the temple Necao Kynge of Egipt stied to fight in Cartamis Iosi yede forth ayens hym And the Kynge of Egypt seide to Iosie I come not to day ayens the but I fyght ayens an other house to which God bade and made me go in haste Therfore cease thou Kynge of Iuda to daye ayens God which is wyth me leste he s◅ea the. Iosi nold turne ayen but made hym selfe redye to batteile ayens the Kynge of Egypt and assentid not to the words of y e King of Egipt spoken bi goddis mouth Therfore Io sie was slayne of y e Kinge of Egipte And the puple of the lond made Ioacas his sonne King in Ierusalē He reygned thre monethes in Ierusalē And the Kynge of Egipt puttid him downe and condemned the londe of Iuda in an hūdred talentis of syluer and in oo talente of golde and made Eliachim hys brother King for him on Iuda and Ierusalem and turnid hys name Ioachim He reigned xi yere in Ierusalē and dyd euil bifore God Therfore Nabugodonosor toke hym and led him bounden with chaines into Babilō bare thyther the vesselles of Goddis temple And Ioachim hys sonne reignyd for hym thre monethis and. x. dayes in Ierusalē and dyd euil in Goddis syght Than Nabugodonosor sente men that ledden hym into Babilon and bare oute the preciouseeste vessellis of goddis howse And Nabugodonoso◅ made Sedechye Kynge on Iuda and Ierusalem he reignid xi yere in Ierusalem and dyd euyll in Goddis sight neyther was ashamid of the face of Ieremie the prophete that spoke to him of goddis mouth He brake the oothe made to Nabugodonosor Therfor Nabugodonosor came and toke him and lede him and al the vessellis and the treasuris of goddis house of the Kynge and princis into Babilon and kyllyd the puple and destried brent Ierusalem And the puple y t was lefte aliue was lede into Babilon and seruyde the Kynge hys sonnes tyl the King of Persis reignid and til l. yere werē fyllyd by goddis worde seyd bi the mouth of Ieremy And Cirus King of Persis cōmaundid to be preachyd yea by writing in all his rewme y e Iewis shouldē turne ayene into Iude. The. x. chapiter THys processe of Paralipomenon in the fyrst second boke shoulde styr Kyngis christē lords to distrie syn and loue vertue make goddislawe to be known and kept of here puple For here theye moune se howe sore God punnished euill Kyngis that liuiden euil and drouen the puple to I dolatrie eyther other greate sinnis howe greatlie God preysed rewardid and cherishid good kingis that lyueden well gouerniden well the puple in goddis lawe and open reason and good cōscience And though kyngis and Lordes knewen neuer more of holy write than iii. stories of y ◠seconde boke of Paralipomenō and of Regum that is the storye of Kynge Iosaphat the storye of king Ezechie and the storye of Kyng Iosie they myghten learne sufficientlye to lyue wel gouerne well here pupl◅ by goddis lawe and eschewe al pride and Idolatri and couetise and other sins But alas alas alas wher Kynge Iosaphat sent his Princes and Dekenis and Priestis to eche Citi of his rewme with the boke of goddis lawe to teach openly goddes lawe to the puple some christen Lordes senden general letters to al here mynisters and lyge men either tenantis that the pardons of y ◠Byshopis of Rome that ben open leasings for thei graūtē mani hūdrith yeres of pardons after domisedaie be preachyd generally in here rewmis lordeshypis And if any wyse man ayensaye the open errours of Antychrist and teach men to do her almese to poore nedie men to ascape the peinis of hell and to wynne the blesse of heauē he shalbe prisoned as a mā of vnchristē beleue traytour of god and chrysten kingis and Lor des And where kynge Ezechie made him ful bisie to clense Goddis house and do awaye all vnclennesse fro the sentuarie and cōmaūdyd priestis to offer brent sacrifice on goddis auter ordeynid dekens in Goddis house to herie God as Dauid and othere prophetis ordeniden some chrysten lords inname hethē in cōdicions defoulen the sentuarye of God and bringen in Simonielit clerkis ful of couetise and herecie and Hipocricy and malice to stoppe Goddis lawe that it be not knowne and kepte and freali preachid And yet some christē lordis holden mani prelatis and curats in her conrtis in secular office ayens goddis lawe mans openlie and wythholden hem fro here gostly office and helpynge of Christen soules And where Kynge Iosie preachyde openlie Goddis la we in the ◅mpel to al the puple and casted away Idolis and brent the bonis of prestis that did Idolatri some christē lords in name and not in dede preisen and magnyfyen fryeres letters full of dys◅eyte and leasyngys and maken here tenauntis and meines to swere by herte bonys nayles and sydes and other mem◅ryes of christe and pursuen full cruellie hem that wolden teache trulye and frelye the lawe of God and preisen meinteynen and cherishen hem that preachen fables leesyngis and synfull mens traditions eyther statutis and letten greate ly the gospell to be preachyd and ho ly wryte to be knowne and kept But wytte these vnwyse Lordys that Elie the Prophete one alone hadde the trueth of God And Kyng Achab wyth eyght hundrid and. L. pryestys and Prophetys of Baalle hadden the false parte And efte Micheas one alone Prophete of God had the truethe ayens foure hūdryde Prophetys of Baall that councellidē Achab to warre to hys owne shenshipe and death So nowe a fewe pore men and Ideots in comparisōe of clerkis of Schole moune haue the trueth of holy scrip ture ayens many thousand prelatis and religiouse y t ben yeuē to worldli pride and couetise simoni hypocrisie and other fleshly synnes moste sithen these pore men desirē only the trueth fredome of the holi gospel holy sc◅ipture acceptē mās law ordinaūcis only in as mych as they ben groūdid in holi scripture either good reasone and cōmon profite of christen puple and worldly prelatis and feinid religiouse grounden hem on sinful mens statutis that sownē pryde couetise and letten y e trueth and fredome of goddis lawe to be knowne and bringin christē puple in endlesse thraldome and greate coste But it is to be drede full sore leste kyngis and lordis bene nowe in the former synnes of Manasses god graunte that they repent verily and make amendes to god and man as he dyd in the ende for they setten Idoles in goddis house and exciten men to Idolatri and sheden innocēt bloud in many maneris as Manasses dyd Firste thei setten in here hert that should be the temple and speciall chamber of god the Idole of couetise eyther of Glotonie either of Pryde either of other greate sinnes For
The true copye of a Prolog wrytten about two C. yeres paste by Iohn Wycklife as maye iustly be gatherid bi that that Iohn Bale hath writteÌ„ of him in his boke entitlid the Summarie of famouse writers of the Isle of great BritaÌ„ the Originall whereof is founde written in an olde English Bible bitwixt the olde Testament and the Newe Whych Bible remaynith now in y e Kyng hys maiesties Chamber ¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Crowley dwellynge in Elie rents in Dolburn Anno Do. MDL ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ The figure of Iohn Wycklife Kyng Edward the. iii. did Wicklife defeÌ„d Wherbi he did florish in Oxford loÌ„ge while But Richard y â— ii King did somthing bend To papistis bi whom Wicklife was in exile Yet dyd thys good man neuer alter his stile But wrot mani volumis whils he was aliue To extinguish errour and truth to reuiue At the last he returnid to his contrei againe And lyuid at Lutter worth where his charglay And after his deth he did ther remain Fourty winter one till come was the day WheÌ„ SataÌ„ was suffrid to â—…en without staie But theÌ„ did oure clergie set open his graue Aâ—…d breÌ„t al his bonis such chariti thei haue To the Reader AFter I had perused this prolog gentle reader and was fully determined to set it in print to the edifiynge of all suche as be desyrouse to reade and vnderstand the holi Bible I thought it mete to geue such a name to it as myght declare the fruite that springeth therof that theâ—… by the gredy studeÌ„tis of gods boke might be stirred euen wheÌ„ they do but heare it â—…amed wyth the desyre to reade it kepe it in memorie and applie it to the vse it seruith fore A more mete name therfore coulde I not iâ—…uente theÌ„ y e Pathwaye to perfect knowledge which this little boke ledith vnto For what shorter way might a man take to y â— perfection of godly knowledge then to haue in memorye fyrst what Bokes of the Byble the christen feythe is bylded vpon to what vse the reste do serue what is seyd in eueryâ—… of them and by what meanes al darke sentences therin maye be vnderstande All this thou hast gentle readaâ—… in this boke so briefly so playnly and so effectuously that noman can iustly reprehend any thinge therein It was fyrst writteÌ„ by one that hongred after thine health as it maye be iustly gatherid by the greate trauayle he toke in it and y â— in a tyme ryght daâ—…ngerouse It hath bene preserued woÌ„derfully euen in al the stormis of persecution and fyry shuers of false religioÌ„ Many men bistowed muche to haue it copied out to the intent thei might enioye y â— â—…tutes of it in the tyme of errowre and ignoraunce but thou hast it now offered vnto the for little coste in a time when true religion biginnith to floryshe It was at y â— fyrste made common to fewe men y â— wolde and were able to optayne it But nowe it is made commen to all menne that be desyrouse of it Forget not therfore to take it thanckfully to vse it Christenly and to esteme it of no lesse value than a most preciouse Iewell fyrst framed by the diuine wisdome of gods spirite poured vpon the fyrste Autoure preserued by goddis mercyfull prouidence and nowe offered vnto the by God hymselfe that thou hongring the perfecte knowledge of goddis worde shuldest not be destitutid of so necessarye a meane to attayne to the same The spiryte of God worke in thyne herte that thou may sâ—…e frutfully reade the lyuely worde of God to his glorye in y â— emendment of thy life Fare well Londini Anno salutis nostre 1550. Maij. 28. Robertus Croleus ¶ The path way to perfect knowledg FIue twenty bokis of the olde testamet ben bokis of feith and fulli bokis of holy wryt The fyrste is Genesis the. ii Exodi the. iii. Lenitici the. iiii Numeri y â— v. Deutronomi And these fyue ben y e bokis of Moses the whych ben cleped proprely the law The vi Iosue the vii boke is Iudicum that encloseth the stort of Ruth The viii boke ix x. xi â–ª xii xiii ben the. iiii bokes of kyngs and the tweie bokes of ParalipomenoÌ„ The xiiii boke is Esore that coÌ„prehendeth Neemy And all is do boke anentis Hebreus as Ierom seith But anentis Grekis Latins these ben tweie bokis The xv is Hester the xvi is Iob the xvii is y e Psalter The xviii boke xix and xx ben the thre bokes of SolomoÌ„ The first is Prouerbes either Parables the. ii Ecclesiastes and the iii. is songis of soÌ„gs The xxi boke xxii xxiii xxiiii beÌ„ y â— iiii great prophets Esaiis first Ieremie is the. ii Ezechiel is the. iii. and Daniel is y â— iiii The xxv boke is a boke of xii smale Prophetis Osee Ioel Amos Abdie Ionas Michee NauÌ„ Abacuke Sophonie Aggei Zachari Malachie and al these xii smal Prophets beÌ„ oo boke in this order And what euer boke is in y e olde testameÌ„t wythont these xxv forseyde shal be set amoÌ„g Apocripha that is withouteÌ„ autoritie of bileue Therfore the boke of Wysdome Ecclesiastici Iudith and Tobie ben not of bileue The first boke of Machabeis was fouÌ„deÌ„ writtun in Hebru And y â— ii boke of Machabeis was writen fyrst in Greeke Ierome seyth al this sentence in the prolog on the first boke of Kynges Also y â— boke of Baruk and y â— Epistil of Ieremi beÌ„ not of the autoritie of y â— bible anemis Hebrus ne y â— praiere of Manasses as Ierom witnesseth And how mich of y t boke of He ster Daniel is of autoriti anentis Hebreis in hebru lettre it is tolde in y e same bokes by Ierom himsilfe Netheles Ierom in suing Hebrus coÌ„prehendeth al these bokes in xxii for Hebrus makeÌ„ oo boke of y e first and y â— ii boke of Kyngis and clepen it Samuel And their makeÌ„ oo boke of the thride and iiii boke of kyngs and clepeÌ„it Malachim And thei coÌ„prehenden in oo boke y â— ii bokes of Paralipomenon But certis lytil charg is of this rekning whether y e bokis of Kyngis ben nnÌ„ bred foure as latinis don either ii as Hebrus done Also littil charge is whether ParalipomenoÌ„ be departed in two bokis as latinis vsen or be oo boke alone as Hebrus vsen And so of y e fyrst boke of Esdras Neeinie litil charge is whether thei ben tweyne as latynis and grekis vseÌ„ either one al one as Hebreus vsen Netheles it semeth y â— latinis and Greekis han more reesone in thys rekenyng than Hebreus han But howe euer these bokes beÌ„ nouÌ„bred al these beÌ„ of autoriti of bileue either of christeÌ„ feith ThaÌ„ if y e first boke of Esdras the boke of Neemi ben nouÌ„bred for ii as Grekis and
And after he was mekyd for hys herte was reysede both he and the dwellaris of Ierusalem weren mekyd and therfore the vengeaunce of God came not in the dayes of Ezechie And Ezechie was full ryche noble in al hys werkis he did welsumlie what euer thynge he would Nethelesse in the message of princis of Babilon that weren sente to hym to axe of the greate wondre y t byfell on earth God forsoke hyme that he was tempyd and althyngis weren knowne that weren in hys her◅e Than died Ezechie and Manasses hys sonne reigned in Ierusalem lv yere And Manasses dyd euil byfore God bi abhominaciō of heathē men whych Goddy ▪ tried byfore the sonnis of Israel And he byldyde hygh placis and made auteris to Baalym and dyde manyfolde Idolatrie and seruyd to wythcraftis and se◅tyd Idoles in the temple of God And he disceiued the puple of Iuda and the dwellars of Ierusalē that they didden euil more thē heathen mē which the Lord had distried from y e face of the sonnis of Israel And God spake to hym and to hys puple they nolden take hede Therfore he brought on hē the prince of the oost of y e kyng of assiryens they token Manasses and boundē hym wyth chayns and gyues and lede hym into Babilon And after that he was anguishid he preyede his Lord God and he dyde penaunce greatlie before the God of his fatheys And he preide hertely and besought God God herd hys preyer and brought him ayene into Ierusalē into his rewme And Manasses knewe that the Lord hymsilfe is God And he dyd awaye Alien goddes and simulacres either Idolls fro goddis house and destried auteris whiche he had made in the hyll of goddis in Ierusalem and castid al out of the Citie And he restored the aulter of god and offered on it Sacrifycis and heriynge And cōmaundid the puple of Iuda to feare the Lord God of Israel And nethelesse the puple offerid in hygh places to here lord God Manasses died Amon his sonne reigned for him ii yere in Ierusalē And he dyd euel in goddes sight as Manasses his father had do offered serued to all Idolis which Manasses had made And he reuerēced not y ◠face of God as Manasses reuerēced and he dyd manye greater trespasses And whā his seruāts hadden conspirid ayens him they kylleden him And y ◠puple kylled hem y e hadden slayne Amon maden Iosie his sōne king for him he reigned xxxi yere in Ierusalē Iosie did that that was rightfull in goddes sight and yede in the weys of Dauid his father bowed nether to y ◠rightside nether to y e leftesyde In the. viii yere of his rewme whā he was yet a childe he beganne to seke y e god of Dauid his father And in y e. xii yere after y ◠he began he clensed Iuda and Ierusalē fro hight places Imagis Idoles They distriedē before him the Aulteris of Baalim the simulac◅is that werē put aboue he kytted downe and alto brake wodis grauē Images and scaterid the rēlifis on y ◠biriellis of hem y e werē wunt to offer Further more he br◅nt the bonis of priestes in the aulteris of Idolis And he clensed Iuda Ierusalē distried all Idolis in the cities of Manasses and Effraim and of Simeon tylto Neptalim In the eightenth yere of hys rewme whan the Londe and the Temple of God was clensydde he sent worthye menne to repareyle Goddis house and so they didden in dede And Elchie the greate pryeste yafe to Saphā the scriueyne and solemne messager the boke of goddis lawe and he bare it to the Kynge And whan the Kynge hadde heard the wordis of the Lawe he torent his clothes And he cōmaūdid Elchie other greate men to go prie the lorde for the kynge and ◅or y ◠residews of Israel and Iuda on all the wordes of the boke of goddes lawe for why greate vengeaunce of God hath dr◅ppid on vs ◅or oure fathers kep◅ē not y e words of God that they dyddē al thinges that bene wrytten in this boke Therfore Elchie and they that weren sente togider of the Kynge ye◅n to Olda a Prophetesse the wyfe of Sellū and God seyd by her that he shall bryng in on this place and dwellers therof euilles and all curssi◅ges that bene wryttē in this boke of goddes lawe For they forsokē God and sacrifyed◅n to alien goddes to terre him to wrathfulnes in al the werkes of her hondes But for thou kinge of Iuda ◅eardiste the wordes of the boke were meked in goddes sight weptiste and rentist thy clothis I haue hearde the saith God and thou shalt be borne into thy Sepulchre in pece and thyne e◅ne shullen not se all the euyll whiche I shall brynge in on this place and on the dwellars therof And when Iosie had hearde these wordes he clepide togither al the elder men of Iuda and Ierusalem And he stied vp into goddes house and all men of Iuda and the dwellars of Ierusalem stieden togider Priestis and Dekenis and all puple fro the leaste tilto the moste And in audience of hem the kynge reade in goddes house all the wordis of the boke And he stod in his trone either seate of dome and sinote bonde of peace before God that he shulde go after God and kepe his hestis and wytnessynges and iustifyingis in al his herte and in all his soule and do tho thinges that ben written in this boke whyche he had reade And he chargid greatly on this thing al mē that weren founden in Ierusalem Beniamyn and the dwellars of Ierusalem dyden by couenaunt of her Lorde God of here fathers Therefore Iosie dyd auoide all abominations fro all the contreis of the sonnis ▪ of Israel and made al men that werē residue in Israel to serue here lorde God In al y e dayes of hys life they yeden not awey fro the Lorde God of her fathers Afterward Iosie made paske in Ierusalem and ordeined priestis in her officis bade hem ministre in Goddis house And bade dekenies serue God hys puple Israel make hem redie bi here houses and kynreddis in the depar tinge of eche as Dauid kyng of Israel commaūdid and bade hē serue in the sentuari by the meines cōpanies and deakenis and that they be ha◅owide and offer paske and make redie here bretherne therto And Iosie made suche a paske y t none was lyke in Israell fro the dayes of Samuel the prophet Neither ani of the kyngis of Israel made paske as Io sie dyd to priests and dekenis and to al Iuda and Israel and to the dwellars of Ierusalem For he yafe to al the puple that was foūden in Ierusalem in the solemnitie of paske xxx thousande Lambrens kyddis and other shepe three thousand of oxē After that Iosie had repareilide
latynis vsâ—…n and yf men taken Iudith for a boke of holi scrypture as the general coÌ„gregacioÌ„ of clergie dyd at the seine of Nicene as Ierome wytnesseth in y â— prolog on Iudith theÌ„ in the olde testament ben xxvii bokis of bileue Also Ecclesiastici was wrytteÌ„ in Hebrue the boke of wisdome is not anentis Hebreus but sowneth Greeke Eloquence And suÌ„me olde writeris affirmeÌ„ that the Iew Phâ—…o made it Therfore as holi chirch redith Iudith and Tobie and the bookes of Machabeis but receyueth not tho amonge holy scripturis so y â— chirche readithe these ii bokes Ecclesiasticâ—… and Sapience to edifiyng of the puple not to confirme the autoritie of techyng of holy chirch Ierome seith this pleinli in y â— prolog on prouerbs Also Ierom traÌ„slated the first boke of Esoree and Neemie and biddeth that no maÌ„ delite in the dreemis of the. iii. and. iiii boke of Esore y â— ben Apocripha That is not of Autoritie of bileue For aneÌ„tis Hebrus the wordes of Esdree and Neemy ben driuen into oo boke And the bokes of the old testameÌ„t that ben not aneÌ„tis Hebrus ben not of the nouÌ„bre of holy writte owen to be cast far awaye Ierom seyth in the prolog of Esdree And therfore I translatede not the. iii. ne iiii boke of Esdree that ben Apocripha but onelye the firste and Neemi that ben rikenâ—…id for two bokes aneÌ„tis Grekes Latinis and ben of autoritie of byleue Netheles Apocrypha ben seide in two maners as CatholicoÌ„ seython this word Apocripha A boke is seyde ApocriphuÌ„ either for y â— autour is vn knoweÌ„ the truth therof is open holi chirch receiueth such a boke not to preuing of feith but to lernyng of vertues such beÌ„ the bokes of Iudith other which s. IeroÌ„e nuÌ„breth in the prolog on ReguÌ„ either a boke is seid apocriphuÌ„ for me doutith of the truth therof holy chirch receiueth not suche bokes And such ben the boke of the younge chyldehoode of the Sauiour the boke of the ta kynge vp of the body of seint Mari to heuene Catholicon seyth this on that worde Apocripha But sothely all the bokes of the newe testament that is foure Gospellers Mathew Mark Luke and Iohn xii epistles of Poule seueÌ„ smale epistlis the dedes of Apostles and the Apocalips ben fulli of autoritie of byleue Therfore christeÌ„ men womeÌ„ olde and young shoulden study fast in y â— new testament for it is of ful autoritie and open to vnderstondyng of simple men as to the poyntes that most ben nedfull to saluacion And the same seÌ„tence is in y e derkest places of holi wrytte bothe open and derke whych sentence is in the open places And eche place of holi writte bothe open and derke teacheth meknes charitie And therfore he that kepeth meknes charitie hath the trew vnderstoÌ„ding perfectioÌ„ of all holi write as Austine preueth in his sermoÌ„ of y e preising of charite Therfore no simple man of wit be aferde vnmesurably to study in the texâ—… of holy wryt For why tho ben words of euerlastynge lyfe as Peter seyth to Christ in the. vi chapter of Iohn And the holi gost stirrid holi men to speke to wryte the wordes of holy wryte for the confort and saluacion of meke christen meÌ„ as Peter in the seconde Epistle in the ende Poul in the xv chapiter to the Romans witnesseÌ„ And no clerke be proud of the veâ—…i vnderstoÌ„ding of holi write For whye verey vnderstondyng of holy wryt wythouten charity that kepith Goddes heestis maketh a man deper damnid as Iames and Iesu Christ wytnessen And pride couetise of Clerkes is cause of here blyndnes and heresie and priueth heÌ„ fro verrei vnderstondyng of holye wryt and maken hem to go quik into hel as Austin seith on the Psalter on that worde Descendant in Iâ—…fernum viuentes The second Chapter THE olde testamente is departed into thre partes into morall coÌ„maÌ„dementes Iudicials and Ceremomals Moral coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts techen to hâ—…lde and preise cheryshe vertuis and to fle and repreue vyces And these commaundementes binden euer and han strengthe for tho ben grownded in charitie and in reason and in lawe of kynde Iudicials techin domis and peinis for orrible synnes And the Iudiciales of Moses lawe werene full iuste and profitable for men for tho weren ordeined of god that maye not erre in his domis and lawes and werks Netheles sith Christ was made maÌ„ and ordeyned Lawe of mercye and charitie and wole not the death of a sinful man but repentauÌ„nce and saluacion chrysten men ben not bouÌ„den to kepe y â— Iudicials of Moises law that weren ended in y â— tyme of Christes passion But yet christen lordes that han the swerde and ben goddis vikers in the. xiii chapter to the Romaines moune punish meÌ„ that trespassen openly in cattele bodili prisone and sumtyme by bodily death wheÌ„ the syn mai not else be distried nether that the cominalte mai else be stablished in peace as the four doctours and otâ—…er lattere preuen opeÌ„ly by holy writte and reeson But loke that this be don for charytye and coÌ„mouÌ„ profyt wyth mercye and coÌ„passyon of brythren not for couetyse neither pride neither for vengeauÌ„ce of a â—…anis owne wronge Câ—…ymonials techen fyguris and sacrameÌ„tes of the olde lawe that fygurydeâ—… Christ hys deth and the misteries of holye chirche in the lawe of grace And theâ—…e Cerimonials ceassiden vtterly as to obligacioun in the tyme of Christes deth ben noyeful and damnable to meÌ„ that kepen tho and for that the gospell is preached and knowen generalli For if tho cerimonies ben kepte nowe the keperis of tho knowlechen y â— Christ is not yet coÌ„men neither suffred death for maÌ„kynde And thys knowlechynge is open heresie For why the truth and fredome of y â— Gospell sufficith to saluatioÌ„ wythout kepyng of Ceremonyes made of god in the olde lawe and mych more w toute ceremonyes of synfull men and vnkunning that ben made in the time of Antichriste and of vnbyndynge of Sathanas in the. xx chapyter of Apocalyps Therfore as it is open Heresye to seye that the gospel wyth hys truth and fredom suffysith not to chrysten mens saluacion wythouten kepyng of cerimonies of godis lawe yeouuÌ„ to Moises so it semeth open heresy to sey that the gospel with his fredoÌ„ and treuth suffisith not to saluacion of chrysten men wythoute kepynge of cerimonies and statutis of sinful menne and vnkunnynge that benne made in the tyme of Sathanas and of Antichriste ¶ The thryd chapiter SImple men of wit moune be edified to heaueÌ„ly lyueing by reading and knowyng of the olde testament For in the beginyng of Genesis thei moun knowe howe God made heauen and earth and al the creaturs of nought made man to hys owne Image and liknes and to haue blisse in body and soule wythouten anye
helpe Thā Senacherib sent Rapsaces with strong ofte to Ierusalē to blaspheme God make y t puple yeld hem to him for dred Thā Ezechie torēt his tlothes for sorow was hilid with a sacke entrid into gods house sent y ◠high priest other elde inē clothyd wyth sackes to y e prophet Esai y t he shuld prey to God ayens the blaspemie of Assiriēs Esaie seid in Gods name y t thei shuldē not dred of thes words of Assiriēs For God shal sēde a sprit to Senacherib he shal hear a mesenger he shal turne ayene into his londe and God shal cast him downe by sworde in hys londe And whan Senacherib wente home to defende his lond ayens the king of Ethiope he sent blasphemous letters to Ezechie and seide That his God might not deliuer him fro his hond Therfore God cōfortid Ezechie by y ◠prophet Esaie y ◠he shuld not dread Senacherib For Senacherib shall not enter into Ierusalē neither finde arrowe into it neyther occupie it neither bisege it But God shal deiende and saue Ierusalem for hyme selfe and for Dauid his seruaunt And in that nyght the angell of God kylled in the tentes of Assirie◅s an hūdred thousand lxxxv thousande And in the morowtide Senacherib yede into his londe and hys owne sonnys kyllyden hym in y e tēple of hys God Nestarath while he worshipyd hys God Nestarath After thys whan Ezechie was sicke to the death Esai seide to hym in Gods name dispose thine hous for thou shalt dye not liue And for Ezechie wepte greatli God curid him and made him go into the temple on the yde daie and encreasyd xv yere to his life And in signe herof God made the sunne go bakward vi x. degrees After thys doing y e kyng of Babilō sent letters by messengeris yeftes to Ezechie And by pride he she wed al his treasours and Ieuels to the messengers Therfore God seid bi Esaie to him That daies shulē come al thingys in thyne house shulen be take away into Babilon And Ezechie seid The worde of God is good onely peace and trueth be in my daies Aftir Ezechie Manasses his sōne reigned lv yere in Ierusaiē did greate euil in goddis syght and mich Idolatrie And the puple of Iuda was disceiued in Manasses y ◠thei diden more euill then heathen men whych God destried fro the face of sonis of Israel And for Manasses dyd thes worst abominacions ouer al things which the men of Amorreys didden and he shedde ful miche innocēt blud tyll Ierusalem was fyllyd tylto the mouthe God seyde that he woulde brynge in euilys vpon Ierusalem Iuda that who euer heareth boeth his eares tingle And he shal do awai Ierusalem as tablys on borde ben wonte to be done awaye But God shal leaue remnaūts of his heritage and bitake hem in the honde of here enimies Manasses dyede and was biried in the orchard of his house Amon his sonne reigned for him ii yere and dyd euil as his father dide and forsoke God and seruyd vncleanes and Idolis as his father dyd worshipid tho And his seruauntes settiden treason to hym and killiden hym in his house And the puple of y ◠londe kylliden al men y t hadden conspirede ayens the kynge Amon and for hym they ordeynyden Iosie hys sonne kynge to hem Iosie bygan to reigne whan he was viii yere elde reignid xxxi yere in Ierusalem And he dyd that that was plesant bifore God yede by all the weys of Dauid his fathir In y ◠xviii yere of Io sie he hadde visines that the temple of God were repareilid And whan the boke of the lawe was reade bifore the kyng he torente his clothis and sent solemne messangers to take councel at God for hymsilfe and his rewine For he seide that great vengeaunce of God is kinled ayens vs for our fathers herdē not the words of this boke to do al that is written to vs. And God seid by the prophetesse Olda y e wife of Selum I shall bryng euiles on thys place and on y e dwellers therof al y ◠wordis of the lawe whych Iosie readde for theye forsoken me and maden sacrifice to alien gods And for thou Iosie heardist the words of the boke and thine herte was aferde thou were mekid afore me torenteste thy clothes and weptest before me therfor thou shalt dye in peace that thyne eyen se not all these euylys whyche I shall bring in on this place Thā Iosi gadrid to him al y e olde men of Iuda Ierusalē y e Kyng stied into y ◠tēple of God all men of Iuda al men that dwellidē in Ierusalē prophets prists al y e puple flied with him And he red to al men herynge al the wordis of the boke of couenaūte of the lord y t was foūdun in the house of the lorde And the kyng stoode on the grees smote couenaunt bifore the lorde that they shulden go after the lorde and kepe al hys hestys and wytnessingis and ceremonies in all the herte and in al the soule and the puple assentyd to the couenant And the Kynge bad y e bishop and priests and porteris caste out of Goddis tēple all vessellis that weren made to Baall and to other Idolis And he brente tho oute of Ierusalem in the valei of Cedrō and bare the dust of tho into Bethell Aud he distried Idolatours the houses of lechours that weren in the house of God And he destryed auteris and hygh places of Idoles and Imagis toke oute bonis of sepulchris and brēt tho on the auter in Bethell that seruiden to Idolatrie Also Iosie dyde awey all temples of hie placis that weren in the cite of Samarie which y e kingis of Israel hadden made to terrie the Lorde to wrath he dyd ◅o tho as he had do in Bethel And he killyd y ◠priestis of high placis which prests weren ther ouer the auteris And he brente mens bonis of tho on the auters And Iosie made the puple to make a solempne paske And suche paske was not made fro y e dayes of iudgys and al kyngis of Israell and Iuda as was this pask made in the xviii yere of Iosie And he did away spirites spekinge in menis wombis and false diuinou◅is and figuris of Idolis and vncleanessis abominaciouns that weren in the londe of Iuda and of Ierusalem No Kynge bifore hym neyther after hym was lyke hym that turned ayene to God in al his hert in al his soule and in al hys vertue by al the law of Moses Nethelesse for the orrible sinnis of Iuda God turned not aweye fro his strong vengeaūce ▪ but seide that he would take aweye Iuda fro hys face as he dyde aweye Israel that he would caste aweye y e citie of Ierusalem whych he
chees Therfore Pharao Necao king of Egipt kilid Iosia in Magedo Ioathas hys sonne was made King for his father and he reygned thre monthis in Ierusalem and dyd euyll byfore God by al thingis the whych his fathers hadē do And this Pharao prisonid him in Reblatha and toke tribut of the londe an hundrede Talentys of syluer and oo talente of golde And this Pharao made kyng Eliachym y ◠sonne of Iosie turnede hys name Ioachim And this Pharao led Ioachas into Egipt And Ioachim did euil bifore God by al things which his fadirs hadden do And this Ioachym was made seruāt iii. yere to Nabugodouosor Kyng of Babilō And eft he rebellid ayens ▪ Nabugodonosor And God sēt theuis of Cal des theuis of Sirie and theuis of Moab theuis of y e sōnes of Amō into Iuda y t he shulo distrie it as he spake by his Prophetis speciallie for y ◠sinis of Manasses This Ioachim dyed his sōne Ioakim reigned iii. monthis in Ierusalē dyd euil bifore God as his fathers haddē do In y e time y ◠seruātis of Nabugodonosor stidē to Ierusalē and bisegidē it Ioachim his mother Thā Nabugodonosor came to Ierusalē to ouircume it Ioachym his mother hys seruātis princis chaūberlaines yedē out to Nabugodonosor ▪ he trāslatid Ioachim hys oste ten ▪ M. manie craftie men into Babilon toke al the treasuris of gods house of the kingis house and beat to gydir al the goldē vesels whych Kyng Solomō had made in the temple And king Nabugodonosor ordeynid Mathanie y e brother of Iosie to be king clepid him Sedechie And he reignid xi yere in Ierusalē did iuil bifore God bi al thingis that Ioachym had do for God was wroth ayens Ierusalem Iu da tyl he casted hē awei fro his face And Sedechi yed awei fro the king of Babilō And in the. ix yere of Sedechie Nabugodonosor came wyth al his oste bisegid Ierusalem tillto the. xi yere of Sedechie thā the citie was broken Sedechie hys warriours fleddē by night the ost of Caldeis pursuid token him and brought him to Nabugodonosor in Reblatha Nabugodonosor spake dome with Sedechi kilio his sōis bifore him and puttid out his iyen and bounde hym wyth chaynis and broughte hym into Babilon Than Nabusardan the prynce of the oste brent gods house the kingis house and y ◠houses of Ierusalē distryed y ◠wallis of Ierusalē in cōpas And he translatid into Babylon the residue puple of Iuda outaken a fewe pore men vynetillars earthtilars and he brake all the brasē vessellis of metal in the temple and bare the metall into Babilon Than Nabugodonosor made Godolie to be soueraine of the puple lefte in the lond of Iuda And than all the Dukis of Knyghtis camē to Godolie in Maspha he made an oth to hem that it shulde be wel to hem if they wolden serue the Kynge of Babylon And Ismael that was of the kings bloude kyllyd Godolie and Iewis and Caldeis that weren wyth hym and all the puple of Iuda the princis of Knightis fledē into Egypt for dred of Caldeis At y ◠last Euilmeradach Kynge of Babilon reised Ioachim fro prison and settid hys trone abou◅ the trone of other kings that were wyth hym in Babylon And Ioachim eate euer bread in the Kyngis syghte of Babylon in all the dayes of his lyfe Thys processe of Godolie that suith is tolde largelier in the ◅nde of Ieremi thā here in y e ende of kings Thys processe of the fourhe boke of kyngis shuld stir al men and namely kyngis and lordis forto hate syn as Idolatrie couetise breakyng of goddis heestis for which the puple of Israell and the puple of Iuda was thus punishid and cōquerid of heathē men And forto loue vertues and kepyng of Gods heestis and distriyng of open synis for which many good kyngis as Ezechie Iosie and many other haddē great thāke and succour of God in many greate perylis blysse of heauē wythout◅ ende God for his merci graūte this blisse to vs Amen The. viii chapiter THe bokis of Paralipe menon ben ful necessary to vnderstōd the storis of the old Testament in so myche as Ierome seith y t if a mā w toutē these bokis wold presume to haue y ◠kuning of holi scripturs he scornith him silfe that is disceiuith makith him silfe worthy to be scornid For why the storis left out in y e bokis of Ryngis ben touchid in these bokis vnnoūbrable questiōs of the gospel bē declarid bi these bokis The. i. boke of Paralipomenō telith in the bigin yng the generations from Adā tilto Iacob so forth tilto Dauid t◅ chith shortly many storis of Saul of Dauid of Solomō in the ende therof And howe Dauid ordeynyd priestis dekins in her office how by what seruice they shulen serue God The biginyng of the. ii boke of Paralipomenō tellith how Solomō axid of God wisdome to deme his puple god yafe to him wisdōe and kūyng riches glorie so y t nōe amōg kyngis either bifore either after him was like to him Thā is told how Solomō byldid the temple of Ierusalē an house to him silfe After this the quene of Saba came to Solomō brought mani preciouse ◅e welis to him preuid his kūing wisdome in many thyngis And all the Kyngis of the earth desyriden to se the face of Solomon forto heare y e wisdōe of god which he had yo◅ū in his herte After that it suith howe Roboā departid the ten linagis fro the house of Dauid And by hys pryde and hard wordes and by the ◅uyng of the councell of yonge men and whan the rewme of Iuda was cōfirmid to him he forsoke the lawe of Godde and all Israell dydde the same wych hym Therfor God sēt the king of Egipt w t vnnoūbrable puple on hē toke awaye y e treasours of goddis house and of the kyngis house And theye seruiden the king of Egipt to know the diuersytie of goddis setuice and of the seruise of the rewme of londis And after him reigned Abia his son and he treatyd wysly wyth y ◠puple of Israell that they shulden forsake here synne warre not ayens goddis puple and the rewme of Iuda And for they wolden proudli warre ayens the rewme of Iuda ayens this coūsel of Abia ▪ he killed of hem by goddis helpe v. hūdrid thousand of stronge men Afer thys coūcel Abia died Asa hys son reignyd for hym And in the daies of As◅ the lōd was in rest x. yere And Asa did that that was good and plesaunte in the sight of God And he distried auters of Idolatri
dyd thys ouer myche and wyth some pryde and iustyfyede hym selfe ouermich that his frindis cōceiuidē that he blasphe myde God and preuyd God vnrygffulle And of these two poyntys Iob repentyde in the ende Than Godde foryafe to hym thys lyttle syne and appreuyde hys true sentēce and damnid the errour of his aduersaries Than Iob preied and made sacrifice for his aduersaries and God hearde hym and did mercie to hem And Godde addyde all thyngys duble that Iob hadde And he had xiiii thousande of shepe and. vi thousande of Camellis and a thousāde yokis of oxē and a thousande Femell Asses and seuen sonis iii daughters And Iob lyued vii score yere after hys turmente sygh his sonnis the sōnis of hys sonnis tilto the. iiii generacion Thys proces of Iob shuld styr men to be iuste of lyueyng and to be patient in Aduersitie as Iob was and to be stidfaste in christen feyth and answere wysely and mekely to heretikis and aduersaries of ou◅ fayth as Peter Poule techen and euer be meke and full of charitie and prey for our enimies and loke after mede in heauen and not in earth for our good dedis The Psalter comprehendith al the olde testament and newe and techith playnely the misteries of the Trinitie of Christis Incarnation Passion and Riseyng agayne Stiynge into Heauen and sendyng downe of the Holygoste and preachyng of the Gospell and the commyng of Antichrist the generall dome of Christ and the glorie of chosen men to blis and the peynis of hem that shulen be damnid in Hell And ofte rehersyth the stories of the olde Testament and bryngyth in the kepeyng of Godis hestis and loue of Enimies No boke of the olde Testament is harder to vnderstondyng to vs Latines for our letter discordith mych fro the Hebrwe And many Doctouris taken lyttle heede to the letter but all to the gostly vnderstondyng Well were hym that coulde well vnderstonde the Psalter and kepe it in hys lyueyng and seye it deuoutly and conuicte Iewis thereby For many men that seyne it vndeuoutely and lyuen oute of charitie lyghen foul on hemsylfe to God and blasphemen hym when they crien it full lowde to mennis Earys in the Chyrche Therefore God yeue grace to vs to lyue well in charitie and s◅y it deuoutely and vnderstonde it truely and to teach it openly to christē men and Iewis and bryng hem thereby to oure Christen Feyche and brenyng Charitie The Prouerbis either Parablis of Solomō teachē men to lyue iustly to God and man Ecclesiastes teachith men to forsake and set at nought all goodys in the worlde and to drede God and kepe his hestis The songis of songis teachē mē to set al here herte in the loue of God of here neighbours to do all here busines to bring men to charitie and saluation by good ensample trew preachyng and wylfull sufferyng of peyne and death if nede be Prouerbis speaken mych of wisdome and kepyng of Gods hests in cōmondyng trewe teachyng and in repreuyng false teachyng And prouerbis teachen mych of ryghtfulnes and iuste domis and gouernaūce of punishyng of Adulterie and other falsenessis and cōmenden mych iust Lords and sogets repriuen strōgly wronful Lords rebel sogettis Also Prouerbis teachen derkly the mysteries of Christe and of holy Chirch and teachen mych wisdome and prudēce for the soul and the bodye Therfore Lords and comeners also and namely priestis shulen study well thys boke and rule hemsilfe therby to saluatiō of body of soull Ecclesiastes is a full sotill boke For Solomō speakith in many persons and concludith here intent and sentēce Not in appreuing the sentēce of fleshly men that preisen more bodily goodis and lustis of the body than heauēly goodis likyng of vertuis damnith many errours of mē shewith that al is Uanitie tyll me come to the dred of God keping of his hestis Therfore men moten be wel war how thei vnderstōdē Solo mō in this boke y t thei appreuē none errour damnē no truth for miscōceyuyng of Solomons wordis and the Holigostis wordis in this boke The songis of songis techē derklye the state of y e Sinagoge fro the goyng out of Egypt tylto Christis incarnation and passion And than tho songis teachen the state of Christis chyrch and of the Synagoge in the ende of the worlde and treaten hyghlye of loue to God and neyghbouris also And thys boke is so sotle to vnderstond that Iewis ordeyniden that no man should studye it no but he were of xxx yere and had able wyt to vnderstōd the gostli pryuities of thys boke For some of the boke semith to fleshly mē to sow vnclene loue of lecherie where it tellyth hygh gostly loue and great priuities of Christe and of hys chyrch Therfore men moten be full well ware to conceyue weil the wordis of the Holygoste in thys boke and knowe whan Christ speakyth to the chyrch either to the Synagoge and whā the Sinagog speakith to God and whanne the chyrche speaketh to Chryste And whan God speakyth to Angelis Patriarkis prophets and Apostles whan these persons speaken to y e synagoge eyther to the chyrche either ayen warde The boke of wisdome though it be not a boke of bileue teachith miche rightfulnes preysyth wysdome repreuyth fleshlye men for here false byleue and euyllyuyng and cōmendyth mych iust men sadde in byleue vertuouse liuinge And it toucheth mych of Chrystys incarnacion hys manhede and godhede togither and damneth greatli Idolatrie and false worshypynge of Idolles and false goddis Thoughe Ecclesiasticus be no boke of beleue it teacheth mich wysdome and prudence for Soule and body hath mich y e sentence of prouetbis And cōmaūdyth men to thynke and speake of gods hestis for to dread God and loue hym and euer haue mynde of death of the great dome to kepe men out of synne and in perfecte loue to God and man Also it preisith mych almese and good preier and repreuith greatly extortions and wrong and false othis and false measuris and false weyghtis and al fraude priuie and aparte At the last it cōmendith good men and heriyth God that deliuerith fro all perilis If thys boke be well vnderstōd it is profitable both to gost ly gouernouris and bodily Lordis and Iusticis and Comins also The Prophetis han a general Prolog for all And for I declarid some dell the great Prophets and in partie the smal Prophetis and thyncke sone to make an ende with Godes helpe of the Glose of the smal Prophetis I thynke now to passe ouir wythouten any tariyng The first boke of Machabeis tellith howe greate dystructyon and crueltie Antioke the noble dyd ayen the Iews and how mani thousandis he kyllyd of hem that woldē holde Goddys lawe And brent