therefore good christian people reioyce in these glad tidinges expressed vnto vs by the name of the gospell of our sauiour Christe and let it neuer fall out of our remembraunce that vve vvere sometime ouervvhelmed in darkenesse and set in the shadovve of death let vs consider that vve vvere sometime by our naturall byrth the chyldren of God his vvrath and vvholly estraunged from the housholde of God Let vs beare in minde that vve vvere somtime no people of God nor his beloued that vve vvere by nature braunches of the vvilde oliue and novve by mere mercy grafted into the right and naturall oliue tree vvhervpon let vs the rather repose our life in feare and reuerence If vve be novve the chyldren of light let vs vvalke in this our light in all holynesse and godlynesse of 〈◊〉 approuing that vvhiche is pleasing to the Lorde Let vs haue no felovvship vvith the vnfruitfull vvorkes of darknesse and let vs hencefoorth be no more chyldren vvauering and caried about vvith euery vvinde of doctrine and by the deceipt and craftinesse of men vvherby they lay in vvayte to deceaue vs but let vs folovve the trueth in loue and charitie and in al thinges grovve vp into him vvhich is the head that is Christe our sauiour If vve be novve the chyldren of grace and made liuely members