it Neuertheles they y t were in y â— cytie wolde not let them go thorowe but walled vp the portes w t stones And Iudas sent vnto theÌ„ w t peaceable wordes sayinge Let vs passe thorow your lande y t we may go into our owne countre there shal no body do you harme we wyl but onely go thorowe on fote But they wolde not let them in Wherfore Iudas commaunded a proclamacyon to be made thorowe out the Hoste that euery man shulde kepe his ordre and so they dyd there best lyke valeaunt men And Iudas beseged y â— cytie all that daye and all that nyght so wanne it where they slewe as many as were males and destroyed the citie and spoyled it and wente thorowe all the cytie ouer them y t were slayne Then went they ouer Iordane into the plaine feld before Betsan And Iudas helped those forward y t came behinde gaue the people good exhortacion al the way thorow tyl they were come into the lande of Iuda Thus they weÌ„t vp vnto the mount Syon where they offred with myrth thaÌ„kesgeuynge because there were none of them slayne but came home agayne peaceably Nowe what tyme as Iudas Ionathas were in the lande of Galaad and Symon their brother in Galilee before Ptolomays Then Iosephus the SoÌ„ne of Zachary and Asaryas the captaynes hearing of the actes that were done and of the â—attales that were stroken sayde Let vs get vs a name also and go fyght agaynste the Heathen that are rounde aboute vs. So they gaue theyr hoste a commaundement and wente towarde Iamnya Then came Gorgyas his men out of the cytie to fyght agaynst them Iosephus also Asary as were chased vnto y â— borders of Iewrye there were slayne that daye of the people of Israel ij M. men so that there was a great misery amonge y â— people all because they were not obedient vnto Iudas and his brethren but thought they shulde quyte theÌ„ selnes manfully Neuertheles they came not of the sede of these men by whom Israell was helped But the men that were with Iudas were greatly commended in the syght of all Israell and all Heythen where so euer theyr name was herde vpoÌ„ the people came vnto them byddyng them welcome After this wente Iudas forth wyth hys brethren and fought agaynst the chyldren of Esau in the lande y â— lyeth towarde the south where he wanne the cytie of Hebron and the towneÌ„s that lye besyde it as for the walles and towres rounde aboute it he brente them vp Then remoued he to go into the laÌ„de of the Philistines and wente thorowe Samaria At the same tyme were there many prestes slayne in the battayle whiche wylfully and without aduysemente wente out for to fyght to get theÌ„ honoure And when Iudas came to Azot in y â— Philistines laÌ„de he brake downe their aulters brenâ—e the ymages of their Idols spoyled the cities came again in to the lande of Iuda ¶ Antiochus wyllyng to take the cytiâ— of Elynas for a pray is dâ—yâ—â—â—â— way of the 〈◊〉 He telleth into syckenesse and dyeth His sonne Antiâ—châ—s 〈◊〉 â—aâ—â— kynge The beâ—â—gâ— of the tower of Sion Euâ—â—tor coÌ„mâ—â—h into Iewrye with a great armye The boldnes of Eâ—â—azâ—r CAPI VI. NO we when kyng Antiochus trauayled thorow the hye countrees he herde y â— Elymas in Persia was a noble plentuous citie in syluer golde that there was in it a very riche teÌ„ple where as were clothes cote armours shyldes of golde whiche Alexander the soÌ„ne of Philippe kyng of Macedonia that raygned fyrst in Greke londe had lefte behynde hym Wherfore he wente aboute to take the citie to spoyle it but he was not able for the citesiÌ„s were warned of it fought w t him And so he fled departed with greate heuynesse and came agayne into Babylon Moreouer there came one whyche brought hym tidynges in Persyde that his hoostes whiche were in the lande of Iuda were dryuen away and how that Lysias wente forth fyrst wyth a great power and was dryuen away of the Iewes howe y â— they had woÌ„ne the victory gotten great goodes out of the hostes y â— peryshed howe they had broken downe the abhomynacion whiche he set vp vpon the altare at Ierusalem and fenced the SaÌ„ctuary withe hye walles lyke as it was afore yee and Bethsura his cyte also So it chaunced that when the kyng had herde these wordes he was afrayed and greued very sore Wherfore he layed him downe vpon his bed and fell sycke for very sorowe al because it had not happened as he had deuysed And there contynued he longe for his grefe was euermore and more so that he saw he must nedes dye Therfore he sent for hys frendes sayde vnto them the slepe is gone fro myne eyes for the very sorowe and vexacion of herte that I haue For when I coÌ„sidre in my mynde the greate aduersite that I am come vnto the floudes of heuynesse whiche I am come in where as afore tyme I was so mery and so greatly set by by reason of my power Agayne consyderyng the euyl that I haue done at Ierusalem from whence I toke all the ryches of golde syluer that were in it and sent to fetche away the inhabytoures of Iewry without any reason why I knowe that these troubles are come vpon me for the same cause And beholde I must dye wyth great sorowe in a strauÌ„ge lande Then called he for one Philippe a frende of his whom he made ruler of all his realme gaue hym the crowne his roabe his ryng y â— he shuld take his soÌ„ne Antiochus vnto him brynge hym vp tyll he myght raygne him selfe So the kyng Antiochus dyed there in the. cxlix yere When Lysias knewe that the kynge was deed he ordayned Antiochus his sone whoÌ„ he had brought vp to raygne in hys fathers steade called hym Eupator Nowe they that were in the castell at Ierusalem kepte in the Iewes rounde aboute the Sanctuary sought euer styll to do them harme for the strengthenynge of the Heythen Wherfore Iudas thought to destroye theÌ„ and called all the people together that they myght laye sege vnto theÌ„ So they came together in the. Cl. yeare beseged them layinge forth theyr ordinaunce and instrumeÌ„tes of warre Then certaine of them that were be seged wente forth vnto whom some vngodly men of Israel ioyned them selues also and went vnto the kynge sayinge Howe longe wyll it be or thou punysh and auenge oure brethren We haue euer bene mynded to do thy father seruyce to walke in his statutes and to obeye his commaundementes Therfore oure people fell from vs whersoeuer they founde any of vs they slewe them and spoyled our inherytaunce and they haue not onely medled wyth vs but with all our couÌ„trees and beholde thys daye are they besegyng the castel at Ierusalem haue
in those ii pyllers beneth ouer agaynst the myddes and before the net worke And vpoÌ„ the seconde headpece were there two hundred Pomegarnates in two rowes rounde aboute And he set vp the pyllers in the porche of the temple And when he had set vp the ryght pyller he called the name therof Iachin and wheÌ„ he had set vp the lefte Pyller he called the name therof Boaz. And in the top of the pyllers was a worke of roses and so was the workmanshyp of the pyllers fynysshed And he made a molten lauatory ten cubites wyde from brym to brym rounde in compasse and fyue cubites hygh And a stryng of thyrtie cubites dyd compasse it aboute and vnder the brym of it there were knoppes rounde about ten in one cubite and they compassed the lauatory rounde about And the knoppes were cast with it in two rowes when it was cast And it stode on twelue oxen of whiche iii. loked towarde the north iii. towarde the west thre towarde the South and thre towarde the East and the lauatorye stode vpon them and all theyr hynderpartes were inwarde It was an hande bredthe thycke and the brym wrought lyke the brym of a cup with floures of lylyes And it contayned two thousande ☞ Bates And he made ten sockets of brasse foure cubites longe and foure cubites brode apece and thre cubites hygh And the worke of the sockers was on this maner They had sydes the sydes were bytwene the ledges And on the sydes that were bytwene the ledges were lyons oxen and Cherubs And lykewyse vpon the ledges that were aboue beneth the lyons and oxen were certayne addicions made of thyn worke And vnder euery socket were foure brasen wheles and bordes of brasse And in the four corners therof were vndersetters vnder the lauatorie cast eche ouer agaynst his felowe And the stalke of the lauatorye was in the mydle of it †vvhere it is sene on the oursyde one cubyte hyghe and a cubyte and an halfe round and in the heyght of it were grauen workes whose sydes were made four square and not rounde And vnder the sydes were foure wheles and the axeltrees ioyned faste to the bottome And the heyght of euerye whele was a cubyte and an halfe And the workemanshyp of the wheles was lyke the worke of a charet whele And the axeltrees nauels spokes shaftes were all molten And there were iiii vndersetters in the. iiii corners of one socket and the vndersetters were of the verye bottome selfe And in the heyght of the bottome was there a rouÌ„de compasse of halfe a cubite hye and in the heyght of the bottom there proceded both ledges sydes out of the same For in the bordes of the ledges on the sydes he had grauen pyctures of Cherubins lyons palme trees one by an other rounde aboute Thus made he the ten sockets after this maner And they had all one fassyon of castyng one measure and one syse Then made he ten lauers of brasse one lauer conteynynge xl Bathes and one lauer was foure cubites and vpon euery one of the ten sockets he put one lauer And he put fyue of those sockets on the ryght syde of the house and other fyue on the lefte And he set the lauatorie on the ryght syde of the house Eastwarde and towarde the South And Hiram made pottes shouels basens so fynyshed all the worke that he made to kyng SalomoÌ„ for the house of the Lorde that is to say two pyllers two rounde heade peces that were to be set on the toppes of the two pyllers and foure hundred Pomegarnates for the two net workes euen two rowes of Pomgarnates in one net worke to couer the two headpeces that were to be set on the toppes of the pyllers And the ten sockets ten lauers on the sockets The lauatorie twelue oxen vnder it pottes shouels basens And al these vessels whiche Hiram made to kyng Salomon for the house of the lorde were of bryght brasse In the playne of Iordan dyd the kyng cast them euen in the thycke claye bytwene Socoh and Zarthan And Salomon lefte al the vessels vnweyed bycause they were so excedynge many neyther founde they oute the weyght of the brasse And so Salomon made all the vessels that perteyned vnto the house of the Lorde the golden aulter the golden table wheron the shewbread was And fyue candelstyckes for the right syde and fyue for the lefte before the queer of pure golde with floures lampes and snoffers of golde and bolles flat peces basens spones masoures of pure golde hyndges made he of golde both for the dores of the queer the place most holy and for the dores of the temple also And so was ended al the worke that kynge Salomon made for the house of the Lorde â–ª And Salomon brought in the thynges which Dauid his father had dedicated euen the syluer golde vessels and layde them vp among the treasures of the house of the lord ¶ The Aâ—he is borne in to the temple A cloude fylleth the temple The temple is blessed CAPI VIII THen Salomon gathered togyther the elders of Israell all the heades of the tribes and them that were captaynes amonge the fathers of the Chyldren of Israell vnto hym in Ierusalem that they myght brynge vp the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde out of the citye of Dauid whiche is Sion And all the men of Israell assembled vnto kynge Salomon to the feast that falleth in the moneth ☞ Ethanim whiche is the seuenth moneth And all the elders of Israell were come and the preestes toke vp the arke They bare the arke of the Lorde in to the tabernacle of wytnesse and al the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle those dyd the preestes and the Leuites bere And kynge Salomon all the congregacyon of Israel that were assembled vnto hym went with hym before the arke dyd offre shepe and oxen that coulde not be tolde nor nombred for multitude And so the preestê brought the arke of the appoyntment of the lorde vnto his place eueÌ„ into the queer of the temple and place most holy vnder the wynges of the Cherubs Forthe Cherubs stretched out theyr wynges ouer the place of the arke couered bothe it also the staues therof an hygh vpon it And they drewe oute the staues that the endes of them myght appeare out of the holy place within the queer but they were not sene without And there they haue bene vnto this daye ☞ and there was nothyng in the arke saue the two tables of stone whiche Moses put there at Horeb in the which tables the lorde made an appoyntmente with the chyldren of Irael when he brought them out of the land of Egypte And it fortuned that when the preestes were come out of the holy place the cloude fylled the house of the Lorde that the preestes coulde not stand minister bycause of the cloude for
arke of the couenaunt of the lorde out of the citye of Dauid which is Zion Wherfore all the men of Israell resorted vnto the kyng in the feast euen in the seuenth moneth And all the elders of Israell came and the Leuytes toke vp the arke And the preestes and the Leuites brought awaye the Arke and the tabernacle of wytnesse and al the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle and they bare them And kynge Salomon and all the congregacyon of Israell that were assembled vnto hym before the Arke offered shepe and oxen so many that they coulde not be tolde nor nombred for multytude And the Preestes brought the Arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde vnto his place euen in to the queere of the temple within the place moost holy and set it vnder the wyngê of the Cherubs that the Cherubs stretched out theyr wynges ouer the place of the Arke and the Cherubs couered both the Arke and her barres aboue on hygh And the barres of the Arke were so longe that the heades of the barres were sene without the Arke within the queere but not without And there the Arke remayned vnto this daye But there was nothynge in the Arke saue the two tables which Moses put thee in at Horeb when the lorde made a couenauÌ„t with the chyldren of Israell after they were come out of Egypte And it fortuned that when the Preestes were come out of the holy place for all the Preestes that were present were sanctyfyed and dyd not then wayte by course that bothe the Leuites and the syngers vnder Asaph Heman and Ieduthun were appoynted to sondrye offices with theyr Chyldren and brethren and were arayde in fyne whyte hauynge Symbals Psalteries and harpes and stode at the East ende of the aulter and by them an hundred and twentye Preestes blowynge with trompettes And the trompet blowers and the syngers so agreed that it semed but one voyce in pray synge and thankynge the Lorde And when they lyfte vp theyr voyce with the Trompettes Symbals and other instrumentes of Musycke and when they praysed the Lorde †and sayde howe that he is good and that his mercy lasteth euer the house of god was fylled with a cloude so that the preestê coulde not endure to mynyster by the reason of the cloude For the maiestye of the Lorde had fylled the house of God ¶ The wordes of Salomon to the people and the prayer that he made vnto god CAPI VI. THen Salomon sayde the Lorde hath spoken howe that he wyll dwell in the cloude And I haue buylte an habytacyon for the and a place for thy dwellynge for euer And the kynge turned his face and blessed the hoole congregacyon of Israell and all the congregacyon of Israell stode And he sayde blessed be the Lorde god of Israell whiche hath with his handes fulfylled it that he spake with his mouth to my father Dauid sayenge Sence the daye that I brought my people out of the lande of Egypte I chose no cytye amonge all the trybes of Israell to buylde an house in that my name myght be there neyther chose I any man to be a ruler ouer my people Israell sauynge that haue chosen Ierusalem that my name myght be there and haue chosen Dauid to be ouer my people Israell And when it was in the herte of Dauid my father to buylde an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israell the Lorde sayde to Dauid my father for asmoche as it was in thyne herte to buylde an house for my name thou dydest well that thou so thoughtest in thyne herte Notwithstandynge thou shalte not buylde the house but thy Son whiche is proceded out of thy loynes he shall buylde an house for my name The Lorde therfore hath made good his saynge that he hath spoken and I am rysen vp in the rowme of Dauid my father and am set on the seate of Israell as the Lorde promysed and haue buylt an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israell And in it haue I put the Arke wherin is the couenaunt of the lorde that he made with the chyldren of Israell And the kynge stode before the aulter of the lorde in the presence of all the congregacyon of Israell and stretched out his handes For now SalomoÌ„ had made a brasen pulpyt of fyue cubytes longe and fyue cubytes brode and thre of heyght and had set it in the myddes of the great courte and vpon it he stode and kneled downe vpon his knees before all the congregacyon of Israell and stretched out his handes towarde heuen and sayde O lorde God of Israell there is no god lyke the in heuen and in earth which kepest couenaunt and shewest mercy vnto thy seruauntê that walke before the with al theyr hertes Thou whiche haste kepte with thy seruauaunte Dauid my father the thynges that thou promysedest hym Thou saydest it with thy mouth hast fulfylled it with thyne handes as it is to se this daye And nowe Lorde God of Israell kepe with thy seruaunte Dauid my Father the thynges that thou promysedst hym saynge thou shalte in my syght not be without a man that shall syt vpon the seate of Israell so that thy chyldreÌ„ take hyde to theyr wayes to walke in my lawe as thou hast walked be fore me And nowe Lorde God of Israell let thy sayenge be true whiche thou spakest vnto thy seruaunt Dauid And wyll God in very dede dwell with men on earth Beholde heuen and heuen aboue all heuens do not toÌ„teyne the howe moch lesse the house which I haue buylded Let it be thy pleasure therfore to turne to the prayer of thy seruaunte to his supplycacyon O Lorde my God to herken vnto the voyce and prayer whiche thy seruaunte prayeth before the let thyne eyes be open toward this house day nyght ouer this place wherin thou hast sayde that thou woldest put thy name to herken vnto the prayer whiche thy seruaunte prayeth in this place Herken vnto the Prayers of thy seruaunte and of thy people Israell whiche they praye in this place heare thou I sayâ— out of thy dwellyng place euen out of heuen heare and be mercyfull Yf a man syn agaynst his neyghboure and take an othe agaynst hym make hym to sweare and they bothe come before thyne aulter in this house then heare thou from heuen and worke and iudge thy seruauÌ„tes that thou rewarde the vngodlye and recompence hym his waye vpon his heade ☞ and iustifye the ryghteous and gyue hym accordynge to his ryghtwysenesse And yf thy people Israell be put to the worse before the enemye bycause they haue synned agaynst the Yet yf they turne and gyue thankes vnto thy name make intercessyon and pray before the in this house then heate thou from heuen and be mercifull vnto the synne of thy people Israell brynge them agayne vnto the lande whiche thou gauest to them and to theyr fathers When heuen is shut vp
Iuda loked aboute beholde the battayle was before and behynde and they cryed vnto the Lorde the preestes blewe with the trompettê and the men of Iuda gaue a showte And as the men of Iuda showted it came to passe that God smote Ieroboam and all Israel before Abia and Iuda And the chyldren of Israel fled before Iuda and God deliuered them in to theyr hand And Abia and his people slue a great slaughter of them There fell downe wounded of Israell fyue hundred thousande chosen men And so the chyldren of Israell were broughte vnder at that tyme and the chyldren of Iuda preuayled bycause they leaned vnto the Lorde God of theyr fathers And Abia folowed after Ieroboam and toke cityes from hym Bethell with the townes belongynge therto Iesana with the townes that longed therto EphroÌ„ with her townê And Ieroboam recouered no strength agayne in the dayes of Abia. And â–ª the lorde plaged hym and he dyed But Abia waxed myghtye maryed xiiii wyues begat xxii sonnes xvi doughtes The rest of the actes of Abia his customes his sayengê are wrytten in the storie of the prophet Iddo ¶ Of Asa kynge of Iuda CAPI XIIII SO Abia slepte with his fathers and they buryed hym in the Citye of Dauid and Asa his sonne reygned in his steade In whose dayes the lande was in quietnesse ten yere And Asa dyd that was good and ryght in the eyes of the Lorde his God for he toke away straung aulters the hyl aulters brake downe the ymages and cut downe the groues and coÌ„maunded Iuda to seke the lorde god of theyr fathers to do accordyng to the lawe coÌ„maundmentes And he put away out of all the cityes of Iuda the hyl aulters and the ymages and the kyngdom was quiet before hym And he buylt strong cityes in Iuda bycause the lande was in rest and he had no warre in those yeres For the lorde had gyued hym rest Therfore he sayd to Iuda let vs buylde these cityes and make aboute them walles towres gates and barres for the lande is yet in rest before vs bycause we haue sought the Lorde our God We haue sought hym and he hath gyuen vs rest on euery syde And so they buylte and it prospered with them And Asa had an armye of men that bare scheldes speares out of Iuda thre hundred thousande and out of Ben Iamin that bare scheldes and drewe bowes two hundred and. lxxx thousande all these were valiaunt men And there came out agaynst them Zarah the blacke Morian with an hoost of x. hundred thousande and thre hundred charettes and came as farre as Maresa And Asa went out before hym and they ioyned the battayle in the valley of Zephata besyde Maresa And Asa cryed vnto the Lorde his God and sayd Lorde it is no harde thynge with the to helpe eyther many or them that haue no power helpe vs therfore O Lorde God for we trust to the in thy name we go agaynst this multitude Thou arte the lorde our god and no man shall preuayle agaynst the. So the Lorde smote the blacke Moores before Asa Iuda and the blacke Moores fled And Asa and the people that was with hym folowed after them vnto Gerar. And the blacke Moores hoost was ouerthrowen that there was none of them lefte but were destroyed before the lorde before his hoost And they caryed away a myghty great pray And they smote all the cityes rounde aboute Gerar. For the feare of the Lorde came vpon them And they spoyled all the Cityes and there was excedynge moche spoyle in them They smote also the tentes of cattell and caryed awaye plentye of shepe and Camelles and returned to Ierusalem ¶ Kynge Asa by the monicion of the prophet Azaria sacrifyeth vnto the Lorde He depryueth his mother of her dominyon CAPI XV. ANd the spirite of God came on Azaria the sonne of Oded And he went out to mete Asa and sayd vnto hym heare me Asa and all Iuda and Beniamin The lorde is with you whyle ye be with hym and when ye seke hym he wyll be founde of you and agayne when ye forsake hym he also wyll forsake you And truely for a long ceason in Israel no man sought the true god no man regarded the preest that taught them no man cared for the lawe And when any man in his trouble dyd turne vnto the Lorde god of Israel and sought hym he was founde of them And in that tyme there was no peace to hym that dyd go out and in But great sedicyon was there among all the enhabitoures of the earth And nacyon was destroyed of nacyon and citye of citye for god dyd moue all aduet syte amonge them Play ye therfore the men and let not your handê slacke for your worke shall be rewarded And when Asa herde those wordes and the prophesie of Azaria the son of Oded the prophet he toke courage and put awaye the abhominable ydolles out of all the lande of Iuda and Beniamin and out of the cityes whiche he wanne in mount Ephraim and renued the aulter of the Lorde that was before the porche of the Lorde And he gathered all Iuda and Beniamin the straungers with them out of Ephraim Manasse and Simeon For there fell many to hym oute of Israell when they sawe that the Lorde his god was with hym So they assembled at Ierusalem the thyrde moneth the fyftenth yeare of the reygne of Asa. And they offred vnto the lorde the same tyme of the spoyle whiche they had brought vii C. oxen and. vii M. shepe And they made a couenaunt to seke the lorde God of theyr fathers with al theyr herte and all theyr soule And who soeuer wolde not seke the lorde God of Israel shulde dye for it whyther he were small or greate man or woman And ☞ they sware vnto the Lorde with a loude voyce showtyng and blowynge with trompettes and shaulmes And all they in Iuda reioysed at the othe for they had sworne vnto the Lorde with all theyr herte sought hym with all theyr lust and he was founde of them And the Lorde gaue them rest rounde aboute on euery syde And kyng Asa put Maacha his mother out of auctoryte bycause she had made an abhominable ydoll †of Priapus in a groue and Asa brake downe her ydoll and stamped it burnt it at the broke Cedron But all the hyll aulters were not taken away out of Israell though the herte of Asa was perfyte all his dayes And he brought in to the house of god the thynges that his father had dedicate and that he hym selfe had dedicate euen syluer golde Iuels And there was no more war vnto the xxxv yere of the reygne of Asa. ¶ Asa for feare of Baasa kynge of Israell maketh a couenaunt with Benhadad kynge of Siria CAPI XVI IN the. xxxvi yeare of the reygne of Asa came Baasa kyng of Israel vp agaynst Iuda buylte
the lorde they conspyred treason agaynst hym in Ierusalem when he was fled to Lachis they sent to Lathis after him slue him there and brought him vp with horses and buryed hym with his fathers in the citye of Iuda ¶ After the death of Amaziahu reygneth â—â—zia otherwyse called Ozia whiche is stryhen with the â—eper and Ioâ—ham reygneth in 〈◊〉 râ—â—â—e CAPI XXVI THen all the people of Iuda toke Uzia whiche was syxtene yeare olde and made him kyng in the roume of his father Amaziahu And he buylte Eloth and brought it agayne to Iuda after the kynge was layd to slepe with his fathers Syrtene yere olde was Uzia wheÌ„ he began to reygne and he reygned â—iâ— yeare in Ierusalem His mothers name also was Iecholia of Ierusalem And he dyd that whiche was ryght in the syght of the lorde accordyng to alas dyd his father Amaziahu And it came to passe that he sought god in the dayes of Zachariahu whiche maynteyned the feare of god and as longe as he sought the Lorde God made hym to prospere And he went to battayle agaynst the philistines and brake downe the wall of Geth and the wall of Iabne the wall of Asdod and buylt cityes aboute Asdod and amonge the Philistinê And god helped hym agaynst the Philistines and agaynst the Arabians that dwelte in Gurbaal and Hammehunim And the Ammonytes gaue tribute to Uzia his name spred abrode euen to the entryng in of Egypt for he played the man excedyngly Moreouer Uzia buylte towres in Ierusalem by the corner gate by the valley gate and at the turnynge of the wall and made them stronge And he buylte to wres in the wyldernesse and dygged many welles For he had moche cattell in the valleyes and playnes plowmen and vynedressers in the mountaynes in Charmell for he loued husbandrye And Uzia had an hoost of fyghtynge men that went out to warre in the armaye accordynge to the nombre of theyr offyce vnder the hande of Ieiell the scrybe and Maasiahu the ruler and vnder the hande of Hanania whiche was one of the kynges Lordes And the hole nombre of the auncyent fathers and of the men of myght were two thousand and syxe hundred and vnder the hande of them was the armye of the men of war euen thre hundred and seuen thousande and fyue hundred that made war with the power of an armye helpyng the kyng agaynst the enemyes And Uzia prouyded them thorowout all the hoost sheldes speares helmettes â—abergeons bowes and slynges for to cast stones And he made subtel engynnes in Ierusalem whiche he inuented and layde on the towres and corners to shute arowes greate stones with all And his name spred far abrode bycause he was helped so excellently so that he became very myghtye But in his strength his herte arose to his destructtoÌ„ for he transgressed agaynst the lorde his god went into the temple of the Lorde to burne cense vpon the aulter of incense And Azariahu the preest went in after hym and with hym foure score preestes of the lorde that were valeaunt men And they stode by Uzia the kynge sayd vnto hym It perteyneth not to the Uzia to burne cense vnto the lorde but to the preestes the chyldren of Aaron that are consecrate for to offre incense Come therfore out of the sanctuarye for thou hast trespassed and it is no worshyp to the before the lorde god And Uzia was wroth had cense in his hande to burne it so whyle he had indyngnacyon agaynst the Preestes the leprosye sprange in his foreheade before the Preestes in the house of the Lorde euen besyde the incense aulter And Azariahu the cheyfe preest with all the other Preestes loked vpon hym and beholde he was become a Leper in his forheade and they vexed hym thence And he was fayne to go out bycause the Lorde had smytten hym And Uzia the kynge coÌ„tynued a leper vnto the daye of his death and dwelt seuerall in a house beynge a leper and shuâ—ts out of the house of the lord And Iotham his sonne had the gouernaunce of the Kynges house and iudged the people of the land The rest of the actes of Uzia fyrst last dyd Isai the prophet the sonne of Amos wryte And so Uzia slept with his fathers and they buryed hym with his fathers in the felde of the buryall which was besyde the sepulchres of the kynges For they sayde he is a leper And Iotham his sonne reygned in his steade ¶ Iotham reygneth and ouertâ—meth the Ammoâ—ytes Ahaz his sonne reygneth aftre hym CAPI XXVII I Otham was fyue and twentye yere olde when he began to reygne and reygned syxtene yeare in Ierusalem His mothers name also was Ierusa the doughter of Zadoc And he dyd that which was ryght in the syght of the lorde in all poyntes as dyd his father Uzia saue that ☞ he came not into the temple of the Lorde and the people dyd yet wyckedly He buylte the bygh gate of the temple of the lorde and on the wall where the house of ordynaunce was he buylte mach Moreouer he buylte cityes in the mountaynes of Iuda and in the wood couÌ„trey he buylt castels and towres He fought w t the kyng of the chyldreÌ„ of Ammon preuayled agaynst them And the chyldren of Ammon gaue hym the same yeare an hundred talentes of syluer and ten thousande quarters of wheate and ten thousande of batley So moche dyd the chyldren of Ammon gyue hym the second yere and the thyrde also So Iotham became myghtye bycause he directed his waye before the Lorde his God The rest of the actes of Iotham and all his warres his conuersacion so they are wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Israell and Iuda He was xxv yere olde when he began to reygne and reygned syxtene yere in Ierusalem And Iotham slepte with his fathers and they buryed hym in the citye of Dauid and Ahaz his sonne reygned in his steade ¶ The wyckednesse of Ihaz kynge of Iuda After hym reygneth Hezeâ—â—a CAPI XXVIII AHaz was twentye yeare olde when he began to reygne and reygned syxtene yere in Ierusalem and he dyd not that whiche is ryght in the syght of the Lorde as dyd his father Dauid For he walked in the wayes of the kynges of Israell and made molten ymages for Baalim He offered incense in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom and burnt his chyldren in fyre after the abhomynacyons of the Heathen whome the lorde cast out before the Chyldren of Israell He offred also burnte incence in hylaulters and on mountaynes and vnder euery grene tre Wherfore the lorde his god delyuered hym into the hande of the kynge of the Sirians whiche bet hym and caryed awaye a great multitude of his captiue and brought them to Damasco And he was delyuered in to the hande of the kynge of Israell whiche smote hym with a great slaughter For Pekah the
sonne of Remaliahu slue in Iuda an C and twentye thousand in one day whiche were all fyghtynge men that bycause they had forsaken the lorde god of theyr fatheyrs And Zâ—chri a myghtye man of Ephraim slue Maasiahu the kynges sonne and Asrica the gouernoure of the house Elcana that was nexte to the kynge And the Chyldren of Israell toke prysoners of theyr brethren C C. thousande women sonnes doughters and caryed awaye moch spoyle of them and brought the spoyle to Samaria But there was a prophet of the Lordes whose name was Obed he went out before the hoost that came to Samaria and sayde vnto them Beholde bycause the Lorde God of youre Fathers is wroth with Iuda he hath delyuered them in to youre hande And ye haue slayne them with cruelnesse that reacheth vp to heuen And now ye purpose to kepe vnder the chyldren of Iuda and Ierusalem and to make them bondmen and bondwomen And do ye not lade youre selues with syn in the syght of the lorde your God Nowe heare me therfore and delyuer the captyues agayne whiche ye haue taken of your brethren for els shall the great wrath of God be vpon you Wherfore certayne of the heades of the Chyldren of Ephraim as Azaria the sonne of Iehohanan Berechiahu the sonne of Mesillemoth and Iehezkiahâ— the sonne of Sallum and Amasa the sonne of Hadlai stode vp agaynst them that came from the war and sayde vnto them brynge not in the captyues hyther For where as we haue offended towarde god all redye ye entende to adde more to our synnes trespasse For our trespasse is great all redye and there is a fearce wrath agaynst Israell And vpon that the men of armes lefte the captyues and the spoyle before the Lordes and all the congregacyon And the men that were nowe reheatâ—ed by name rose vp toke the prysones and with the spoyle clothed all that were naked amonge them and arayde them and shoed them and gaue them to eate to drynke and anoynted them and caryed all that were feble of them vpon Asses and brought them to Ierico the citye of Paulme trees to theyr brethren and then they returned to Samaria agayne At that same tyme dyd kyng Ahaz sende vnto the kynges of Assur to haue helpe of them And the Edomites came agayne and slue some of Iuda and caryed awaye captyues And the Philistines inuaded the cityes in the lowe countrey and towarde the south of Iuda and toke Bethsames and Aialon and Gederoth and Socho with the townes longyng therto and Thimna with the townes of the same Gimso and the townes therof and dwelte there For the Lorde brought Iuda lowe bycause of Ahaz kynge of Iuda whiche made Iuda naked and transgressed fore agaynst the Lorde And Thilgath pylneser kynge of the Assirians came vpon hym and beseyged hym and he was not myghtye ynough for hym For Ahaz toke awaye a porcyon oute of the house of the Lorde and oute of the Kynges house and out of the lordes houses and gaue vnto the kynge of the Assiryans and yet it helped hym not And in the verye tyme of his tribulacion dyd kynge Ahaz trespasse yet more agaynst the Lorde For he offered vnto the Gods of them of Damasco whiche bette hym and he sayde bycause the Gods of the kynges of Siria helpe them therfore wyl I offer to them that they maye helpe me also But they were his destruction the destruccyon of all Israell And Ahaz gathered togyther the vessels of the house of God brake them and shut vp the dores of the house of the Lorde and made hym aulters in euery corner of Ierusalem And in all the cityes of Iuda he made hyll aulters to burne incense vnto other Gods and angred the Lorde god of his fathers The rest of his actes and his workes fyrst and last beholde they are wrytten in the booke of the kynges of Iuda and Israell And Ahaz slepte with his fathers they buryed hym in the citye of Ierusalem but brought hym not vnto the sepulchres of the kynges of Iuda And Hezekia his sonne reygned in his steade ¶ Hezehia otherwyse called Ezechias or Iehâ—zkiâ—ahâ—â— restoreth vnto the temple of the Lorde all the thynges that had not ben regarded of his predeceslouts CAPI XXIX HEzekia began to reygne when he was fyue and twentye yeare olde and reygned nyne and twentye yeare in Ierusalem And his mothers name was Abia the doughter of Zachariahu and he dyd that whiche was ryght in the syght of the Lorde in all poyntes as dyd Dauid his father He opened the dores of the house of the Lorde in the fyrst yere fyrst moneth of his reygne and repayred them And he brought in the preestes and the Leuites and gathered them togyther into the East strete and sayde vnto them Heare me ye Leuites nowe be sanctifyed and halowe the house of the lorde God of your fathers and brynge fylthynesse out of the holy place For oure fathers haue trespassed and done euyll in the eyes of the lorde our God and haue forsaken hym and turned awaye theyr faces from the habitacyon of the lorde and turned theyr backes on it And besyde that they haue shutte vp the dores of the porch and quenched the lampes and haue neyther burned cense nor offered burntofferynges in the holye place vnto the God of Israell Wherfore the wrath of the Lorde fell on Iuda and Ierusalem and he hath brought them to trouble to be wondred on to be hyssed at euen as ye se with your eyes For lo oure fathers were ouerthrowen with the swerde and our sonnes our doughters and our wyues were caryed awaye captyue for the same cause And nowe it is in my herte to make a couenaunte with the Lorde God of Israell that he maye turne away his heuye indygnacyon from vs. Nowe therfore my Sonnes be not neclygent for the Lorde hath chosen you to stande before hym and for to minystre and serue hym and to burne incense Then the Leuites arose Mahath the son of Amasai and Ioell the sonne of Azariahu of the chyldren of the Cahathites and of the sonnes of Merari Kis the son of Addi and Azariahu the sonne of Iehalelell and of the sonnes of the Gersonites Ioah the sonne of Simma and Eden the sonne of Ioah And of the sonnes of Elizaphan Simri and Iehiell and of the sonnes of Asaph Zacharia and Mathaniahu and of the sonnes of Heman Iehiell and Simei and of the sonnes of Ieduthun Semaia and Uziell And they gathered theyr brethren and puryfyed them selues and came accordyng to the coÌ„maundement of the kyng and the wordê of the lorde for to clense the house of the Lorde And the Preestes wente in to the inner partes of the house of the Lorde to clense it and brought out all the vnclennesse that they founde in the temple of the lorde in to the courte of the house of the lorde And the Leuites toke it to carye it
that he might shew the people and prynces her fayrnesse for she was beautyfull But the quene Uasthi wolde not come at the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes Then was the kynge very wroth and his indygnacyon kyndled in hym And the kynge spake to the wyse men that had vnderstandynge in the ordynaunces of the lande for the kynges matters must be handled before all soch as haue knowledge of the lawe and iudgement and the †cheyfe and nexte vnto hym were Carsena Sethar Admata That sis Mares Marsena Mamucan the. vit prynces of Persia and Media whiche sawe the kynges face sat aboue in the kyngdom What lawe sayeth the kyng shulde be executed vpoÌ„ the quene Uasthi bycause she dyd not accordyng to the worde of the kyng Ahasuerus which he coÌ„maunded by his chamber laynes And Memucan answered before the kynge the prynces the quene Uasthi hath not only done euyll agaynst the kynge but also agaynst all the prynces agaynst all the peple that are in all the landes of kyng Ahasuerus for this dede of the quene shall come abrode vnto all women so that they shall despyse theyr husbandes before theyr eyes shall saye the kynge Ahasuerus coÌ„maunded Uasthi the quene to be brought in before him but she wolde not come And so shall the princesses in Persia Media say lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces when they heare of this dede of the quene thus shall there aryse to moch despytefulnesse wrath Yf it please the kynge therfore let there go a coÌ„maundement from hym let it be wrytten accordyng to the lawes of the Persians Medians not to be transgressed that Uasthi come no more before kyng Ahasuerus let the kyng gyue her kyngdom vnto another that is better then she And when this coÌ„mauÌ„dement of the kynge which shall be made is publysshed thorowout all his empyre whiche is great all women shall holde theyr husbandê in honour both amonge great and small This pleased the kynge the prynces and the kyng dyd accordyng to the worde of Memucan For he sent letters forth in to all the kynges landes into euery lande accordynge to the wrytynge therof and to euery people after theyr language that euery man shulde be lorde in his owne house And this caused he to be spoken after the language of his people ¶ After the Quene is put away certayne goodly ponâ—â— dauâ— â–ª selâ— are searched out Edissa otherwyse called sâ—â—â—er pleaseth the kynge and is made quene Metdocheus openeth vnto the kynge those that wolde betray hym CAPI II. AFter these actes when the dyspleasure of kynge Ahasuerus was nowe layde he thought vpon Uasthi and what she had done and what was concluded agaynst her Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that minystred vnto hym Let there be fayre yong virgyns sought for the kynge and the kyng appoynted certayne men in all the landes of his Empyre whome he charged that they shulde brynge togyther all the fayre yonge virgyns vnto Susan the heade Citye to the womens buyldyng vnder the hand of Hagei the kynges chamberlayne that kepte the women to gyue them theyr apparel †and other thynges necessarye to be had And that the damsell whiche pleased the kynge shulde be quene in Uasthis steade And this pleased the kynge and he dyd so In the citye of Susan there was a Iue whose name was Mardocheus the sonne of Iaer the son of Semei the son Cis a man of Iemini which was caryed away from IerusaleÌ„ when Iekonia the kyng of Iuda was led away whom Nabuchodonozer the kyng of Babilon caryed thence and he norysshed Hadassa that is Esther his vncles doughter for she had neyther father nor mother she was a fayre and beutyful damsel whom Matdocheus when her father and mother was deade receyued for his owne doughter So it fortuned that when the kynges coÌ„mauÌ„dement and coÌ„myssyon was publyshed and many damsels were brought togyther in the citye of Susan vnder the hand of Hagei Esther was brought also vnto the kyngê house vnder the hande of Hagei the keper of the women and the damsel pleased hym and she founde fauour in his syght And he caused ornameÌ„tes to be gyuen her soch thyngê as belonged to her and appoynted her seuen comly damsels out of the kynges house and fauoured bothe her and her gentyll women syngularly in the house of the women But Esther shewed not her peple and her kynted for Mardocheus had charged her that she shulde not tell it And Mardocheus walked euery daye before the courte of the womens house that he myght know how Esther dyd and what shulde become of her And when the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came that she shulde go in to the kyng Ahasuerus after that she had ben twelue monethes in the deckynge of the women for theyr deckynge must haue so moch tyme namely syxe monethes with Balme and Myrre and syxe monethes with good spyces so were the women beautifyed then went there one damsell vnto the kyng and whatsoeuer she requyred †so that it vvere comely that must be gyuen her to go with her out of the womens buyldynge vnto the kynges palace In the euenyng she went and on the morowe agayne in to the seconde house of the women abydyng vnder the hand of Saasgas the kynges chamberlayne whiche kepte the concubynes And she came in vnto the kyng no more excepte it pleased the kynge to haue her and that he called her by name Nowe when the tyme came of Esther the doughter of Abihan the vncle of Mardocheus whiche had receyued her as his owne doughter that she shuld come into the kyng she desyred nothynge but what Hagei the kynges chamberlayne the keper of the women sayde And Esther founde fauoure in the syght of all them that loked vpon her And Esther was taken vnto kynge Ahasuerus into his house royall in the tenth moneth whiche is the moneth Tebeth in the seuenth yere of his reygne And the kyng loued Esther aboue all the women she found grace and fauour in his syght before all the virgins so that he set the crowne of the kyngdome vpon her heade and made her quene in steade of Uasthi And the kynge made a greate feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes which feast was bycause of Esther and caused the landê to be in quyetnesse and gaue gyftes as became the ryoaltye of a kynge And when the virgyns were gathered togyther the seconde tyme Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate And as yet had not Esther shewed her kynred and her people accordynge as Mardocheus had bydden her for Esther dyd after the word of Mardocheus lyke as yf she had ben yet vnder his gouernaunce At the same tyme whyle Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate two of the kyngê chamberlaynes Bygthan and There 's which kepte the dore were wroth and sought to laye theyr handes on the kynge Ahasuerus wherof also Mardocheus gat knowledge tolde it vnto quene Esther and Esther certifyed the
had in division of them that are rounde about vs. Thou makest vs to be a by worde amonge the heithen and that the people shake their heades at vs. My confusion is daylye before me the shame of my face hath couered me For the voyce of the sclauÌ„derer and blasphemer for the enemye and auenger And thoughe all this be come vpon vs yet do we not forgette the nor behaue our selues frowardly in thy couenaunt Our herte is not turned backe neyther our steppes gone out of thy waye No nat whan thou haste snutteÌ„ vs into the place of dragons and couered vs with the shadowe of deathe If we haue forgotten the name of oure God and holden vp our haÌ„des to any straunge God Shal nat God search it out for he knoweth the very secretes of the herte For thy sake also are we kylled all the daye longe are couÌ„ted as shepe apointed to be slayne Up Lorde why slepest thou Awake and be nat absent from vs for euer Wherfore hydest thou thy face and forgettest our mysery and oure trouble For out soule is brought lowe euen vnto the dust our belye cieueth vnto the grounde Aryse and helpe vs and delyuer vs for thy mercy sake ¶ The. xlv Psalme ¶ To him that excell amonge the â—â—â—â—es an instruccyon of the chyldren of Lorah a songe of loue MY herte is endytynge of a good mater I speake of the thiges whiche I haue made vnto the kynge My tong is the peÌ„ne of a redy wryter âšœ Thou arte fayrer then the chyldren of men ful of grace are thy lyppes because God hath blessed the for euer Girde the with thy swerde vpon thy thigh O thou moste myghty accordynge to thy worshype and renowne Good lucke haue thou with thyne honour ryde on because of the worde of treuthe of mekenesse ryghteousnesse and thy ryght hande shall teach the rerrible thynges Thy arrowes are very sharpe and the people shal be subdued vnto the euen in the myddest amonge the kynges enemyes Thy seate O God endureth for euer the scepter of thy kyngdome is a ryght scepter Thou hast loued ryghteousnesse and hated iniquite wherfore God euen thy God hathe anoyted the with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes All thy garmentes smell of myrre Aloes and Cassia out of the yuerye palaces wher by they haue made the glade Kynges daughters were amonge thy honorable wemen vpon thy ryght hande dyd stande the quene in a vesture of gold âšœ wrought about with dyuerse colours Herken O daughter and consydre enclyne thyne eare forget also thine owne people thy fathers house So shal y c kynge haue pleasure in thy bewtye for he is thy Lorde âšœ God and worshype thou hym And the daughter of Tire shall be there with a gyfte lyke as the ryche also amonge the people shall make theyr supplicacyon before the. The kynges daughter is all gloryous within her clothynge is of wrought golde She shal be brought vnto the kynge in raymente of nydle worke the virgins that be her felowes shall beare her company and shal be brought vnto the. With ioye and gladnesse shal they be brought and shal entre in to the kynges palace In steade of thy fathers thou shalt haue chyldren whom thou mayest make princes in all landes I wyll remembre thy name from one generacyon to another therfore shall the people geue thankes vnto the worlde without ende ¶ The. xlvi Psalme ¶ To the chaunter a songe for the chyldren of Lorath vpon ☞ Alamoth GOd is our hope and streÌ„gth a very pre sente helpe in trouble Therfore wyl we nat feare though the earth be moued though the hylles be caryed in the myddest of the see Though y â— waters therof rage and swell though the mountaynes shake at the tempest of the same Sela. The ryuers of the floude therof shall make glad the cytie of God the holy place of the tabernacles of the moste hyest God is in the myddest of her therfore shall she nat be remoued God shall helpe her and that ryght early The Heithen make muche a do and the kyngdomes are moued but God hathe shewed his voyce and the earth shall melt awaye The Lorde of Hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge Sela. O come hyther and beholde the workes of the Lorde what destruccyons he hath brought vpon the earth He maketh warres to ceasse in all the worlde he breaketh the bow and knappeth y â— speare in sonder burneth the charettes in the fyre Be styll then and knowe that I am God I wyl be exalted amonge the Heythen I wyll be exalted in the earth The Lord of Hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our defence Sela. ¶ The xlvij Psalme ¶ To the chaunter a Psalme for the children of Lorâ—h O Clappe your handes togyther all ye people O synge vnto God with the voyce of melody For y â— Lorde is hye to be feared he is the great kynge vpon al the earth He shall subdue the people vnder vs and the nacyons vnder oure fete He shall chose out an herytage for vs euen the worshippe of Iacob whoÌ„ he loued Sela. God is gone vp with a mery noyse the Lorde with the sounde of the trompe O synge prayses synge prayses vnto âšœ oure God O synge prayses synge prayses vnto our kynge For God is kynge of al y â— earth syng ye prayses with vnderstaÌ„ding God raygneth ouer the heithen god sytteth vpoÌ„ his holy seate The princes of y â— people are ioyned vnto y â— people of y â— God of Abraham for God whiche is very hye exalted dothe defende the earth as it were with a shylde ¶ The. xlviij Psalme ¶ â— songâ— of a Psalme of the chyldren of Loâ—ah âšœ in the seconde daye of oure Sabbaâ—h GReate is the Lorde and hyghly to be praysed in the cytie of oure God euen vpon his holy hyll The hyll of Syon is a fayre place the ioye of the whole earthe vpon the north syde lyeth the cytye of the greate kynge God is well knowen in her palaces as a sure refuge For lo the kynges âšœ of the earth are gathered gone by together They merueled to se such thinges they were astonyed and sodeynly caste downe Feare came there vpon them sorowe as vpon a woman in her trauayle Thou shalt breake the shyppes of the see thorowe the east wynde Lyke as we haue herd so haue we sene in the citye of the Lord of Hostes in the cytye of oure god God vpholdeth her for euer Sela. We wayte for thy louing kyndnesse O God in y â— myd dest of thy reÌ„ple O God according vnto thy name so is thy prayse vnto the worldes ende thy right hand is ful of righteous nes Let the mounte Sion reioyse and the daughters of Iuda be glad because of thy iudgemeÌ„tes Walke about Sion and go round about her and tell the towres therof Marke well her bulwerkes set
â— Sabboth and slewe both men catell theyr wyues theyr chyldren to the noÌ„bre of a thousande people When Mathathias his frendes herde this they mourned for them ryght sore and sayde one to another If so be that we all do as oure brethren haue done fyght not for our lyues for our lawes agaynst the Heathen then shall they the soner roce vs out of the earth So they concluded among theÌ„ selues at the same tyme sayeng Whatsoeuer he be that commeth to make battayll with vs vpon the Sabbath daye we wyll fyght agaynst him not dye all as oure brethren that were murthured so haynouly Upon this came the Synagoge of the Iewes vnto the stronge men or Israell all suche as were feruent in the lawe And all they that were fled for persecucyon came to helpe theÌ„ and to stande by theÌ„ In so much that they gathered an hoost of men slewe the wycked doers in their gelousy and the vngodly men in theyr wrath Some of the wycked fled vnto the Heathen and escaped Thus Mathathias his frendes went about and destroyed the aulters and circuÌ„cysed the children that had not yet receaued circuÌ„cisyon as many as they founde within the costes of Israel and folowed myghtely vpoÌ„ the chyldren of pryde and this acte prospered in theyr haÌ„des In so much that they kepte the lawe agaynste the power of the Gentyles the kynges and gaue not ouer theyr domynion vnto wycked doers After this when the tyme drewe on faste that Mathathias shulde dye he sayde vnto his sonnes Nowe is pryde and persecucyon increased nowe is the tyme of destruccion wrathfull dyspleasure wherfore O my sonnes be ye feruent in the lawe and leoparde youre lyues for the Testament of youre fathers call to remembraunce what actes our fathers dyd in theyr tyme so shal ye receaue greate honoure and an euerlastynge name Remembre AbraaÌ„ was not he founde faythful in temtacion and it was reckened vnto him for rightuousnes Ioseph i tyme of his trouble kepte the coÌ„maundement and was made a Lorde of Egipt Phinehes our father was so feruent for y â— honour of God that he optayned the couenaunt of an euerlastynge presthode Iosue for fulfyllinge y â— worde of God was made the captayne of Israel Caleb bare recorde before the coÌ„gre gacyon and receaued an heretage Dauid also in his mercyfull kyndnesse optayned the trone of an euerlastynge kyngdome Elias beyng gelous ferueÌ„t in the lawe was taken vp into heauen Hananias Asarias Mysael remayned stedfast in fayth and were delyuered out of the fyre In lyke maner Daniel beinge vngyltye was saued from the mouth of the Lyons And thus ye maye consydre thorow out all ages sence y â— worlde begaÌ„neê that whosoeuer put their trust in God were not ouer come Feare not ye then y â— wordes of an vngodly man for his glory is but donge and wormes to day is he set vp and to morowe is he gone for he is turned into earth his memoryal is come to naught Wherfore O my sonnes take good hertes vnto you and quyte youre selues lyke men in the lawe for yf ye do the chynges that are commaunded you in the lawe of the Lorde youre God ye shal optayne greate honoure therin And beholde I knowe that your brother Symon is a man of wysdome se y â— ye geue eare vnto hym alwaye he shal be a father vnto you As for Iudas Machabeus he hathe euer bene mightye stronge from his youth vp let him be your captayne ordre the battayll of y â— people thus shal ye brynge vnto you al those y â— fauoure the lawe and se that ye auenge the wroÌ„ge of your people recompence the Heathen agayne applye yourselues whole to the commaundement of the lawe So he gaue them his blessynge and was layed by his fathers died in the C. xlvi yeare at Modyn where hys soÌ„nes buryed him in hys fathers sepulcre and all Israell made greate lamentacyon for hym ¶ Iudas is made ruler ouer the Iewes He kylleth Appollonius and Scran the Prince of Syrta The confydence of Iudas towarde God Iudas determyneth to fyght agaynst Lysias whom Antiochus had made cuptayne ouer his host The prayer of the absteyncts CAPI III. THEN stode vp Iudas Machabeus in his fathers steade all his brethren helped hym and so dyd all they that helde wyth hys father and fought wyth cherefulnesse for Israell So Iudas gat hys people great honoure He put on a brest plate as a gyaunte arayed him selfe wyth hys harnesse and defended the hoste with hys swearde In his actes he was lyke a Lyon as a lyons whelpe roaringe at his praye He was an enemye to the wycked hunted theÌ„ out brent vp those y â— vexed his people So that his enemyes fled for feare of hym and all y â— workers of vngodlynes were put to trouble suche lucke prosperyte was in his haÌ„de This greued dyuerse kynges but Iacob was greatly reioysed thorow his actes he gat him selfe a great name for euer He wente thorow the cyties of Iuda destroyenge the vngodly out of theÌ„ turnynge awaye the wrath from Israell and receauynge such as were oppressed and the fame of him went vnto the vtter most parte of the earth Then Appollonius a prynce of Syria gathered a myghtye greate hoost of the HeatheÌ„ out of Samaria to fight agaynst Israell Which when Iudas perceaued he went forth to mete hym fought with hym slewe him and a great multitude with him the remnauÌ„t fled he toke theyr substauÌ„ce Iudas also toke Appolonius owne swerde and fought with it all his lyfe longe Now wheÌ„ Seron an other prynce of Siria herde saye y â— Iudas had gathered vnto hym the coÌ„gregacyon church of the faythful he sayde I wyl get me a name a pray se thorowe out y â— realme for I wyl go fyght with Iudas them that are with hym as many as haue despysed the kynges coÌ„mauÌ„dement So he made hym ready and there went with him a greate myghtye hoost of y â— vngodly to stande by him and to be aueÌ„ged of the chyldren of Israell And when they came nye vnto Bethoron Iudas weÌ„t forth agaynst them with a small company And when hys people sawe such a great hoost be fore them they sayde vnto Iudas Howe are we able beinge so fewe to fyght agaynst so great a multitude and so strong seinge we be so weery and haue fasted all thys daye But Iudas sayde It is a smal matter for many to be ouercomed w t fewe yee there is no difference to the God of heauen to delyuer by a great multitude or by a smal coÌ„pany for the victory of the battell staÌ„deth not in y â— multitude of the host but y â— streÌ„gth commeth from heauen Beholde they come agaynst vs with a presumptnous proude multytude to destroye vs oure
the valeye of the Gyauntes northwarde and descendeth into the valey of Hennon besyde Iebusi southwarde and goth downe to the well of Rogell And compasseth from the north and goth forth to the wel of the sonne and departeth from thence to the places of Geliloth whiche are towarde the goynge vp vnto Adomim goeth downe to the stone of Bohan the sonne of Ruben and then goeth alonge towarde the syde of the playne northwarde and goeth downe into the feldes and goth along to the syde of Bethhagiah northwarde and endeth at the poynt of the salt see north therfroÌ„ euen at the south ende of Iordane This is the south coost And Iordane kepeth in this coost on the cast syde and this is the enherytaunce of the chyldren of Beu iamin by theyr coostê round aboute thorowout theyr kynredê These were the cityes of the trybes of the chyldreÌ„ of Ben Iamin thorowout theyr kynreds Iericho Bethhaglah and the playne of Kaziz Betha rabah Zamarim and Bethel Auim Pharah and Ophrah Cheper Ammona Ophni and Gabai twelue Cityes with theyr vyllages Gibeon Ramah and Beroth Mazphah Caphairah and Mozah Rekem Iarephel and Tharela Zela Eleph and Iebust whiche is Ierusalem Gibeath and Kiriath fourtene cities with theyr vyllages This is the enheritaunce of the chyldren of Ben Iamin thorowout theyr kynreds ¶ The lottes or partes of habulon Isachar Aser Nephthali Dan and Iosua CAPI XIX AND the seconde lot came out for the tribe of the chyldreÌ„ of Simeon by theyr kynreds And theyr enherytaunce was in the myddes of the enheritaunce of the chyldren of Iuda And they had in theyr enheritaunce Bersabe Sabe Moladah Hazorsual Balah Azem Eltholad Bethull and Hormah Zikelag Bethmarcaboth and Hazetsusah Betâ—â—â—baoth Saruhen thyrtene cities w t theyr villages Aim Remon Ether and Asan foure cities with theyr villages therto all the villages that were rounde aboute these â—ities euen vnto Balasath Beor and Rama 〈◊〉 southwarde This is the enheritaunce of â—â—e tribe of the chyldren of Simeon thoreâ—â—out theyr kynteds Out of the lot of the câ—â—â—dren of Iuda came the enherytaunce of tâ—â— chyldren of Simeon For the parte of the chyldren of Iuda was to moche for them and therfore the chyldren of Simeon had theyr enheritaunce in the enheritaunce of them And the thyrde lot arose for the chyldren of Zabulon thorowout theyr kynreds And the coostes of theyr enheritaunce came to Sarid and went vp westwarde and to Morialah and reached to Dabaseth came thence to the ryuer that lyeth before Iokneuen and turned from Sarid eastwarde towarde the son rysyng vnto the border of Chisloth Thabor and then gothe out to Dabereth gothe vp to Iaphia and from thence gothe a longe castwarde to Gethah Iepher Ithah Iazim and gothe to Remon Methoer Neoh And compasseth it on the north syde to Nathan and endeth in the valey of Iephthahel And Iatath Nahalol Semron Iedaiah Bethleem twelue cities with theyr villages This is the enheritaunce of the chyldren of Zabulon thorowout theyr kynreds these are the cities with theyr villages And the fourth lot came out for the chyldren of Isachar by theyr kynreds And theyr coost was Iesraelah Casuloth and Sunem Hapharaim Sion and Anaharath Harabith Kision and Abez Rameth Enganim Enhadah and Bethphazez And his coost reacheth to Thabor and Sahazimah Bethsames and endeth at Iordan Syxtene cyties with theyr villages This is the enheritaunce of the trybe of the chyldren of Isachar by theyr kynreds And these are the cityes with theyr villages And the fyfte lotte came out for the tribe of the chyldreÌ„ of Aser by theyr kynreds And theyr coost was Helkath Hall Beten and Achsap Alamelech Amaad Miseall came to Carmell westwarde to Sihor Labanath turned towarde the son rysynge to Bethdagon coÌ„meth to Zabulon and to the valey of Iephthah towarde the northsyde of Bethemek Negell and goeth out on the lefte syde of Cabul and to HehroÌ„ Rohob Hamon Kanah euen vnto greate SidoÌ„ And then the coost turneth to Ramah and to the stronge citye of Azor turneth to Hozah endeth at the see by the possessyon of Achzibah Amah also Aphek Rohob Twentye two cityes with theyr villages This is the enheritaunce of the Chyldren of Aser by theyr kynreds These also are the cityes with theyr villages And the syxte lotte came out for the Chyldren of Nephthalt by theyr kynreds And theyr cooste was from Neleph from Elom to Zaanaim Adami Nekeb Iabneell euen to Lakum doeth go out at Iordan And then the coost turneth westwarde to Asanoth Thabor then goeth out from thence to Hukokah reacheth to Zabulon on the southe syde goeth to Aser on the west syde and to Iuda vpon Iordane towarde the son tysynge And theyr stronge cityes are Zidin Ber Hamath Racath and Cenereth Adamah Hermah Hazor Kedê Edrai Enhazor Ieron Magdelel Horen Bethanah Bethsames nynetene cityes w t theyr villages This is the enherytaunce of the Trybe of the Chyldren of Nephthali by theyr kynreds these also are the cityes and theyr villages And the seuenth lotte came out for the trybe of the Chyldren of Dan by theyr kynreds And the cooste of theyr enheritaunce was Zaraah Esthaoll Irsames Saelabin Aialon Iethlah Eglon TheÌ„nathah Akaron â–ª Elthekeh Gibethon Baalath Iehud Benebarak GathermoÌ„ Meiericon and Aarcon with the border that lyeth before Iapho And the coostes of the Chyldren of Dan went out from them And the Chyldren of Dan went vp to fyght agaynst Lesen and toke it and smote it with the edge of the swerde coÌ„quered it and dwelte therin called it Dan after the name of Dan theyr father This is the enheritauÌ„ce of the trybe of the Chyldren of Dan in theyr kinreds these also are the cities with theyr vyllages When they had made an ende of deuydyng the lande by her coostê the Chyldren of Israell gaue an enherytaunce vnto Iosua the sonne of Nun among them accordynge to the worde of the Lorde they gaue hym the citye whiche he asked euen ThaÌ„nath serah in mouÌ„t Ephraim And he buylte the citye dwelte therin These are the enheritaunces whiche Eleazar the preest Iosua the son of Nun the auncyent Fathers of the trybes of the chyldren of Israell deuyded by lotte in Siloh before the Lorde in the dore of the tabernacle of wytnesse so they made an ende of deuidyng the couÌ„trey ¶ The Cityes of refuge or Sanctuaryes CAPI XX. THe Lorde also spake vnto Iosua sayenge Speake to the chyldreÌ„ of Israel and and saye Appoynte out from among you cytyes of refuge wherof I spake vnto you by the hande of Moses that the sleyer that kylleth any persone vnwares and vnwittyngly may flee thyther And those cities shal be your refuge froÌ„ the auenger of blood And he that doth flee vnto one of those cities shall stande at the enterynge of the gate of the citye and shall shewe
theyr possessyon and came to Iuda and Ierusalem For Ierobdam and his Sonnes had â—ast them out from ministryng vnto the Lorde And he ordeyned hym Preestes for the byll austers for the deuyls and for the calues whiche he had made And after the Leuites there went of all the trybes of Israell suche as submytted theyr hertes to seke the Lorde God of Israell and came to Ierusalem to offer vnto the Lorde god of theyr fathers And so they strengthed the kyngdome of Iuda and made Rehoboam the Sonne of Salomon myghtye thre yeare longe for thre yeare they walked in the waye of Dauid and Salomon And Rehoboam toke hym Mahalath the doughter of Ierimoth the Sonne of Dauid to wyfe and Abihaill the doughter of Eliab the sonne of Isai whiche bare hym chyldreÌ„ Ieus Samaria and Zaha And after her he toke Maaca the doughter of Absalom whiche bare hym Abia Atthai Ziza Selomith And Rehoboam loued Maaca the doughter of AbsaloÌ„ aboue all his wyues and concubynê for he toke xviii wyues and thre score concubynes and begat xviii sonnê and thre score doughters And Rehoboam made Abia the sonne of Maacha the cheyfe ruler amonge his brethren and to haue the ouer syght of the kyngdome And he played wysely and scattered all his chyldren thorow out all the countreyes of Iuda and Ben Iamin vnto euery stronge citye And he gaue them abouÌ„daunce of vyttayle and obteyned many wyues ¶ Seba kynge of Egypte robbeth the temple of the Lorde Rehoboam dyeth and Ahia his sonne succedeth hym CAPI XII ANd it came to passe that when Rehoboam had stablyshed the kyngdome and became myghtye he forsoke the lawe of the Lorde and all Israell with hym And it fortuned that in the fyfth yere of kynge Rehoboam Sesac the kynge of Egypte came vp agaynst Ierusalem bycause they had transgressed agaynst the Lorde with twelue hundred charettes and. lx thousande horsemen And the people were without nombre that came with hym out of Egypte Lubim Suckim the blackmores And they toke the stronge cityes in Iuda came to Ierusalem Then came Semeia the Prophet to Rehoboam and to the lordes of Iuda that were gathered togyther within Ierusalem for Sesac and sayde vnto them thus sayeth the lorde ye haue lefte me and therfore haue I also lefte you in the handes of Sesac Where vpon the lordes of Israell the kynge humbled them selues and sayd the lorde is ryghteous And when the Lorde sawe that they submytted them selues the word of the lorde came to Semeia saynge They submyt them selues therfore I wyll not destroye them But I wyll delyuer them somwhat and my wrath shall not burne vpon Ierusalem by the hande of Sesac Neuerthesse they shal be his seruauntes to knowe what dyfference is bytwene my seruyce and the seruice of the kyngdomes of the worlde And so Sesac kynge of Egypt came to Ierusalem and toke awaye the treasures of the house of the Lorde and the treasures of the kynges house he toke euen al. And he caryed away the scheldes of golde whiche Salomon made In steade of which kynge Rehoboam made scheldes of brasse and coÌ„mytted them to the handes of the captaynes whiche had the ouersyght of the fote men and that kepte the entraunce of the kyngê house And it came to passe that when the kynge entred into the house of the lorde the garde came fet them and brought them agayne vnto the garde chambre And when he humbled hym selfe the wrath of the lorde turned from hym that he wolde not destroye all togyther And in Iuda all was well And so kynge Rehoboam waxed myghty and reygned in Ierusalem And Rehoboam was xli yere olde when he began to reygne and he reygned xvii yeres in Ierusalem the citye whiche the Lorde had chosen out of all the trybes of Israell to put his name there And his mothers name was Naama an Ammonitesse And he dyd euyll bycause he prepared not his herte to seke the Lorde The actes also of Rehoboam fyrst and last are they not wrytten in the sayenges of Semeia the prophet and of Iddo the sear which noted the genealogye and there was warrâ— alway bytwene Rehoboam and Ieroboam And Rehoboam slepte with his fathers and was buryed in the citye of Dauid and Abia his sonne reygned in his steade ¶ The victory of Abia agaynst Ieroboam CAPI XIII THe eyghtene yeare of kynge Ieroboam began Abia to reygne ouer Iuda and he reygned thre yere in Ierusalem His mothers name also was Michaiahu the doughter of Uriell of Gibea And there was war bytwene Abia and Ieroboam And Abia made prouisyon for the war hauynge valyaunt and experte men of war euen foure huÌ„dred thousande chosen men And Ieroboam set hym selfe in araye to fyght agaynst hym with eyght hundred thousande pycte men whiche were stronge and men of armes And Abia stode by vpon Zemaraim an hill whiche is in mounte Ephraim sayde heare me thou Ieroboam and al Israel Do not ye knowe howe that the Lorde God of Israell gaue the kyngdome ouer them of Israel to Dauid for euer euen to hym to his sonnes ☞ with a salted couenaunt And Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat the seruaunt of SalomoÌ„ the sonne of Dauid is rysen vp hath rebel led agaynst his lorde And there gathered to hym lewde men the chyldren of Belial preuayled agaynst Rehoboam the son of Salomon when Rehoboam was yong and tender herted and coulde not stande before them And nowe ye saye that ye be able to preuayle agaynst the kyngdome of the Lorde which is in the hande of the sonnê of Dauid and ye be a greate multitude haue the golden calues whiche Ieroboam made you for Gods And haue ye not cast out the preestes of the lorde the sonnes of Aaron and the Leuites haue made you preestes after the maner of the nacyons of other landê so that who soeuer cometh consecrateth his hande with a yonge oxe seuen rammes the same may be a preest of them that are no Gods But we belonge vnto the Lorde our God whom we haue not forsaken the preestes are the sonnes of Aaron whiche ministre vnto the Lorde the Leuites wayte vpon theyr office They burne vnto the lorde euery mornyng and euenyng burnt sacrifices swete sence the shew breade set they in ordre vpon a pure table and prepare the candelsticke of golde with the lampes of the same to burne euer at euen And truely we kepe the watche of the Lorde our God but ye haue forsaken hym And beholde God hym selfe is our captayne and his preestê blowe with the trompettes and crye alarum agaynst you O ye chyldreÌ„ of Israel fyght not agaynst the lorde God of your fathers for it wyl not prospete with you But for all that Ieroboam conuayed men priuely aboute to come behynde them and so they were before Iuda and the layers in wayte were behynde them And when they of
iewels a necke bande of golde wyll we make the with syluer buttons When the Kynge sytteth at the table he shall smell Mynardê° a boÌ„del of Myrre is my loue vnto me he wyl lye betwyxte my brestê A cluster of grapes in y â— vineyardê of Engaddi is my loue vnto me O howe fayre art y â— my loue how fayre art thou y â— hast doues eies O how fayre art y â— my beloued how wel fauored art y â— Our bed is decte w t floures y â— selyngê of our house are of Cedre tree our balkê of Cypresse â–ª CAPI II. I Am the lyâ—ie of the felde and rose of the valleye as the rose among the thornes so is my loue amonge the daughters Lyke as the apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloued amonge the sonnes My delyte is to syt vnder hys shadowe for his frute is swete vnto my throte He bryngeth me into hys wyne seller and loueth me specyally well Refresh me with grapes comforte me with apples for I am sycke of loue His lefte hande lyeth vnder my heade and his ryght hande shal embrace me I charge you O ye daughters of Ierusalem by the Roes and hyndes of the felde that ye wake nat vp my loue nor touche her tyl she be contente her selfe Me thynke I heare the voyce of my beloued lo there commeth he hoppynge vpon the mountaynes and leapynge ouer the lytle hylles My beloued is lyke a Roo or a yonge hart Be holde he standeth behynde our wall he loketh in at y â— wyndowe and pepeth thorowe the grate My beloued answered and sayde vnto me O stande vp my loue my beutyfull and come for lo the wenter is nowe paste the rayne is awaye and gone The floures are come vp in the felde the tyme of the vyrdes syngynge is come and the voyce of the turtle done is harde in our lande The fygge tree bryngeth forth her fygges and the vynes beare blossoms and haue a good smel O stande vp my loue my beutyful and come O my doue out of the caues of y â— rockes out of the holes of the wall O let mese thy countenaunce and heare thy voice for swete is thy voice and fayre is thy face Get vs the foxes yee the lytle foxes that hurt the vynes for oure vynes beare blossoms My loue is myne and I am hys whiche fedeth amonge the roses vntyl the daye breake and tyll the shadowes be gone Come agayne O my beloued and be lyke as a Roo or a yonge hart vpon the wyde mountaynes ¶ CAPI III. By nyght in my bed I sought hym whoÌ„ my soule loueth yee dilygently sought I hym but I founde hym nat I wyll get vp thought I and go about the cytie vpon the market and in al the uretes wyll I seke hym whom my soule loueth but when I sought hym I fouÌ„de hym nat The watchmen also that go aboute the cytie toude me Sawe ye natâ—â—â— whom my soule loueth So when I was a â—ytle paste the I founde hym whom my soule loueth I haue gotten holde vpon hi wyl nat let him go vntyl I brynge hym into my mothers house and in to her chambre that bare me * I charge you O ye daughters of Ierusalem by the Roes and Hyndes of the felde that ye wake nat vp my loue nor touche her tyll she be content her selfe Who is this that commeth vp out of the wyldernes lyke vapours of smoke as it were a smell of Myrre franckencence and all maner spyces of the Apotecary Beholde aboute Salomons bedstede ther stande xl valeauÌ„e men of the most myghtie in Israel They holde swerdes euery one and are experte in warre Euery man also hathe his swerde vpon his thygh because of fere in the nyght Kynge Salamon had made hym selfe a palace of the wod of Libanus the pâ—lars are of syluer the couerynge of golde the seate of purple the grounde is plesauntly paued with loue for the daughters of Ierusalem Go forth O ye daughters of Sion and beholde Kynge Salomon in the crowne wherwith his mother crowned hym in the daye of hys maryage and in the day of the gladnes of his herte CAP. IIII. O Howe fayre art thou my loue howe fayre art thou thou hast doues eyes besyde that whiche lyeth hyd within Thy hearye lockes are lyke the wol of a flocke of shepe that be shorne vpon mount Gâ—lead Thy teth are lyke shepe of the same by gnesse which went vp from the washyng place where euery one beareth two twins and nat one vnfrutefull amonge them Thy lyppes are lyke a rose coulored rybonde thy wordes are louely thy chekes are lyke a pece of a pomgranate besydes that whiche lyeth hyd within Thy necke is lyke the tower of Dauid buylded with bulwerckes wher vpon there hang a thousande shyldes yee all the weapens of the geauntes Thy two brestes are lyke two twyns of yonge roes whiche fede amonge roses O that I myght go to the mountayne of Myrre and to the hyll of frankyncense tyll the daye breake tyll the shadodowes be past awaye Thou art all fayre O my loue there is no spott in the. Come to me from Lybanus O my spouse come to me from Lybanus loke from the toppe of Amana froÌ„ the toppe of Sanâ—â— Hermon froÌ„ the lions dennes froÌ„ the mouÌ„taynes of the leopardes Thou hast wouÌ„ded my hert The Booke of the Prophete Esaye ¶ Esaye prophecyeth that the angre of God shall come vpon Ierusalem because of theyr synnes CAPITVLO I. THe vysyon of Esaye the sonne of Amos whiche he sawe vpon Iuda and Ierusalem in the dayes of Uzia and Ioathan Aham and Iehezikiah Kynges of Iuda Heare O Heauens and herken O earthe For the Lorde hathe spoken I haue norished and brought vp chyldren but they haue done wyckedly against me The oxe hath knoweÌ„ his owner and the asse his maysters cryb but Israel hathe receyued no knoweledge my people hathe no vnderstandynge Alas for this synfull nacyon a people of greate iniquytie a frowarde generacyon vnnatural children They haue forsaken the Lorde they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel vnto angre are gone backward Wherby shuld ye be plaged any more For ye are euer fallynge awaye The whole heed is syke and all the herte is heuy From the sole of y â— fote vnto y â— heed there is no hole part in al your body but al are woundes botches sores strypes which can neither be helped bouÌ„de vp molifyed nor eased with any oyntment Your lande lyeth waste your cityes are brent vp your enemyes deuoure your lande and ye must be fayne to stande and loke vpon it and it is desolate as it were with enemyes in a batayle Moreouer the daughter of Syon is lefte alone lyke a cotage in a vyneyarde lyke a lodge in a gardeyn of cucumbers lyke a beseged cytie And excepte the Lorde of Hostes hadde lefte vs a fewe alyue we shulde haue bene as Sodoma and
lyke vnto Gomorra Heare the worde of the Lorde ye Lordes of Sodoma harken vnto the lawe of our God thou people of Gomorra sayth y â— lorde Why offre ye so many sacrifyces vnto me I am ful of the brent offerynges of wethers and of the fatnesse of fed beastes I haue no pleasure in the bloude of bullockes lambes and gotes When ye appere before me who requireth you to treade within my porches Offre me no mo oblacyons for it is but lost labour Incense is an abhominable thynge vnto me I may not awaye with your newe mones your Sabbathes solemne dayes Your fastingê are also in vaine I hate your new holy dayes fastinges euen fro my very herte They make me wery I can not abide them Whan ye holde out your handes I wyl turne myne eies froÌ„ you And though ye make many prayers yet will I heare nothynge at all seynge your handes ar full of bloude Washe you make you cleane put away your euyll thoughtes out of my syght cease from doing of euell Learne to do ryght apply your selues to equite delyuer y â— oppressed helpe the fatherlesse to his right let the wydowes coÌ„playnt come before you Nowe go to saythe y â— Lorde let vs talke together Though your synnes be as reade as searlet they shal be as whyte as snow And though they were lyke purple they shal be as whyte as wolle â–ª If ye be louing obedyent ye shal enioye the best thing y â— groweth in the lande But yf ye be obstinate rebellious ye shall be deuoured w t the swerde for thus the lorde hath promysed with his owne mouth Howe happeneth it then that the ryghtuous cytie whiche was full of equyte is become vnfaythfull as an whore ryghtuousnes dwelt in it but nowe murther Thy syluer is turned to drosse and thy wyne myxte with water Thy Prynces are wycked and companyons of theues They loue gyftes all together and gape for rewardes As for the fatherles they helpe him nat to hê ryght neyther wyll they let the wydowes causes c 〈…〉 e before them Therfore sayth the Lord ¶ 〈…〉 of Hostes the myghtye one of Israel Al I muste ease me of myne enemyes and auenge me of myne aduersaries I shall lay my hande vpon the burne out the drosse from the fynest and purest and put out all thy fynne and sette thy iudges agayne as they were somtyme and thy Senatours as they were from the begynnyng Then shalt thou be called ryghtuous citie the faith full cyte Syon shall be redemed with equite and they shall turne agayne vnto her in ryghtuousnesse For the transgressours and vngodly and suche as are become vnfaythfull vnto the Lorde must al together be vtterly destroyed And excepte ye be ashamed of y â— oke trees wherin ye haue so delyted of the gardens y â— ye haue chosen ye shal be as an oke whose leaues are fallen awaye as a garden that hath no moistnesse And as for y â— glory ☞ of these thiges it shal be turned to drye strawe and he y â— made theÌ„ to a sparke And they shal both burne to gether so that no man shal be able to quench them ¶ Of the commynge and death of Chryste and of the callynge of the Heathen CAPI II. THis is the worde that was opened vnto Esay the sonne of Amoz vnto Iuda and Ierusalem It wyll be also ☞ in the last dayes That the hyll where the house of the Lorde is buylded shall be the chefe amonge hylles and exalted aboue all lytle hilles And al nacyoÌ„s shal preace vnto him and the multytude of people shall go speakynge thus one to another vp let vs go to the hyll of the Lorde and to the house of the God of Iacob that he maye shewe vs hys wayes and that we maye walke in hys pathes For the lawe shal come out of SyoÌ„ and the worde of the Lorde from Ierusalem and shall geue sentence amonge the Heathen and shal reforme the multytude of people They shal breake theyr swerdes also in to mattockes and theyr speares to make sythes And one people shall nat lyfte vp weapen agaynste another nether shall they learne to fyght from thens forth Come ye O house of Iacob let vs walke in y â— lyght of the Lorde But thou hast forsakeÌ„ thy people the house of Iacob be cause they go farre beyonde theyr fathers in Sorceres whoÌ„ they haue as the Philistines had and ☞ in straunge chyldren they thynke them selues to haue ynough Theyr lande is full of syluer and golde neyther is there any ende of theyr treasure Theyr lande is also full of horses and no ende is there of theyr charets Theyr lande is also full of vayne goddes and before the worke of theyr owne handes haue they bowed them selues yee euen before the thynge that theyr owne fyngers haue made There kneleth the man there falleth the man downe before them so that thou canst nat brynge him away froÌ„ thence And therfore get them to some rocke and hyde the in the grounde for feare of the Lorde â–ª and for the glory of his magestye Whiche casteth downe the hygh lokes of presumptuous personnes bryngeth lowe the pryde of man and the Lorde onely shall be exalted in that daye For the daye of the Lorde of Hostes shall go ouer all pryde and presumpcyon vpon all them that exalte theÌ„ selues and shall brynge them all downe vpon al hygh and stoute Cedre trees of Libanus and vpon al the okes of Basan vpoÌ„ all hygh hylles and vpon all stoute mountaynes vpon al costly rowres and vpon all stronge walles vpon all shyppes of the see and vpon euery thynge that is gloryous pleasaunte to loke vpon And it shall brynge downe the pryde of man and laye mans presumptuousnesse full lowe and the Lorde shall onely haue the vyctory in that daye But the Idols shal vtterly be roted out Men shall crepe in to holes of stone in to caues of y â— earth for feare of the Lorde and for the glory of his magesty what tyme as he shall ryse vp to condemne the earth Then shall man caste awaye his goddes of syluer and his goddes of golde whiche he neuertheles had made to honour theÌ„ vnto Molles and Backes And they shall crepe in to the caues and rockes in to the clyftes of harde stones for feare of God and for the glory of his magestye when he ryseth to condemne the earth Feare nat ye then any man whose breth is in hys nostrels For what is he of reputacyon ¶ He prophecyeth that at the coÌ„myng of Chryst all streÌ„gth and power shall be put forth of Iurâ—e CAPI III. FOrlo the Lorde God of Hostes dothe take away from Ierusalem and Iuda all possessyons and power all meate and drynke the captayne and the soudyar the iudge the prophete the wyse and the aged man the prynce of fiftie yeare olde and the honorable the Senatours and men of vnderstandynge the master of craftes
Babylon CAP. XIIII BVT THE Lorde wyll be mercyfull vnto Iacob and wyll yet chose Israel agayne and set them in theyr owne lande-Straungers shall cleaue vnto them and get them to the house of Iacob The people shall take them and cary them home with them And make them to enheryte the house of Israell in the lande of the Lorde that they maye be seruauntes and hande maydens of the Lorde They shall take those prysoners whose captyues they had bene afore and rule those that had oppressed theÌ„ WheÌ„ the Lorde now shal bryng the to rest from the trauayle feare harde bondage that thou wast laden withal then shalt thou vse this mockage vpon the king of Babylon and saye Howe happeneth it that the oppressour leaueth of Is the golden trybute come to an ende The Lorde hath broken the cepter of the vngodly and the rodde of the lordly Whiche when he is wroth smyteth the peple with durable strokes and in his wonders he persecuteth theÌ„ and tameth them continually And therfore the whole worlde is nowe at rest and quyetnesse and men synge for ioye Yea euen the Fyrre trees and Cedres of Libanus reioyse at thy fall sayenge Nowe that thou arte layde downe theare come no mo vp to destroye vs. Hell also beneth trembleth at thy commyng all myghtie men and Prynces of the earthe steppe forth before the. All Kynges of the earthe stande vp from theyr seates that they maye all aunswere and speake vnto the. Art thou wounded also as we arte thou become lyke vnto vs Thy pompe and thy pryde is layde downe into the pyt and so is the melody of thy instrumentes Mothes be layde vnder the and wormes are thy couerynge Howe arte thou fallen from heauen O Lucifer thou fayer mornynge chylde howe haste thou gotten a fall euen to the grounde and arte become weaker then the people For thou saydest in thyne hert I wyl clyme vp into heuen and make my seate aboue besyde the starres of God I wyl syt also vpon the holy mount towarde the North I wyll clyme vp aboue the cloudes wylbe lyke the hyghest of all Yet thou shalt be brought downe to the depe of hell They that se the shall narowly loke vpon the and thynke in them selues sayenge Is this the man that broughte all landes in feare and made the kyngdomes afrayde Is this he that made the worlde in a maner waste and layde the cyties to the grounde which let not his prisoners go out All Kynges of the nacyons lye euery one ☞ in his owne house with worshyppe and thou arte cast out of thy graue lyke a wylde braunche lyke as deade mens rayment that are stryken thorow with the swerde and go downe to the stones of the depe as a deade coarse that is troden vnder fete and art not buryed with them Euen because that thou hast wasted thy laÌ„de and destroyed thy people The generacyon of the wycked shal be without honour for euer Let there awaye be sought to destroye theyr chyldren that be in theyr fathers wyckednes that they come not vp agayne to possesse the lande and fyll the worlde full of enemyes I wyl stande vp agaynst them sayth the Lorde of hostes and root out the name and generacion of Babylon sayth the lorde and wyll gyue it to the Otters and wyll make water poddels of it And I wyl swepe them out with the â—esome of destruction sapcâ—e y â— Lorde of Hostes. The Lorde of hostes hath sworne an oâ—he sayenge It shall come to passe as I haue determyned and shal be fulfylled as I haue deuysed So that Assyriaâ— shall I destroye in my lande and vpon my mountaynes wyll I treade him vnder fote Where thorow his yoke shal come from theÌ„ and his burthen shall be taken from they re shoulder This deuyce hath god taken thorowe the whole worlde thus is his hande stretched out ouer all peple For yf the lorde of Hostes determyn a thyng who is able to disaâ—ull it And yf he stretch forth his haâ—â—â— who maye holde it in agayne The same yere that Kynge Ahaz dyed God threatened on this maner Reioyse not thou whole Palestyna because the rod of him that beateth the is broken for out of the serpentes roâ—e there shal come an adder his frute shal be a fyre worme But ☞ 〈…〉 borne of the pore shal be fed and the symple shall dwell in safetie Thy roâ—e also wyll I destroye with honger and it shall â—â—eye the remnaunt Mourne thou porte wepe thou cytie and feare thou O whole Palestyna for there shall come from y â— North a smoke whose power no man may abyde Who shal then answere the messangers of y â— Gentyles For the Lorde hathe stablyshed Syon and the poore of hê people that be therin do put theyr trust in hym ¶ A prophecye agaynste Moab CAPI XV. THYS is the heuy burthen vpoÌ„ Moab Ar of Moab was destroyed in the nyght seasoÌ„ Kir also iÌ„ Moab was destroied and peryshed in y e nyght They went vp to the ydols house euen to Dibon to y â— hye places to wepe for Nebo Moab did Mourne for Medâ—a All cheyr hâ—ds were balled al But ye foolysh prynces of Zoan ye wyse couÌ„cellers of Pharao whose wyt is turned to foolyshnes howe say ye vnto Pharao I am come of wyse men and of auncient kynges Where are thy wyse men Let them tell the yf they can what the Lorde of Hoostes hathe deuysed vpon Egypte The Prynces of Zoan are become fooles the Prices of Noph are disceiued they haue disceyued Egypte euen they that were taken for the chefe kynred therof In the myddes of it hath the Lord powred the sprete of wyckenes and they haue disceyued Egypte in euery worke thereof euen as a droncken man stackereth in his vomyte Neither shal ☞ the heade or tayle the brauÌ„ch or rede be able to do any worke in Egypte In y â— daye shall Egypte be lyke vnto wemen It shal be afrayed and stande in feare at the â—ocion of the hand of the Lorde of Hostes whith he shaketh ouer it And Egypte shal be afraied of y â— lande of Iuda so y â— euery one which maketh mencion of it shal be afrayed therat be cause of the councel of the Lorde of hoostes whiche he deuiseth for it In that daye shall fyue cyties in the laÌ„de of Egypte speake the laÌ„gage of Canaan swere by the Lorde of hoostes ☞ the cytye of desolacyon shal be called one of them In that day shall ☞ the altare of the Lorde be in the myddes of the lande of Egypte and thê tytle besyde it VNTO THE LORD And it shal be a token and witnesse vnto the Lorde of hoostes in the lande of Egypt For they shal crye vnto the Lord because of such as trouble them he shal sende them a saui our a great man to delyuer them And the Lorde shal be knowen in Egypte and the EgyptiaÌ„s shall knowe the Lorde in that daye and do
that fearest a mortall man the chylde of man whiche âšœ goeth awaye as doth the floure And forgettest the Lorde that made the that spred out the heauens and layde the foundacyon of the earth But thou art euer afrayde for the syght of thyne oppressâ—ure whiche is redy to do harme Where is the wrath of the oppressoure It commeth on fast it maketh haste to appere It shall not peryshe that it shulde not be able to destroye nether shal it fayle for taute of norishing âšœ I am the lorde thy God that make the see to be styll and to rage âšœ Whose name is the Lorde of hostes I haue put my wordes in thy mouth and haue defended y â— in the shadow of my hande that I maye plante the heuens and lay the foundacion of the earth and saye vnto Sion thou art my people Awake awake and stande vp O Ierusalem thou that from the hande of the Lorde haste droncken out âšœ the cuppe of his wrath thou that haste supped of and sucked out the slumbring cup to y â— botome For amonge al the sonnes whom he hath begotten there is not one that maye holde it vp and not one to leade it by the hande of al the sonnes that he hathe noryshed Bothe these thynges are happened vnto the but who is sorye for it Yee destruccyon wastyng hungre and swerde but who wyll comforte the Thy sonnes lye comfortles at the heade of euery strete lyke a taken venyson and are full of the terrible wrathe of the Lorde and punyshment of thy God And therfore thou myserable and dronken howbeit not w t wyne Here this Thus sayeth thy Lorde thy Lorde and God the defender of his people Beholde I wyll take the slombryng cuppe out of thy hande euen the cuppe with the dregges of my wrathe that from heÌ„ce forth thou shalt neuer drinke it more but I wyl put into theyr hande that trouble the which haue spoken to thy soule stoupe downe y â— we may go ouer the make thy body euen with the grounde and as the strete to go vpon ¶ A consolacion and comforte to the people of God CAPI LII VP Syon vp take thy strength vnto the put on thyne honest raymente O Ierusalem thou holy cytie For from thys tyme forthe there shall no vncircuÌ„cysed nor vncleane person come in the. Shake the from the dust aryse and stande vp O IerusaleÌ„ Plucke out thy necke froÌ„ y â— bonde O y â— captyue daughter Syon For thus sayeth y â— Lorde ye are sold for naught therfore shal ye be redemed also w t out any mony For thus sayeth y â— Lorde God My people wente downe afore tyme in to Egypte there to be strauÌ„gers and the kyng of the Assyrians oppressed theÌ„ without any cause And nowe what profyte is it to me sayeth the Lorde that my people is frely caryed awaye and brought in to heuynesse by their rulers and my name euer styll blasphemed sayeth the Lorde But that my people may know my name I my selfe wyl speake in that day Beholde here I am O howe beautyfull are the fete of the Embassytours that bryngeth the message frome the mountayne and proclaymeth peace that bringeth the good tydynges and preacheth healthe and sayeth vnto Syon Thy God is the kynge Thy watchemen shal lyfte vp theyr voyce with loude voyce shall they preache of him for they shal se hym present when the Lorde shall conuerte Syon Be glad O thou desolate Ierusalem reioyse together for the Lorde hath comforted his people he hath delyuered IerusaleÌ„ The Lorde hathe made bare his holy arme and shewed it forth in the syght of al the GeÌ„tyles and all the endes of the earth hathe sene the sauyng health of our God Away awaye get you out from thence and touche no vncleane thynge Go out from amonge suche And be cleane that beare the vesselles of the Lorde For ye shall not escape by rennynge nor by flyenge away but the Lorde shall go before you and the God of Israell shall gather you together Beholde my seruaunt shall deale wysely therfore shall he be magnyfyed exalted and greatly honoured Lyke as the multytude shall wondre vpon hym because hys face shal be so disfourmed and not as a maÌ„s face hys beautye lyke no man Euen so shal the multitude of y â— Gentyles loke vnto hym and kynges shall shut theyr mouthes before him For they that haue not bene tolde of hym shall se hym and they y â— herde nothynge of hym shall beholde hym ¶ He Pâ—ophecyeth euydentely of the passyon of our Sauyour Iesus Chryste ¶ CAPI LIII BVT who hath geuen credence vnto our preachyng Or to whom is y â— arme of the Lorde knowen For he dyd growe before the Lorde lyke as a braunche and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath nether bewtie nor fauoure WheÌ„ we loke vpon him there shal be no fairenesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym He is despysed abhorred of men he is suche a man as hath good experyence of sorowes infirmyties We haue rekened hym so vyle that we hyd our faces from him Howbeit he only hath taken on hym our infirmytie and borne our paynes Yet we dyd iudge hym as thoughe he were plaged and cast downe of God where as he notwithstanding was wounded for our offences and smytten for our wyckednesse For the payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym and with his strypes are we healed As for vs we haue gone all astraye lyke shepe euery one hath turned his owne waye But thorow hym the Lorde hath pardoned all our synnes He suffered violence and was euell entreated and dyd not yet open his mouth He shal be led as a shepe to be slayne yet shal he be as styl as a lambe before the shearer and not open his mouth He was had awaye his cause not herde and without any iugemente Whose generacion yet who may nombre he was cut of from ☜ the grounde of the lyuinge Whiche punisshment dyd go vpon hym for the transgressyon of my people His graue was gyuen hym with the condempned and ☜ with the ryche man at his death Where as he dyd neuer vyolence nor vnryght neyther hathe there bene any disceytfulnesse in his mouthe Yet hath it pleased the Lorde to smyte hym with infirmite that when he had made his soule an offerynge for synne he myght se longe lastynge sede And this deuyce of the Lorde shall prospere in his hande With trauayle and laboure of his soule shall he optayne greate ryches My ryghtuous seruaunt shal with wisdome iustifye and de lyuer the multitude for he shall beare away theyr synnes Therfore wyl I geue hym the multytude for his parte and he shal deuyde the stronge spoyle because he geueth ouer his soule to death and is reckened among the trangressours whiche neuertheles hath taken awaye the synnes of the
euery chone as the leafe for our synnes cary vs awaye lyke the wynde There is no man that calleth vpon thy name that standeth vp to take holde by the. Therfore hydest thou thy face from vs and consumest vs because of oure synnes But nowe O Lorde thou father of oures we are the claye and thou art our potter and we all are the worke of thy haÌ„des Be nat to sore dyspleased O Lorde and kepe nat our offences to long in thy remeÌ„brauÌ„ce but consydre that we all are thy people The cyties of thy Sanctuarye lye wast Syon is a wyldernesse and Ierusalem a deserte Our holy house which is our bewty where our fathers praysed the is brente vp yee al oure coÌ„modities and pleasures are wasted awaye Wylt thou nat be intreated Lorde for all thys Wylt thou holde thy peace and scourge vs so sore ¶ The felycytye of Ierusalem and the callynge of the Heathen CAPI LXV THEY seke me that hytherto haue nat asked for me they fynde me that hytherto haue nat sought me I saye to the people that neuer called vpon my name I am here I am here For thus longe haue I euer holden out my handes to an vnfaythfull people that go nat the ryght waye but after theyr owne ymaginaryons To a people that is euer defyinge me to my face They make theyr oblacyons in gardens and theyr smoke vpon aulters of brycke they lurke among the graues and lye in the dennes all nyght They eate swynes flesh and vncleane broth is in theyr vessels If thou comest nye them they saye touche me nat for I am holyer then thou All these men when I am angrye shal be turned to smoke and fyre that shal burne for euer Beholde it is wrytten before my face and shall nat be forgotten but recoÌ„pen sed I shall rewarde it them into theyr bosome I meane youre mysdedes and the mysdedes of youre fathers together sayeth the Lorde whiche haue made theyr smokes vpon the mountaynes and blasphemed me vpon the hylles therfore wyll I measure theyr olde dedes into theyr bosome agayne Moreouer thus sayeth the Lorde lyke as when one wolde gather holy grapes men saye vnto him breake it nat of for it is holy euen so wyll I do also for my seruauntes sakes that I wyl nat destroye them al. But I wyll take a sede out of Iacob and out of Iuda one to take possession of my hyll My chosen shall possesse these thynges and my seruauntes shal dwell there Saron shal be a shepefolde and the valley of Aâ—hor shal geue the stallynge for the catell of my people that feare me But as for you ye are they that haue forsaken the Lorde and forgotten my holy hyll Ye haue set vp an aulter vnto fortune and geuen ryche dryncke offerynges vnto treasure Therfore wyll I nombre you with the swerde that ye shall be destroyed all together For when I called no man gaue me answere wheÌ„ I spake ye herkened nat vnto me but dyd wickednes before myne eyes and those the chynge that pleased me nat Therfore thus sayeth the Lorde God Beholde my seruauntes shal eate but ye shal haue honger Beholde my seruauÌ„tes shal drynke but ye shal suffre thurste Beholde my seruauntes shal be mery but ye shall be confounded Beholde my seruauntes shall reioyce for very quyetnesse of herte But ye shall crye for sorowe of herte and complayne for vexacyon of mynde Youre name shall nat be sworne by amonge my chosen for God the Lorde shall sleye you and call hys seruauntes by another name Who so reioyseth vpon earth shall reioyse in the true God And who so sweareth vpoÌ„ earth shall sweare in the true God For the olde emnyte shal be forgotten and taken awaye oute of my syght For lo I shal make a newe heauen and a newe earth And as for the olde they shall neuer be thought vpoÌ„ nor kepte in mynde but men shal be glad and euermore reioyse for the thynges that I shall do For why Beholde I shal make a ioyful Ierusalem yee I my selfe wyl reioyse with Ierusalem be glad with my people And the voyce of wepynge and waylynge shall nat be harde in her from thence forth There shal neuer be chylde nor olde maÌ„ that haue nat theyr full dayes But when the chylde cometh to an hondreth yeare olde it shall dye And yf he that is an hundreth yeare of age do wronge he shal be cursed They shall buylde houses and dwell in them they shall plante vyneyardes and cate the frute of them They shal nat buylde and another possesse they shall nat plante and another cate But the lyfe of my people shal be lyke a tre and so shal the worke of theyr handes My chosen shall lyue longe they shal nat laboure in vayne nor begette with trouble for they are the hye blessed sede of the Lorde and theyr frutes with them And it shall be that or euer they cal I shal answere them Whyle they are yet but thynckynge howe to speake I shall heare them * The wolffe and the lambe shall fede together and the lion shal eate haye like the bullock But earth shal be the serpentes meate There shal no man hurte nor sleye another in all my holy hyll sayeth the Lorde ¶ God dwelleth nat in temples made by meÌ„nes hande He despyseth sacryfyces done without mâ—tâ—y and fayth God comforteth them that are troubled for hys sake Amonge the Chrysten the Sabboth is contynuall CAPI LXVI THVS sayeth the Lorde Heauen is my seate and the earth is my fote stole Where shall nowe the hosue stande that ye wyll buylde vnto me And where shal be the place that I wyll dwell in As for these thynges my hande hathe made them all and they are all created sayeth the Lorde whiche of them shall I then regarde Euen him that is of a lowly troubled sprete and standeth in awe of my wordes For who so sleyeth an oxe for me dothe me so greate dishonoure as he that kylleth a maÌ„ He y â— killeth a shepe for me choketh a dogge He that bringeth me meat offringes offreth swynes bloude Who so maketh me a memo riall of incense prayseth the thynge that is vnright Yet take they such wayes in hande and theyr soule delyteth in these abhomina cyons Therfore wyll I also haue pleasure in laughynge them to scorne and the thynge that they feare wyll I brynge vpon them For when I called nomaÌ„ gaue answere when I spake they wolde nat heare But dyd wyckeduesse before myne eyes chose the thynges that displease me Heare the worde of the Lorde all yee that feare the thynge whiche he speaketh You re brethren that hate you and caste you out for my names sake saye Lette the Lorde magnyfye hym selfe that we maye se youre gladnesse and yet they shall be confounded For as touchynge the cytie and the temple I heare the voyce of the
Thou hast wayted for thē in the wayes and as a murtherer in the wyldernesse Thorow thy whordome shamefull blasphemyes is the lande defyled Thys is the cause that the rayne and euenynge dewe hathe ceased Thou haste gotten the an whores forehead and wylte nat be ashamed Els woldeste thou saye vnto me O my father thou arte he that haste broughte me vp and led me fro my youthe Wylt thou then put me awaye and caste me of for euer Or wylte thou withdrawe thy selfe cleane fro me Neuertheles thou speakest such wordes but thou art euer doynge worse and worse The Lorde sayde also vnto me in the tyme of Iosiah the kynge Haste thou sene what y ◠rebellyō Israel hath done howe she hath runne vp vpon al the hylles and amōge al thycke trees there played the harlot hast thou sene also when she had done all thys howe I sayde vnto her that she shulde turne agayne vnto me yet she is not returned Iuda that vnfaythfull syster of hers also sawe this Namely that after I had well sene the aduoutry of the shrynckynge harlot Israel I put her awaye and gaue her a byll of deuorcement For all this her vnfaythfull syster Iuda was nat ashamed but went backe played the whore also Yea and y ◠noyse of her whor dome hath defyled the whole lande For she hathe commytted fornycacyon with stones and stockes Neuerthelesse her vnfaythfull sister Iuda is not turned vnto me agayne with her whole herte but famedly sayeth the Lorde And the Lorde sayd vnto me The back-slyder Israel is more ryghtuous then the vnfaythfull Iuda and therfore go preache these wordes towarde the north and saye Thou disobediente Israel turne agayne sayeth the Lorde and I wyll nat turne my face from you for I am mercyfull sayth the Lorde and I wyll nat alwaye beare dyspleasure agaynst the but on this condicyon that thou knowe thy greate blasphemy Namely that thou hast vnfaythfully forsaken the Lorde thy God and hast made thy selfe partaker of straunge Goddes vnder all grene trees but haste had no wyll to heare my voyce sayeth the Lorde O ye disobedient chyldren turne agayne sayeth the Lorde and I wyll be maried with you For I wyl take one out of the cytie and two out of one generacyon from amonge you and brynge you in to Syon and wyll geue you herdmē after myne owne mynde which shal fede you with lernyng and wysdome Moreouer when ye be increased and multyplyed in the lande then sayeth the Lorde there shall no more boaste be made of the arcke of the Lordes Testamēt Noman shal thynke vpon it nether shal any man make mencyō of it for from thence forth it shall nether be bysyted nor honoured with gyftes Then shall Ierusalē be called the Lordes seate and all Heathen shal be gathered vnto it for the name of the Lordes sake whi the shal be set vp at Ierusalem And from that tyme forth they shall folowe no more the ymagynacyon of theyr owne frowarde herte Then those that be of the house of Iuda shall go vnto the house of Israel they shall come together out of the North into the same lande that I haue geuen your fathers I haue shewed also howe I toke the vp beynge but a chylde and gaue the a pleasaunte lande for thyne herytage yee and a goodly Hoste of the Heathen howe I commaunded the that thou shuldest cal me father onely and nat to shrynke fro me But lyke as a woman fayleth her husbande so are ye vnfaythfull vnto me O ye house of Israel sayeth the Lorde And therfore the voyce of the chyldren of Israel was herde on hye wepynge and waylinge for they haue defyled theyr waye and forgotten God theyr Lorde O ye disobedient chyldren turne agayne sayenge lo we are thyne for thou arte the Lorde oure God And so shall I heale your backeturnynges The hylles fall and all the hye pryde of the mountaynes but the health of Israel standeth only vpō God our Lorde Cōfusyon hathe deuoured our fathers labour from oure youth vp yee theyr shepe and bullockes theyr sonnes daughters So do we also slepe in our cōfusion shame couereth vs for we oure fathers frō oure youth vp vnto this daye haue synned agaynste the Lorde our God and haue nat obeyed the voyce of the Lorde our God ¶ The true repentounte or returnynge to God He exhorteth to the circumcisyon of the herte The destruccyon of Iewry is prophecyed for the in alyce of theyr hertes CAPI IIII. O Israeel yf thou wylte turne the then turne vnto me sayeth the Lorde And yf thou wylt put awaye thyne abhomynacyons out of my syght thou shalte nat be moued And shalt sweare The Lorde liueth in trueth in equyte and ryghteousnesse and all people shall be fortunable and ioyfull in hym For thus sayeth the Lorde to al Iuda and Ierusalem plowe youre lande sowe nat amonge the thornes Be circuncysed in y ◠Lorde and cut away the foreskynne of your hertes al yee of Iuda and al the indwellers of Ierusalem that my indignacyon breake nat out lyke fyre and kyndle so that no man maye quench it because of the wyckednes of youre ymagynacyons Preache in Iuda and Ierusalem crye out add speake blowe the trompettes in the lande crye that euery man maye heare and saye Gather you together and we wyll go in to stronge cyties Set vp the token in Syon spede you make no taryeng for I wyll brynge a greate plage and a greate destruccyon from the north For the spoyler of the Gentyles is broken vp from hys place as a lyon out of his denne that he maye make thy lande waste and destroye the cyties so that no man maye dwel therin Wherfore gyrde youre selues aboute with sacke clothe mourne and wepe for the fearefull wrath of the Lorde is nat withdrawen from vs. At the same tyme sayeth the Lorde the herte of the kynge and of the prynces shall be gone the prestes shal be astonyshed and the prophetes shal be sore a frayed Then sayde I O Lorde God hast thou then disceaued this people and Ierusalem sayenge ye shall haue peace and nowe the swearde goeth thorowe theyr lyues Then shall it be sayde to the people and to Ierusalem there cōmeth a warme wynde frō the north thorowe the way of my people but neyther to fanne nor to clense After that shall there come vnto me a stronge wynde and then wyll I also geue sentence vpon them For lo he commeth vp lyke as a cloude and his charettes are lyke a stormy wynde his horsemen are swifter then the Aegle Wo vnto vs for we are destroyed O Ierusalaem wasshe thyne hert from wickednes that thou mayst be helped Howe longe shall thy noysome thoughtes remayne with the For a voyce from Dan and from the hyl of Ephraim speaketh out and telleth of a destruccyon Beholde
lyke greshoppers in nombre which with a corage shall crye Alarum Alarum agaynste the. Yee euen the Lorde of hoostes that with is power made the earth with hys wysdome prepared the roūde worlde and with his discrecion spred out the heauens As soone as he letteth hys voyce be herde the waters in the ayre waxe fearce He draweth vp the cloudes from the endes of the earth He turneth the lightenynges to rayne he bryngeth the wyndes out of theyr secrete places By the reason of wysdome all men are become fooles Cōfounded be all the casters of ymages for the thynge that they make is but dysceate and hathe no breath Uayne is it and worthy to be laughed at and in the tyme of vysitacion it shall perishe Neuertheles the porcyon of Iacob is none suche but he that made all thynges whose name is the Lorde of hoostes he is the rodde of his enheritaunce Thou breakest my weapens of warre and yet thorowe the I haue scatred the nacions and kingdomes Thorowe the haue I scatred horse and horse man yee the charrectes and suche as sat vpō them Thorowe the I haue scatred man woman olde and yonge bacheler mayden Thorowe the I haue scatred the shepherde and his flocke the husbande mā his catell the prynces the rulers Therfore wyll I rewarde the cytie of Babylon all her cytesins the Caldees with al the euel which they haue done vnto Syon yee that ye youre selues shall se it sayeth the Lorde Beholde I come vpon the ☞ thou noysome hyl sayeth y e Lorde thou that destroyest all landes I wyl stretch out my hande ouer the and cast the downe from the stony rockes and wyll make the a brente hyll so that neyther corner stones nor pynnacles nor foundacyon stones shal be taken any more out of the but wast and desolate shalt thou lye for euer more sayeth the Lorde Set vp a tokē in y e lande blowe the trōpettes amonge the Heithen prouoke the nacions agaynst her cal y e kyngdomes of Ararat Meum and Ascanes agaynst her Set the prynce agaynst her brynge as greate a sorte of horses agaynste her as yf they were greshoppers Prepare agaynste them the people of the Meedes with theyr kynges prynces and all theyr chefe rulers yee and the whele lande that is vnder them The lande also shall shake be afrayed when the deuice of the Lorde shal come forth agaynste Babylon to make the lande of Babylon so waste that no man shall dwell any more therin The worthyes of Babilon shall leaue the batayl and kepe them selues in stronge holdes theyr strength hathe fayled them they shal be lyke wemen Theyr dwellynge places shal be brente vp theyr barres shal be broken One purseuaunt shal meate another yee one poste shall come by another to brynge the kynge of Babylon tydynges that his cytie is takē in on euery syde the foordes occupyed the fennes brent vp and the soudyers sore afrayed For thus sayeth the Lorde of hoostes the God of Israell the daughter of Babylon hathe bene in her tyme lyke as a thresshyng floore but shortly shall her haruest come Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babylon hathe deuoured and destroyed me he hathe made mean emptye vessell He swalowed me vp lyke a dragon and fylled hys bely with my delycates he hathe caste me out he hathe taken my substaunce awaye and the thyng that was lefte me hath he caryed vnto Babylon sayeth the daughter that dwelleth in Syon yee and my bloude also vnto the Caldees sayeth Ierusalem Therfore thus sayeth the Lorde Beholde I wyll defende thy cause auenge the I wyl drinke vp her see and drye vp her water sprynges Babylon shall become an heape of stones a dwellynge place for dragons a fearfulnes and wondrynge because no man dwelleth there They shall roare together lyke lyons and as the yonge lyons when they be angrye so shall they bende them selues In theyr heate I shal set dryncke before the and they shal be droncken for ioye Then shall they slepe an euerlastynge slepe and neuer wake sayeth the Lorde I shall carye them downe to be slayne lyke shepe lyke wethers and goates O howe was ☞ Sesach wonne O howe was the glorye of the whole lande taken howe happeneth it that Babylon is so wondred at amonge the Heathen The see is rysen ouer Babylon and hathe couered her with hys greate waues Her cyties are layde waste the lande lyeth vnbuylded and voyde it is a lande where no man dwelleth and where no man trauaylleth thorowe Moreouer I wyll vyset Bell at Babylon and the thyng that he hath swalowed vp ▪ that same shall I plucke out of hys mouth The Gentyls also shall runne nomore vnto hym yee and the walles of Babylon shall fall O my people come out of Babylon that euery man maye saue hys lyfe frō the fearfull wrath of the Lorde Be nat faynte herted and ☞ feate nat at euery rumoure that shal be herde in the lāde for euery yeare bryngeth newe tydynges yee straung wickednes and lordeshyppe And lo the tyme commeth that I wyll vyset the ymages of Babylon and the whole lande shal be cōfounded yee and her slayne shall lye in the myddest of her Heauen and earth vith all that is therin shall reioyce ouer Babylon when the destroyers shal come vpon her frō the North sayeth the Lorde Lyke as Babylon hathe beaten downe and slayne many out of Israel so shal there fall many be slayne in all her kyngdome Ye that haue escaped the swearde hast you stande nat styll remembre the Lorde a farre of and thynke vpon Ierusalem for we were ashamed to heare the blasphemyes our faces were couered with shame because the straūge aleauntes came into the Sanctuary of the Lorde Wherfore beholde sayeth the Lorde the tyme commeth that I wyll vyset the ymages of Babylon and thorowe the whole lande they shall mourne fall Though Babylō clymed vp into heauen and kept her power an hye yet shall I sende her destroyers sayeth the Lorde A piteous crye shal be hearde from Babylon and agreat mysery from the lande or the Caldees when the Lorde destroyeth thē and when he dryueth out the hye stomacke and proude bostynge wherwith they haue bene as furious as the waues of great water floudes and made greate crakes with theyr wordes For the destroyers shall come vpon her euen vopon Babylon whiche shall take theyr worthyes and breake theyr bowes for God is dysposed to auenge hym selfe vpon them and suffycyently to recompence them Yee sayeth the Lorde I wyll make theyr prynces theyr wyse men theyr chefe rulers and all theyr worthyes droncken so that they shall slepe an euerlastynge slepe and neuer wake Thus sayeth the Kynge whose name is the Lorde of Hostes. Moreouer thus sayeth the Lorde of Hostes The thycke wall of Babylō shal be broken and her hye gates shal be brent vp And the thynge that the Gentyles and the people haue wrought with great
The Senatours of the daughter Syon syt vpon the grounde in sylence they haue strawed asthes vpon theyr heades and gyrded them selues with sacke cloth The maydens of Ierusalem hange downe theyr heades to the grounde Myne eyes be begyn to fayle me thorowe wepynge my body is disquyeted my lyuer is poured vpon the earth for the great hurt of my people seyng the chyldren and babes dyd swowne in the streates of the cytye Euen when they spake to theyr mothers where is meate and drynke for whyle they so sayde they fell downe in the stretes of the cytie lyke as they had bene wounded and some dyed in theyr mothers bosome What shall I saye of the O thou daughter Ierusalem to whom shall I lyken the To whom shal I coÌ„pare the. O y u daughter Syon to comforte the withall Thy hurte is lyke a mayne see who may heale the Thy prophetes haue loked out vaine folysh thinges for the they haue not shewed the of thy wyckednes to kepe the from captiuite but haue ouerladen the and thorowe falshed scatred the abrode Al they that go by the clappe theyr handes at the hissing and waggyng their heades vpon the daughter Ierusalem and saye is this the cyte that men cal so fayre wherin the whole lande reioyseth All thyne enemyes gape vpon the whysperyng and bytyng theyr teth sayinge let vs deuoure for the tyme that we loked for is come we haue founde and sene it The Lorde hath fulfylled the thynge that he was purposed to do and ê‘fourmed that he had deuysed longe a go he hath destroyed and not spared He hath caused thin aduersary to triuÌ„p he ouer the and set vp the horne of thyne enemy Let thyne herte crye vnto the Lorde O y u cyte of the daughter Syon let thy teares runne downe lyke a ryuer daye and nyght rest not and let not the aple of thyne cye leaue of StaÌ„de vp and make thy prater in the first watch of the nyght poure out thyne herte lyke water before the Lorde lyfte vp thyne handes for the lyues of thy yonge children that dye of honger in the stretes Beholde O Lorde and consydre why haste thou gathered me vp so cleane Shal the wemeÌ„ then eate their owne frute euen chyldren of a spaÌ„ne longe Shal the prestes and Prophetes be slayne thus in the Sayntuary of the Lorde Yong and olde lye behinde the stretes vpon the grouÌ„de my maydens and yong men are slayne with the swearde whome thou in the daye of thy wrathefull indignacyon hast put to deathe yee euen thou haste put them to death and not spared them My neighbours that are rounde aboute me haste thou called as it were to a feast daye so that in the daye of the Lordes wrathe none escaped neyther was any lefte behynde Those that I had brought vp and norished hath myne enemy destroyed CAPI 〈◊〉 IAM the man that thorowe the rodde of his wrath haue experience of mysery He droue me forth and led me yee into darkenesse but not in to lyght Agaynst me onely he turneth his hande and layeth it euer vpon me My slesshe and my skynne hath he made olde my bones hath he brused He hath buylded rounde about me and closed me in with gall and trauayle He hath set me in darckenes as they that be deade for euer He hathe so hedged me in that I can not get out and hath layed heuy lynckes vpon me Thoughe I crye and call pyteously yet heareth he not my prayer He hathe stopped vp my wayes with foure squared stones and made my pathes croked He layeth wayte for me lyke a Beare and as a lyon in a hole He hathe marred my waies and broken me in peces he hath laied me wast all together He hath bente hys bowe made me as it were a marke to shut at The arowes of his quyuer hath he shot euen into my reynes I am laughed to scorne of all my people they make songes vpon me all the daye longe He hath fylled me with bitternes and geuen me wormwod to drynke He hath smitten my teeth in peces rolled me in the dust He hathe put my soule out of reste I forget all good thynges I thought in my selfe I am vn done there is no hope for me in the Lorde O RemeÌ„bre yet my mysery and my trouble the wormwod and the gall Yee thou shalte remembre them for my soule melteth awaye in me Whyle I coÌ„sidre these thinges in my herte I get a hope agayne Namely that the mercyes of the Lorde are not cleane gone and that his louynge kyndnesse ceasseth not Hys faythfulnes is greate and renueth it selfe as the mornynge The Lorde is my porcyon sayeth my soule therfore wyl I hope in hym O howe good is the Lord vnto theÌ„ that put theyr trust in him and to the soule that seketh after hym O howe good is it with stylnes to wayte and tary for the health of the Lorde O howe good is it for a man to take the yoke vpon hym from his youth vp He sytteth alone he holdeth hym styll and dwelleth quyetly by hym selfe He layeth his face vpon the earth yf percase there happen to be any hope He offereth his cheke to the smyter he wyll be content with reproues For the Lorde wyll not forsake for euer But thoughe he do cast of yet accordynge to the multytude of his mercyes he receaueth to grace agayne For he doth not plage and caste out the chyldren of men from his herte To treade all the prysoners of the earthe vnder his fete To moue the iudgement of man before the most highest To condempne a man in his cause The Lorde hath not pleasure in suche thynges What is he then that sayth there shulde somthynge be done without the Lordes commaundement Out of the mouth of the mooste hyghest goeth not euell and good Wherfore then murmureth the lyuinge man let hym murmure at his owne synne Let vs loke well vpon our owne wayes and remember our selues and turne agayne to the Lorde Let vs lyfte vp our hertes with our handes vnto the Lorde that is in heuen We haue bene dissemblers and haue offended wylt thou therfore not be intreated Thou haste couered vs in thy wrath and persecuted vs thou hast slayne vs without any fauoure Thou hast hyd thy selfe in a cloud that our prayer shulde not go thorow Thou hast made vs outcastes and to be despysed amonge the people All our enemyes gape vpon vs. Feare and snare is come vpon vs yee despite and destruccyon * who le ryuers of water gusshe out of myne eyes for the great hurte of my people Myne eyes runne and can not ceasse for there is no rest O Lorde when wylt thou loke downe from heauen and cousydre Myne eye breaketh my herte because of all the daughters of my cytie Myne enemyes hunted me out sharpely lyke a byrde yee and that without a cause They haue put downe my lyfe into a pytte and layed a
Yee I shall buylde it agayne as it was afore tyme that they maye possesse the remnaunt of Edom yee and all suche people as call vpon my name with theÌ„ sayeth the Lorde whiche dothe these thynges Beholde the tyme commeth sayeth the Lorde that the plowmaÌ„ shall ouer take the mower treader of grapes hym y â— soweth sede The mountaynes shall droppe swete wyne and the hylles shal be fruteful and I wyll turne the captyuyte of my people of Israel they shall repayre the waste cyties and haue theÌ„ in possessyon they shall plante vynyardes dryncke the wyne therof they shall make gardens enioye the frutes of them And I wyll plante them vpon theyr owne grounde so that I wyl neuer rote theÌ„ out agayne from theyr lande which I haue geuen them sayeth the Lorde thy God ¶ The ende of the Prophecye of Amos. ¶ agaynste Edom and the truste that they had in ryches ¶ The booke of the Prophete Abdy THys is the vision that was shewed vnto Abdy Thus hathe the Lorde God spokeÌ„ vpoÌ„ Edom we haue harde of the Lord that there is an embassage set amonge the Heathen Up let vs aryse fyght agaynst theÌ„ Beholde I wyll make the smal amoÌ„ge the Heathen so y â— thou shalt be vtterly despysed The pryde of thine hert hath lyfte y â— vp thou y â— dwellest in the strong holdes of stone haste made y â— an hye seate Thou sayest in thyne hert who shal cast me downe to the grounde But though thou weÌ„test vp as hye as the Aegle madest thy ‡ nest aboue amonge y â— starres yet wolde I plucke the downe froÌ„ theÌ„ce sayeth y â— Lorde Yf the theues robbers came to y â— by night thou takyng thy rest shulde they nat steale tyll they had ynough â–ª Yf y â— grape gatherers came vpon the wolde they nat leaue y â— some grapes But howe shall they repe Esau seke out his treasures Yee the men y â— were sworne vnto the shall dryue y â— out of y â— borders of thyne owne lande They y â— be nowe at one with y â— shall disceaue the ouercome the Euen they y â— eate thy brede shal betraye the or euer y â— perceaue it Shal nat I at y â— same tyme sayeth the Lorde destroye y â— wyse meÌ„ of Edom those y â— haue vnderstaÌ„dyng from the mount of Esau Thy gyauntes O Theman shall be afrayed for thorowe the slaughter they shal be al ouerthorowen vpoÌ„ the mount of Esau. Shame shall come vpoÌ„ the for the malyce y â— thou shewedest to thy brother Iacob yee for euermore shalt thou perysh and that because of the tyme when thou dydest set thy selfe agaynste hym euen when the enemyes caryed awaye his hoost and when the aleauntes came in at his portes and cast lottes vpon Ierusalem thou thyselfe waste as one of them Thou shalte nomore se the daye of thy brother thou shalte nomore beholde the tyme of hys captyuyte thou shalte nomore reioyse ouer the children of Iuda in the day â—t theyr destruccyon thou shalte tryumphe nomore in the tyme of theyr trouble Thou shalt nomore come in at the gates of my people in the tyme of theyr decaye thou shalte nat se theyr mysery in the daye of theyr fall Thou shalt sende out no man agaynste theyr hoost in the daye of theyr aduersyte neyther shalte thou stande waytynge any more at the corners of the stretes to murthur suche as are fled or to take them presoners that remayne in the daye of theyr trouble For the daye of the Lorde is harde by vpon all the Heathen Lyke as thou hast done so shalt thou be dealte wthal yee thou shalte be rewarded euen vpon thyne heade For lyke wyse as ye haue dronken vpon myne holy hyll so shall all heathen dryncke continually yee dryncke shal they and swalowe vp â—o y â— ye shal be as though ye had neuer bene But ☞ vpon the mounte Syon shall the saluacyon be and holynes these shal be holy and the house of Iacob shall possesse euen those that had them selues afore in possessyon Moreouer ☜ the house of Iacob shal be a fyre the house af Ioseph a flame and the house of Esau shal be the strawe whiche they shall kyndle and consume so that nothynge shal be lefte of the house of Esau the Lorde hymselfe hathe sayde it They of the South shall haue the mounte of Esau in possessyon and loke what lyeth vpon the grounde that shall the Philystynes haue the playne feldes shall Ephraim Samaria possesse and the mouÌ„taynes of Galaad shal Ben Iamin haue And this Hoost shall be the chyldren of Israels prysoners Nowe what so lyeth froÌ„ Canaan vnto zareptah in Sepharad that shal be vnder the subieccyon of Ierusalem and the cyties of the south shall enheret it Thus they that escape vpoÌ„ the hyl of Syon shal go vp to punysh the mount of Esaweâ— and the kyngdome shall be the Lordes ¶ The ende of the boke of the Prophecye of Abdy ⧠The Booke of the Prophete Ionas ¶ The flyght of Ionas when he was sent to preache A teÌ„pest aryseth casteth hym in the see for his dysobedience CAPI I. THe worde of the Lord came vnto Ionas the sonne of Amythai sayeng Aryse get y ◠☜ to Niniue that great cyte and preache vnto them howe y â— their wickednes is come vp before me And Ionas made him redy to fle ☞ vnto Tharsis from the presence of the Lorde and gat him downe to Ioppa where he fouÌ„de a shyp redy for to go vnto Tharsis So he payde his fare and wente abrode that he myght go with them vnto Tharsis from the presence of the Lorde But the Lorde hurled a greate wynde into the see and there was a myghtye teÌ„pest in the see so that the shyppe was in teoperdy of goyng in peces Then y â— maryners were afrayed and cryed euery maÌ„ vnto his God and the goodes that were in the shyppe they cast into the see to lyghten it of theÌ„ But Ionas gat him vnder the hatches where he layed him downe slombred So the master of the shyppe came to him and sayde vnto him why slomberest thou Up call vpon thy God yf God happely wyll thynke vpon vs that we peryshe not And they sayde one to another come let vs caste lottes that we may knowe for whose cause we are thus troubled And so they cast lottes the lot fell vpon Ionas Then sayd they vnto him tel vs for whose cause are we thus troubled what is thine occupacion whence commest thou and whe ther goest thou â–ª what couÌ„treman art thou of what nacion He answered theÌ„ I am an Ebrue I fere the Lorde God of heauen which made both y â— see dry laÌ„de Then were the meÌ„ excedyngly afrayed sayd vnto him why dydest y u so for they knew y â— he was fled
swearde agaynst another yee they shall nomore lear ne to fyght but euery maÌ„ shall syt vnder his vyneyarde vnder hys fygâ—re and no maÌ„ to fraye him away for the mouth of y â— Lord of hostes hath spokeÌ„ it Therfore where as al the people haue walked euery maÌ„ in y â— name of his owne God we wyl walke in y â— name of the Lord our God for euer euer At the same tyme sayth the Lord wyl I gather vp y â— lame the outcastes such as I haue chastened wyl geue issue vnto the lame make of the outcastes a great people the Lorde him selfe shal be theyr kyng vpon the mount Sion from this tyme forth for euermore And vnto y â— O thou tower of Eder thou stronge holde of the daughter Syon vnto the shal it come euen the Lordshippe kyngdome of the daughter IerusaleÌ„ Why then art y u nowe so heuy is there no kyng in the are thy councelers away that thou arte so payned as a woman in her trauayle And nowe O thou daughter Syon be sorye let it greue the as a wyfe laboryng with chylde for nowe must thou get the out of the cytie dwel vpon the playne felde Yee vnto Babylon shalt thou go there shalt thou be delyuered there the Lorde shal lowse the from the hande of thyne enemyes Nowe also are there many people gathered together against the saying what SioÌ„ is cursed we shall se our lust vpon her But they knowe not the thoughtes of y â— Lorde they vnderstande not his councell that shal gather them together as the sheeues in the barne Therfore get the vp O thou daughter Syon and thresshe out the corne For I wyll make thy horne yron and thy clawes brasse that thou mayest grynde many people theyr goodes shalt thou appropriate vn to the Lorde and theyr substaunce vnto the ruler of the whole worlde ¶ Of the destruccyon of Ierusalem CAPI V. AFter that shalt thou be robbed thy selfe O y u robbers daughter they shall laye sege agaynst vs smyte the iudge of Israel w t a rodde vpon the cheke And y u BethleeÌ„ Ephrata art lytle amoÌ„ge the thousandes of Iuda Out of the shal come vnto me which shal be the gouernour in Israell whose out goynge hath bene from the begynnynge from euerlastynge In the meane whyle he plageth them for a season vntyll the tyme that she whiche shal beare haue borne then shall the remnaunt of his brethren be coÌ„uerted vnto y â— chyldren of Israel He shall staÌ„de fast and geue fode in the strength of the Lorde and in the victory of the name of the Lorde his God and when they be conuerted he shal be magnifyed vnto the farthest partes of the worlde Then shall there be peace so that the Assyrian maye come into our lande treade in oure houses We shall brynge vp seuen shepherdes and. viii princes vpon theÌ„ these shal subdue the lande of Assur w t the swerde and the laÌ„de of Nymrod wyth their naked weapeÌ„s Thus shall he deliuer vs from y â— Assirian when he coÌ„meth within our lande and setteth his fote within our borders And the reÌ„naunt of Iacob shal be among the multitude of people as the dewe of the Lorde and as the droppes vpon the grasse that taryeth for no man and wayteth of no body Yee y â— resydue of Iacob shal be among the Gentiles and the multitude of people as the lyon among the beastes of the wod and as the LyoÌ„s whelpe among a flocke of shepe which when he goeth thorow tredeth down teareth in peces and there is no man that can helpe Thyne hande shal be lyfte vp vpon thyne enemyes and all thyne aduersasaries shall peryshe The tyme shall come also sayeth y â— Lorde that I wyll take thyne horses from the and destroye thy charettes I wyl breake downe the cytyes of thy lande and ouerthrowe all thy stronge holdes All witchcraftes wyll I rote oute of thyne hande there shal no mo soth sayinges be within the. Thyne Idols and thyne Images wyll I destroye out of y â— so that thou shalt nomore bowe thy selfe vnto the worckes of thyne owne handes Thy groues wyll I plucke vp by the rotes and breake downe y â— cyties Thus wyl I be aueÌ„ged also vpoÌ„ al y â— Heathen y t wyl not heare ¶ An â—â—hortacyon to heare the iudgment agaiÌ„st Israel beynge vnkynde What maner of sacrifyces do please God CAPI VI. HErken nowe what the Lord sayeth Up reproue the mountaines let the hylles heare thy voyce O heare the punyshemeÌ„t of the Lorde ye mountaynes and ye mighty foundacioÌ„s of the earth for y â— Lorde wyl reporue his people reason w t Israel O my people what haue I done vnto y â— or wherin haue I hurte the geue me answere Because I brought the from the lande of Egypte delyuered the out of the house of bondage Because I made Moses Aaron Miriam to lede y â— RemeÌ„bre O my people what Balach y â— kyng of Moab had Imagyned agaynst the and what answere that Balaam the sonne of Beor gaue hym from Sethim vnto Galgal that ye may knowe the louynge kyndnesses of the Lorde What acceptable thynge shal I offer vnto the Lord shall I bowe my kne to the hye God Shall I come before hym with brent offrynges and with calues of a yeare olde Hath the Lord a pleasure in many thousaÌ„de rammes or innumerable streames of oyle Or shall I geue my fyrst borne for myne offences the frute of my body for the synne of my soule I wyll shewe the O maÌ„ what is good what the Lorde requyreth of the Namely to do right to haue pleasure in louyng kyndnesse to be lowly to walcke w t thy God that thou mayest be called a citie of the Lorde that thy name maye be rightuousnesie Heare O ye trybes who wolde els geue you such warnyng Shuld I not be displeased for y â— vnrightuous good in y â— houses of the wycked and because the measure his mynyshed Or shulde I iustifye the false balaunces and the bagge of disceatful weyghtes amonge those that be full of ryches vnryghtuously gotten where the cytesyus deale with falshede speake lyes haue disceatfull tunges in their mouthes Therfore I wyll take in haÌ„de to punish y â— and to make y â— desolate because of thy sines Thou shalt eat not haue ynough yee thou shalt briÌ„ge thy self downè Thou shalt fle but not escape those that thou woldest saue wyll I delyuer to the swerde Thou shalt sowe but not reape y u shalt presse out olyues but oyle shalt y â— not haue to anoint thy self with all thou shalte treade out swete muste but shalt dricke no wyne Ye kepe the ordiuaunces of Amri al the customes of the house of Ahab ye folowe their pleasures therfore wil
Lorde God of hoostes Aske the prestes coÌ„cerninge the lawe and saye yf one beare holy flesh in hys cote lappe with his lappe do touch the brede poâ—age wyne oyle or any other meate shall he be holy also The prestes answered sayde No. Then sayd Aggeus Nowe yf one beynge defyled with a deed carcase touch any of these shall it also be vnclene The prestes gaue answere sayd yee it shal be vncleane Then Aggeus answered sayde euen so is this people this nacyon before me sayeth the Lorde and so are all the workes of theyr handes yee and all that they offre is vnclene And nowe I praye you considre froÌ„ this daye forth howe it hathe gone with you afore or euer there was layed one stone vpoÌ„ another in the teÌ„ple of the Lorde y â— when ye came to a corne heape of xx bushels there were scarce ten that when ye came to the wyne presse for to powre out l. pottes of wyne there were scarce xx For I smote you with heate blastynge and hayle stones in all y â— labours of your handes yet was there none of you y â— wolde turne vnto me sayeth the Lorde Consyder then from this daye forth and afore namely from the. xxiiij day of the nynth moneth vnto the daye that the foundacyon of y â— Lordes temple was layed marke it well is not the sede yet in the barne haue nat the vynes the fyggetrees the pomgranates and olyue trees bene yet vnfrutefull but froÌ„ thys daye forth I shall make them to prospere Moreouer the. xxiiij daye of the moneth came the worde of the Lorde vnto Aggeus agayne sayenge Speake to zorobabell the pryuce of Iuda and saye I wyll shake bothe heauen and earth and ouer thorowe the seate of the kyngdomes yee destroye the myghty kyngdome of the Heathen I wyll ouerthorowe the charettes and those that syt vpon them so that bothe horse and man shall fall downe euery man thorowe hys neyghbours swearde And as for the O zorobabell sayeth the Lorde of hoostes thou soÌ„ne of Salachiel my seruaunt I wyll take the sayeth the Lorde at the same tyme and make the as a seale for I haue chosen the sayeth the Lorde of hoostes ¶ The ende of the prophecye of Aggeus ¶ The boke of the Prophete zachary ¶ He moueth the people to returne to the Lorde and to eschue the wickednesse of theyr fathers He prefigureth Christ and the Apostles CAPI I. IN the eyght moneth of the secoÌ„de yeare of kynge Darius came the worde of y e Lorde vnto zacharye y e soÌ„ne of Barachias the soÌ„ne of Addo y â— prophete sayenge The Lord hath bene sore displeased at your forfathers And saye thou vnto them thus sayeth the Lorde of hoostes Turne you vnto me sayeth the Lorde of hoostes and I wyll turne me vnto you sayeth the Lorde of hoostes Be ye nat lyke your forfathers vnto whom the prophetes cryed afore tyme sayenge Thus sayeth the Lorde God of hoostes Turne you nowe from youre euel wayes and from youre wycked ymagynacyons But they wolde nat heare nor regarde me sayeth the Lorde What is nowe become of youre forefathers and the prophetes are they yet styll alyue But dyd nat my wordes and statutes whiche I coÌ„maunded by my seruauntes the prophetes touch your forefathers Upon this they gaue answere and sayde lyke as the Lorde of hoostes deuysed to do vnto vs accordynge to oure owne wayes and ymagynacyons euen so hathe he dealte with vs. Upon the. xxiiii daye of the. xi moneth which is the moneth Sebat in the seconde yeare of Darius came the worde of the Lorde vnto zachary the sonne of Barachias the soÌ„ne of Addo the prophet sayenge I sawe by nyght and lo there sat one vpon a redde horse and stode styll amonge the myrretrees that were beneth vpon the grounde and behynde hym were there redde speckeled whyte horses Then sayde I. O my Lrode what are these And the angell that talked with me sayde vnto me I wyl shewe the what these be And the man y â— stode amonge the Myrretrees answered sayde These are they whoÌ„ the Lorde hathe sente to go thorowe the worlde And they answered the angell of the Lorde that stode amonge the myrretrees sayde We haue gone thorowe the worlde and beholde al the worlde dwell at ease and are carelesse Then the Lordes angell gaue answere and sayde O Lorde of hoostes howe longe wylt thou be vnmercyful to Ierusalem and to the cyties of Iuda with whoÌ„ thou hast bene displeased nowe these threscore â—enne yeares So the Lorde gaue a louinge and a coÌ„fortable answere vnto the angel that talked with me And the angel that commoned with me sayde vnto me Crye thou speake Thus sayeth the Lorde of hoostes I am exceadinge gelous ouer IerusaleÌ„ and Syon and sore displeased at the carelesse Heathen for where as I was but a lytle angrye they dyd theyr best that I myght destroye them Therfore thus sayeth the Lorde I wyll turne me agayne in mercye towarde Ierusalem so that my house shal be buylded in it sayeth the Lorde of hoostes yee the plommet shal be layde abrode in Ierusalem Crye also speake thus sayeth the Lorde of hoostes My cyties shal be in good prosperite agayne the Lorde shal yet coÌ„forte SioÌ„ and chose IerusaleÌ„ Then lyfte I vp myne eyees and sawe and beholde foure hornes And I sayde vnto the angell y â— talked with me what be these he answered me These are the hornes whiche haue scatered Iuda Israel and IerusaleÌ„ abrode And the Lorde shewed me foure carpenters TheÌ„ sayde I what wyl these do He answered and sayde Those are the hornes whiche haue so strowed Iuda abrode that no man durst lyfte vp his head But these are come to fraye theÌ„ awaye and cast out the hornes of the Gentyls which lyfte vp theyr horne ouer y â— lande of Iuda to scatre it abroade ¶ The renewynge of Ierusalem and Iuda CAPI II. I Lyfte vp myne eyes agayne and loked and beholde a maÌ„ with a measure lyne in his hande Then sayde I whether goest thou And he sayde vnto me To measure Ierusalem that I maye se howe longe and howe broade it is And beholde the angell that talked with me wente his waye forth Then went there out another angel to mete hym and sayde vnto hym Runne speake to thys yonge man saye Ierusalem shal be inhabited without any wall for the very multytude of people and catell that shal be therin Yee I my selfe sayeth the Lorde wyl be vnto her a wall of fyre rouÌ„de about and wyll behonoured in her O get you forth O fle froÌ„ the lande of the north sayeth the Lorde ye whom I haue scatred into y â— foure wyndes vnder heauen sayeth the Lorde Saue thy selfe O Syon thou that dwellest with y e daughter of Babylon for thus sayeth the Lorde of hoostes With a
stablysh theyr fete As for the seruauntes whom I haue geuen the there shall nat one of them perysh for I wyl seke them from thy noÌ„bre vexe nat thy selfe For when the daye of trouble and heuynes coÌ„meth other shall wepe and be sorowfull but thou shalt be mery and plenteous The HeatheÌ„ shal be gelous but they shal be able to do nothynge agaynst the sayeth the Lorde My handes shall couer the so that thy children shal nat se the fyre enerlastyng Be ioyfull O thou mother with thy chyldren for I wyll delyuer the sayeth y â— Lorde Remembre thy deed chyldren for I shall brynge them out of the earth and shewe mercy vnto them for I am mercyfull sayeth the Lorde almyghty Embrace thy chyldren vntyll I come and shewe mercy vnto them for my welles runne ouer and my grace shall nat fayle I Esdras receaued a charge of the Lorde vpon the mount Oreb that I shulde go vnto Israell But when I came vnto Israell they set me at naught and despised the commaundemente of the Lorde And therfore I saye vnto you O ye HeatheÌ„ that heare and vnderstande Loke for youre shepherde he shall geue you euerlastynge rest for he is nye at hande that shall come in the ende of the worlde Be readye to the rewarde of the kyngdome for the euerlastynge lyght shall shyne vpon you for euermore Fle the shadowe of this worlde receaue the ioyfulnes of your glory I testifie my sauyour openly O receaue the gyfte that is geuen you be glad geuynge thankes vnto hym y â— hathe called you to the heauenly kyngdome Aryse vp and stande faste beholde the nombre of those that be sealed in the feast of the Lorde whiche are departed from the shadowe of the worlde and haue receaued gloryous garmentes of the Lorde Take thy nombre O Syon and shut vp thy puryfyed whiche haue fulfylled the lawe of the Lorde The nombre of thy chyldren whom thou longedest for is fulfylled beseche the power of the Lorde that thy people whiche haue bene called froÌ„ the begynnynge maye be halowed I Esdras sawe vpon the mount Syon a great people whom I coulde nat nombre and they all prysed the Lorde with songes of thankesgeuynge And in the myddest of them there was a yonge man of an hye stature more excellente then al they vpon euery one of theyr heades he set a crowne was euer higher and higher whiche I marueled at greatly So I asked the angel and sayd Syr what are these He answered and sayde vnto me These be they that haue put of the mortall clothynge and put on the immortal and haue testifyed and knowledged the name of God Nowe are they crowned receyue the rewarde Then sayde I vnto the Aungell what yonge personne is it that crowneth them geueth theÌ„ the palmes in theyr handes So he answered sayde vnto me It is y â— sonne of God whom they haue knowledged in the worlde Then begaÌ„ne I greately to coÌ„mende theÌ„ y â— stode so styfly for the name of the Lord And so the angel sayd vnto me Go thy way tell my people what maner of thinges and howe greate wonders of the Lorde thy God thou hast sene ¶ The wonderous workes whiche God dyd for the people are recited Esdras marueleth that God suffreth the BabiloniaÌ„s â–ª to haue rule ouer his people which yet are siners also CAPI III. IN the thyrtyeth yeare of the fall of the cytie I was at Babylon and laye troubled vpon my bed and my thoughtes came vp ouer my herte for I sawe the desolacion of Syon and the plentuous wealthe of them that dwelte at Babylon and my sprete was sore moued so that I beganne to speake ferefull wordes to the most hyest and sayd O Lorde Lord thou spakest at the begynnyng when thou plantedst the earth and that thy selfe alone and gauest commaundement vnto the people and a body vnto AdaÌ„ whiche was a creature of thy handes hast brethed in him the brethe of lyfe so he lyued before the and thou leddeste him into Paradyse whiche garden of pleasure thy ryght hande had plaÌ„ted or euer y â— earth was made And vnto him thou gauest commaundemente to loue thy way whiche he traÌ„sgressed and immedyately thou appoyntedst death in hym and in his gâ—neracions Of hym came nacyons trybes people and kynreddes out of nombre And euery people walcked after their owne wyll and dyd nyce thynges before the as for thy coÌ„maundementes they despysed them But in processe of tyme thou broughtest the water floude vpon those that dwelte in the worlde and destroyedst them And lyke as the death was in Adam so was y â— water floude also in these Neuerthelesse one of theÌ„ thou leftest namely Noe with his house holde of whome came all ryghtuous men And it happened that when they that dwelt vpon the earth beganne to multyplye and had gotten many chyldren and were a great people they begaÌ„ne to be more vngodly theÌ„ the fyrste Nowe when they all lyued so wyckedly before the thou dydest chose the a man froÌ„ amonge them whose name was Abraham Him thou louedst and vnto hym onely thou shewedst thy wyl and madest an euerlasting couenaunt with hym promysynge him that thou woldest neuer forsake his sede And vnto him thou gauest Isaac * vnto Isaac also thou gauest Iacob and Esau. As 〈◊〉 Iacob thou dydest chose him and put baâ—â—â— Esau. * And so Iacob became a greate multytude And it happened that when thou leddest his sede out of Egypt thou broughtest theÌ„ vp to the mounte Syon bowyng downe the heauens settynge fast the earthe mouynge the grounde makyng the depthes to shake and troublynge the worlde And thy glorye went thorowe foure partes of fyre and earthquakes and wyndes and colde that thoâ— myghtest geue the lawe vnto the sede of Iacob diligeÌ„ce vnto y â— generacion of Israel And yet tokest thou not away from them that wycked herte y â— thy lawe myght brynge forth frute in them For the fyrst Adam â—aâ—â— a wycked hert transgressed and was ouercome so be all they that are borne of 〈◊〉 Thus remayneth wickednes with th 〈…〉 in the herte of the people w t the wyckeâ—â—â—â— of the rote so that the good departed away and the euyll abode styll So the tymes passed awaye and the yeares were brought to an ende Then dydest thou rayse the vp a seruauÌ„t called Dauid whom thou coÌ„mauÌ„dedst to buylde a cyte vnto thy name and to offre vp incense and sacryfyce vnto the therin This was done nowe many yeares TheÌ„ the inhabiters of the cyte forsoke the in all thiÌ„ges dyd eueÌ„ as AdaÌ„ al his generacions had done for they also had a wicked hert And so thou gauest thy cyte ouer into the handes of thyne enemyes Are they of Babylon theÌ„ better and more ryghtuous then thy people that they shall therfore haue the domynyon of Syon For when I came there and sawe theyr vngodlynes
I said O Lord Lord now are we al ful of sine for our sake peraduenture it is not y t the barne of the ryghtuous shal not be fylled because of the sines of theÌ„ that dwel vpon the earth So he answered me sayd Go thy waye to a womaÌ„ with chylde and aske of her wheÌ„ she hath fulfylled her nyne monethes yf her chyldebed may kepe y â— birth any longer with in her Then sayd I No Lorde that can she not And he sayde vnto me In hell the secret places of soules are lyke the preuy chambre of a woman For lyke as a woman that trauayleth maketh haste when the tyme and necessyte of the byrthe is at hande Euen so doth she haste to delyuer it that is commytted vnto her Loke what thou desyrest to se it shall be shewed the from the begynnynge Then answered I sayde If I haue fouÌ„de fauoure in thy syght and yf it be possyble and yf it be mete therefore shewe me then whether there be more to come then is past or more paste then is for to come What is paste I knowe but what is for to come I knowe not And he sayde vnto me Stande vp vpon the ryght syde and I shall expounde the symylitude vnto the. So I stode and behold an whote burnynge ouen wente ouer before me and it happened that when the flamme was gone by the smoke had the vpper haÌ„dâ— After this there went ouer before me a watery cloude and sent downe much rayne with a storme when the stormy rayne was past the droppes remayned styll Then sayde he vnto me lyke as the rayne is more then the droppes and as the fyre exceadeth the smoke euen so the measure of the thynges that are past hath the vpperhande Then wente the droppes and the smoke aboue and I prayed and sayde May I lyue thynkest thou vntyll that tyme Or what shall happen in those dayes He answered me and sayde As for the tokeÌ„s wherof thou askest me I may tell the of them in a parte but as touchynge thy lyfe I may not shewe the for I am not sent therfore ¶ Esdras and the Angell comen together CAPI V. NEuerthelesse as concernynge the tokens marke this Beholde the dayes shall come that they whiche dwell vppon earth shal be taken in a greate nombre and the waye of the trueth shal be hyd the land shal be baren from fayth but iniquite shal haue the vpperhande lyke as thou hast sene nowe as thou hast herde longe ago And y â— lande that thou seyst now to haue rule shalt thou shortly se waste But yf God graunte the to lyue thou shalt se after the thyrde troÌ„pet that the suÌ„ne shal sodenly shyne againe in the night the mone thre times iÌ„ the day bloude shall droppe out of wodde and the stone shall geue his voyce the people shal be vnquyete and euen he shall rule whom they hope not that dwell vpon earthe the foules shall flyt the Sodomytshe see shall cast out his fysh make a noyse in the night which many shall not knowe but they shall all heare the voyce therof There shal be a coÌ„fusion also in many places and the fyre shal be oft sent agayne and the wylde beastes shall go theyr waye and menstruous wemen shall beare monstres salt waters shall be founde in the swâ—teâ—one frende shal fyght agaynst another then shal all wyt and vnderstandyng be hyd and put aside iÌ„to their secrete places shal be sought of many and yet not be fouÌ„deâ— then shal vnryghtuousnes and voluptuousnes haue the vpperhande vpon earth One laÌ„de also shal aske another and say Is ryghtuousnes gone thorowe the And it shall saye No. At the same tyme shall men hope but nothynge optayne they shall laboure but theyr wayes shall not prospere To shewe the suche tokens I haue leue and yf thou wylte praye agayne wepe as nowe and fast seuen dayes thou shalt heare yet greater thinges Then I awaked and a fearefulnes went thorowe all my body and my mynde was feble and carefull so that I almost sowned withall So the angell that was come to talke with me helde me coÌ„forted me and set me vpon my fete And in the seconde nyght it happened y e Salathiel the captayne of the people came vnto me saying Where hast thou bene and why is thy countenaunce so heuy Knowest thou not that Israel is coÌ„mitted vnto the in the lande of theyr captiuite Up then eate forsake vs not as y â— shepherde that leaueth his flocke in the handes of wycked wolues Then sayd I vnto hym Go thy way fro me come not nye me he herde it as I said so went he his way fro me And so I fasted seueÌ„ dayes mournyng wepyng lyke as Uriell the angel coÌ„maunded me And after seueÌ„ daies it happened y â— the thoughtes of my herte were very greuous vnto me agayne my soule receyued the sprete of vnderstandyng and I beganne to talke with the moste hyest agayne and sayde O Lorde Lord of euery wood of the earth and all the trees therof â— thou hast chosen the one onely vyneyarde and of all landes of the whole worlde thou hast chosen one pyt and of al floures of the grounde thou hast chosen the one lylye and of all the depthes of the see thou hast fylled the one ryuer and of all buylded cyties thou hast halowed Syon vnto thy selfe and of al the foules that are created thou hast named the one doue of all the catell that are made thou hast prouyded the one shepe and amoÌ„g all the multytudes of folckes thou hast gotten the one people vnto this people whom thou louedst thou gauest a law that is proued of all And nowe O Lorde why haste thou geuen this one people ouer vnto many and vpon the one rote thou hast prepared other why hast thou seatâ—ed thy one onely people among many whiche treade them downe yee whiche haue euer withstande thy promyses and neuer beleued thy couenauntes And thoughe thou werest enemye vnto thy people yet shuldest thou punysh them with thyne owne haÌ„des Nowe wheÌ„ I had spokeÌ„ these wordes y â— angell y â— came to me y â— nyght afore was sente vnto me snyde vnto me Heare me and herken to the thynge that I say I shal tel the more And I said Speke on my Lorde Then sayd he vnto me Thou arte sore vexed troubled for Israels sake Louest thou that people better theÌ„ hym that made them And I sayd to hym No Lorde but of very grefe coÌ„passion haue I spoken For my reines payne me euery hour because I wolde haue experieÌ„ce of the way of y e most hiest to seke out parte of his iudgmeÌ„t And he sayde vnto me y â— thou mayest not And I sayde Wherfore Lorde where vnto was I borne then Or why was not my mothers childbed then my graue So had I not sene
loue him Who so feareth the Lorde staÌ„deth in awe of no man and is not afrayed for the Lorde is his hope and comforte Blessed is the soule of him that feareth the Lorde In whoÌ„ putteth he his trust Who is his strength For the eyes of the Lord haue respecte vnto them that loue him He is their mighty proteccion and stronge grouÌ„d A defeÌ„ce for the heate and refuge for the hote none daye a succore for stumblynge and an helpe for fallynge He setteth vp the soule lyghteneth the eyes He geueth lyfe and blessynge He that geueth an offringe of vnrygh tuous good his offeringe is refused and the scornefull dealynges of the vnryghtuous please not God The Lorde is theyrs onely y â— pacientely abyde hym in the waye of the trueth of ryghtuousnes The hyghest doth not alowe the gyftes of the wycked And God hath no delyte in y â— offeringes of the vngodly nether may synne be reconcyled in the multitude of oblacyons Who so bryngeth an offerynge out of the goodes of the poore doth euen as one that kylleth the soÌ„ne before the fathers eyes The bred of the nedefull is the lyfe of the poore he y â— defraudeth hym therof is a man of bloude Who so robbeth hys neyghboure of his liuyng doth as a great sine as though he sâ—e we him to death He y â— defraudeth the laborer of his hyre is a bloud shedder When one buildeth and another breaketh downe what profyte haue they then but laboure WheÌ„ one prayeth another curseth whose voyce wyl y â— Lorde heare He y â— washeth hi selfe because of a deed body then toucheth y â— deed agayne what doth his washyng So is it with a maÌ„ y t fasteth for his sinnes doth theÌ„ agayne who wyll heare his prayer Or what doth his fastyng helpe him ¶ It is well done to praye and to do sacryfice The prayer of the fal heeles and of the widdowe and him that humbleth hym selfe CAPI XXXV WHo so kepeth the lawe bryngeth offringes ynough He that holdeth fast the commaundemente offreth the ryght health offeringe He that is thankefull and recompenseth offreth fyne floure Who so is mercyfull and geueth almes that is the ryght thankeoffrynge God hath pleasure when one departeth from synne and to forsake vnryghtuousnes reconcyleth vs w t him Thou shalt not appeare emptie before the Lorde for all suche is done because of the commaundement The offringe of the rightuous maketh the aulter fat a swete smell is it before the Hyest The offerynge of the ryghtuous is acceptable vnto God and shal neuer be forgotten Gyue God his honoure with a chereful herte and kepe not backe the fyrstlynges of thy handes In all thy gyftes shewe a mercyful countenaunce and halowe thy tythes vnto God with gladnesse Gyue vnto God accordynge as he hath enryched and prospered the and loke what thin haÌ„de is able geue with a chereful eye for the Lord recompenseth and geueth the seuen tymes as muche agayne Geue no vnryghtuous gyftes for suche wyll he nat receyue Beware of wrongeous offringes for the Lord is a rightuous iudge and regarderh no mannes personne He accepteth not the personne of the poore but he heareth the prayer of the oppressed He despyseth not the desyre of the fatherlesse nor the wyddowe when she poureth out her prayer before hym Doth not God se the teares that renne downe the chekes of the wyddowe Or heareth he not the coÌ„playnte ouer suche as make her to wepe For from hyr chekes do the teares go vp vnto heaueÌ„ and the Lorde which heareth theÌ„ doth accepte them Who so serueth God after his pleasure shal be accepted and hys prayer reacheth vnto the cloudes The prayer of him y â— humbleth him sylfe goeth thorow the cloudes tyll she come nye She will not be comforted nor go her waye tyll the hyest God haue respecte vnto her geue true sentence and perfourme the iudgement And the Lorde wyll not be slack in coÌ„mynge nor tary long tyll he haue smytten in sonder the ba ckes of the vnmercyfull and auenged him selfe of the HeatheÌ„ tyl he haue taken awaye the multytude of the cruell and broken the cepter of the vnryghtuous tyll he geue euery man after his workes and rewarde theÌ„ after their doyngê tyl he haue deliuered his people mayntained their cause reioysed theÌ„ iÌ„ his mercy O how fayre a thyng is mercy in the time of anguish trouble It is lyke a cloude of rayne that coÌ„meth in the tyme of a drouth ¶ A prayer to God in the person of all faythfull men with the prayse of a good woman CAPI XXXVI HAue mercy vpon vs O Lorde thou God of all thynges Haue respecte vnto vs shewe vs the light of thy mercyes and sende thy feare amonge the Heathen strauÌ„gers which seke not after the that they may knowe how that there is no God but thou and that they maye shewe thy wonderous workes Lyfte vp thyne hande ouer the outlandy she Heathen that they maye learne to knowe thy myght and power Lyke as thou arte halowed in vs before them so brynge to passe that thou mayest be magnyfyed also in them before vs that they may know the like as we knowe the. For there is none other God but onely thou O Lorde Renue the tokens and chaunge the wonderous worckes Shew thyne hande and thy ryght arme gloryously Rayse vp thy indignacyon poure out thy wrath Take awaye the aduersary and smyte the enemy Make the tyme short remembre thy couenaunt that thy wonderous worckes may be praysed Let the wrath of the fyre consume theÌ„ that lyue so carelesse and let them peryshe that do thy people hurt Smyte in sunder the heade of the Prynces that be oure enemyes and say there is none other but we Gather all the trybes of Iacob together agayne y â— they may knowe howe that there is none other God but onely thou that they maye shewe thy wonderous workes and be thou thy peoples herytage lyke as from the begyynnynge O Lord haue merey vpon the people that hath thy name and vpoÌ„ Israel whoÌ„ y u hast lyckened to a fyrst borne sonne O be mercyfull vnto Ierusalem the cytie of thy Sanctuary the cytie of thy rest Fyll Syon with thy vnspeakable vertues thy people with thy glorye Geue wytnes vnto thy creature whom thou madest from the beginnynge rayse vp the prophecyes that haue bene shewed in thy name Rewarde theÌ„ that wayte for the that thy Prophetes may be founde faythfull O Lorde heare the prayer of thy seruauÌ„tes accordyng to the blessing of Aaron ouer thy people gyde thou vs in the way of ryghteousnes that all they whiche dwel vpon the earthe maye knowe that thou art the Lorde the eternall God whiche is from euerlastyng The bely deuoureth all meates yet is one meate better then another Lyke as the tong tasteth venyson so doth an herte of vnderstandyng
wyse prudent sentences Hys name wente abrode in the Iles because of his peace he was beloued All landes marueled at his soÌ„ges prouerbes similitudes and at his peace and at the name of the Lorde God which is called the God of Israel He gathered golde as tynne he had as much syluer as leade He was moued in inordynate loue towarde wemen was ouercome in affeccyon He stayned his honoure and worshyppe yee hys posteryte defyled he also in bryngynge the wrathe of the Lorde vpon hys chyldren and sorowe after his ioye so y â— his kyngdome was deuyded Ephraim became an vnfaythfull and an vncoÌ„staÌ„t kyngdome Neuertheles God forsoke not his mercy neyther was he vtterly destroyed because of his worckes y â— he shulde leaue him no posterite As for y â— sede that came vpoÌ„ him which he loued he brought it not vtterly to naught but gaue yet a remnauÌ„te vnto Iacob and a rote vnto Dauid out of hym Thus rested Salomon with his fathers and out of hys sede he left behynde hym a very foolyshnes of the people and such one as had no vnder standynge euen Roboam whiche turned awaye the people thorowe his councel and Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat which caused Israell to sinne and shewed Ephraim y â— way of vngodlynes In so much that theyr synnes and misdedes had the vpper hand so sore that at the last they were dryuen out of the land for the same Yee he sought out and brought vp all wyckednes tyll the vengeaunce came vppon them ¶ The prayse of Eliah Elizeas Hezekiah and Esaye CAPI XLVIII THEN stode vp Eliah the Prophet as a fyre and hys worde brente lyke a creshet He brought an honger vpon them and in hys zele he made them fewe in nombre For they might not away with the commaundementes of the Lorde Thorowe the worde of the Lord he shut the heauen and thre times brought he the fyre downe Thus became Eliah honorable in his wonderous dedes Who may make his boast to be lyke him One that was deed raysed he vp from deathe and i the worde of the hyest he brought hym oute of the graue agayne * He caste downe kinges destroyed them and the honorable from theyr seate Upon the mount Syna he herde the punyshment and vpon Horeb the iudgement of the vengeaunce He prophecyed recoÌ„pensynge vnto kynges ordeyned prophetes after hym He was taken vp in the storme of fyre in a charet of horses of the Lorde He was ordaned in the reprouynges in tyme to pacyfye the wrath of the Lorde to turne the hertes of the fathers vnto the chyldren and to set vp the trybes of Iacob agayne Blessed were they that saw the and were garnyshed in loue for we lyue in lyfe but after death we shall haue no such name Elias was couered in y â— storme but Helyseus was fylled with his sprete Whyle he lyued he was afrayed of no prynce and no man myght ouercome him There coulde no worde disceaue him after his death his body prophecied He dyd wonders in his lyfe in death were his workes maruelous For all this the people amended not nether departed they froÌ„ theyr synnes tyll they were caried away presoners out of the laÌ„de and were scatred abrode in all countrees so that of them there ramayned but a very lytle people and a prynce vnto the house of Dauid Howe be it some of them dyd ryght and some heaped vp vngodlynes Hezekias made his cytie stronge conueyed water in to it dygged thorowe the stony rocke with yron made vp a well by the water syde In his tyme came Sennaheryb vp and sent Rabsakes lyft vp his hande agaynste Syon and defied theÌ„ with greate pryde Then trymbled theyr nettes and haÌ„des so that they sorowed lyke a woman trauaylinge with chylde So they called vpon the Lorde which is mercyful and lyfte vp theyr handes before hym Immediatly the Lorde harde them out of heauen he thought nomore vpon theyr sinnes nor gaue them ouer to theyr enemyes but delyuered them by the hande of Esay the holy prophet He smote the hoost of y â— Assyrians and his angell destroyed theÌ„ For Hezekias had done the thynge y â— pleased the Lorde remayned stedfastly in the waye of Dauid his father as Esay the greate and faythful prophet in the syght of God had coÌ„maunded hym In his tyme the Sunne wente backwarde he lengthened the kinges lyfe With a ryghte sprete prophecyed â—e what shulde come to passe at the last and to suche as were sorowfull in Syon he gaue coÌ„solacion wher w t they myght coÌ„fort them selues for euermore He shewed thynges y â— were â—or to come secrete or euer they came to passe ¶ Of Iosiah Hezethiah Dauid Ieremy Ezechiel zoâ—o babel Iesua Nehemiah Enoch and Ioseph CAPI XLIX THE remeÌ„braunce of Iosias is lyke as whaÌ„ the apothecary maketh many precious swete smellyng thynges together His remembraunce shal be swete as hony in all mouthes as the playenge of Musyck at a bancket of wyne He was appoynted to turne the people agayne to take awaye all abhomynacions of the vngodly He dyrected his herte vnto the Lorde and in the tyme of the vngodly he set vp the worshyp of God agayne All kynges except Dauid Hezechiah and Iosiah coÌ„mytted wyckednes for euen the kynges of Iuda also forsoke the lawe of God For they gaue theyr horne vnto other theyr honoure and worshyppe also to a straunge people Therfore was the electe cytâ—e of y â— Sanctuary brent with fyre the streates therof laye desolate wast in the hande of Ieremy for they intreated hym euell whiche neuertheles was a prohpet ordeyned froÌ„ hys mothers wombe y t he myght rote out breake of and destroye and that he myght builde vp and plant agayne Ezechiel sawe the glorye of the Lorde in a vysion which was shewed him vpon y â— charet of y â— Cherubins For he thought vpoÌ„ the enemies in y â— rayne to do good vnto suche as had ordred theyr wayes a ryght And the bones of the twelue prophetes floryshed from out of theyr place for they gaue comforte consolatyon vnto Iacob delyuered theÌ„ faythfully Howe shall we prayse Zorobabel whiche was as a rynge in the rght hande So was Iesus also the soÌ„ne of Iosedec these men in theyr tymes buylded the house and set vp y â— â–ª Sanctuary of y â— Lorde agayne which was prepared for an euerlasting worshyp And Nehemias is all waye to be coÌ„mended whiche set vp for vs the walles that were broken downe made the portes and barres agayne buylded our houses of the newe But vpon the earth is there no man created like Enoch for he was takeÌ„ vp from the earth And Ioseph which was Lorde of hys brethren the vp holder of hys people his bones were couered and kepte Seth
and wente hys way into hys owne lāde nether proceded he any further to come vnto y e borders of Iuda Thus Israell had no more warre And Ionathas dwelt at Machemas began there to gouerne y e people destroyed y ◠vngodly mē out of Israel ¶ Demetrius desyreth to haue peace with Ionathas Alexander moueth warre agaynste Demetrius Demetrius is slayne The frendshippe of Ptolomeus and Alexander CAPI X. IN the hundred and thre score yeare came Alexander the sonne of noble Antiochus and toke Ptolomays whose cytezyns receaued hym and there he rayghned When Kynge Demetrius herde therof he gathered an exceadynge great hoost and wente for the agaynste hym to fyght Wherfore Demetrius sēt letters vnto Ionathas with louyng wordes and praysed hym greatly For he sayd we wil first make peace w t him before he binde hī selfe with Alexander against vs els he shall remēbre y ◠euyl y t we haue done against hī his brother his people And so he gaue Ionathas leue to gather an host to make weapens and to be cōfederate w t him commaūded the pledges that were īthe castell to be deliuered vnto hym Then came Ionathas to Ierusalem and red the letters in the audience of al the people and of them that were in the castel And therfore were they sore afraied because they herde that the kyng had geuen hym licence to gather an hoost Thus were the pledges delyuered vnto Ionathas whiche restored thē to their parētes Ionathas also dwelt at Ierusalem and beganne to buylde vp to repayre the citie commaunding the worckmen to wall it and the mount Sion round aboute with fre stone to be a stronge holde and so they dyd As for y e Heathen that were in y t castels which Bachides had made vp they fled so that euery man lefte the place went into his owne coūtre Only at Bethsura remayned certayne of y e Iewes which had forsakē the lawe and commaundementes of God for Bethsura was their refuge Nowe when kyng Alexander herde of the promyses that Demetrius had made vnto Ionathas and whē it was tolde him of the battels and noble actes whiche he and hys brethren had done and of the greate trauayles that they had taken he saide where shal we fynde suche a man well we wyll make him our frende and be confederat with him Upon this he wrote a lettre vnto him with these wordes kynge Alexander saluteth his brother Ionathas We haue herd of y e that thou art a valeaūt man and mete to be our frende Wherfore thys daye we ordeyne the to be the hye preste of thy people and to be called the kynges frende Upon this he sēt hym a purple clothynge and a crowne of golde that thou mayeste consydre what is for oure profyt and kepe frendshyppe towarde vs. So in the seueth moneth of the hundred and thre score yeare vpō the solempne feaste day of y e tabernacles Ionathas put y e holy raymente vpon hym Then gathered he an hoost and made many weapēs Which whē Demetrius herde he was maruelous sory sayde Alas what haue we done that Alexander hath preuēted vs in gettyng y ◠frendshyppe of the Iewes for hys owne defence Yet wyll I wryte louyngly vnto them also yee and promyse them dygnites and rewardes that they maye be of my syde Wherupō he wrote vnto thē these wordes Kinge De metrius sendeth greting vnto y t people of y e Iewes Where as ye haue kepte your couenaūt towarde vs continued in our frendship not enclining to our enemies we were glad when we herde therof Wherfore remayne styll be faythfull to vs we shall wel recompense you for y ◠thinges y t ye haue done on oure partye we shall release you of many charges geue you rewardes And now I dyscharge you al y e Iewes frō tributes I forgeue you the customes of salt release you of y ◠crowne taxes of the thyrde parte of sede half of y e frute of trees which is myne owne dewtye These I leaue for you frō this daye forth so y t they shal not be taken of the lande of Iuda nor of the thre cities which are added ther vnto out of Samaria and Galylee frome thys daye forthe for euermore Ierusalē also with al thinges belongyng therto shal be holy and fre yee y e tythes and trybutes shall pertayne vnto it As for the power of y e castell which is at Ierusalē I remyt geue it vnto the hye prest that he may set ī it such mē as he shal chose to kepe it I frely delyuer al the Iewes that are presonners thorow out al my realme so that euery one of thē shal be fre frō payinge any trybute yee euen of their catell All the solempne feastes Sabbathes new moones the dayes appoynted the thre dayes before after the feast shall be fre for all the Iewes in my realme so that in them no man shall haue power to do any thynge or to moue any busynesse against any of thē in any maner of cause There shall thyrtye thousande also of the Iewes be wrytten vp in the kynges hoost and haue their wages payed as all other men of warre of the kinges shulde haue and of them shal be ordeyned certayne to kepe the kynges strong holdes yee and some of them shal be set ouer the kinges busynesse that they maye faithfully deale with the same The Iewes also shall haue prynces of theyr owne and walcke in theyr owne lawes as the kynge hath commaunded in the lande of Iuda And the thre cyties that are fallen vnto Iewry from the countre of Samarya Galtiee shal be taken as Iewry and be vnder one nether be subtecte to any straunge lord but to the hye preste As for Prolomais and the lande perteynynge therto I geue it vnto the Sanctuary at Ierusalem for the necessary expences of the holy thinges Moreouer I wyll geue euery yeare fyftene thousand Sycles of syluer out of the kīges cheker which pertayneth vnto me to y ◠worcke of the temple yee and loke what remayneth which they y t had oure matters in hande in tymes past haue not pated y ◠same shal they geue vnto them also And besydes al thys the fyue thousand Sycles which they toke yearly of the rentes of the Sanctuary shall belong vnto the prestes that do seruyce Item whosoeuer they be that fle vnto the temple at Ierusalem or within the liberties therof where as they are fallen into the kynges daunger for any maner of busynes they shall be pardoned all y e goodes that they haue in my reaime shal be fre For the buyldyng also and repayring of the worcke of the Sanctuary expenses shall be geuen out of the kynges Checker Yee and for the makynge of the walles rounde aboute Ierusalem for the breaking downe of the olde and for the settinge vp of the strong holdes in Iewry shal the costes and charges begeuen
out of the kynges Checker But when Ionathas and the people hearde these wordes they gaue no credence vnto them neyther receaued them for they remembred the greate wyckednesse that he had done vnto Israell and how sore he had vexed them Wherfore they agreed vnto Alexander for he was a prynce that had dealte frendly wyth them and so they stode by hym alwaye Then gathered kynge Alexander a greate hoost and brought hys armye agaynste Demetrius So the two kynges stroke bataylle together but Demetrius hoost iled and Alexander folowed after and fell vpon them A myghtye sore felde was it contynuynge tyll the Sonne wente downe and Demetrius was slayne the same daye And Alexandre sente ambassitoures vnto Ptolomy the kyng of Egypte wyth these wordes sayenge For so muche as I am come agayne to my reaime and am let in the trone of my progenytours and haue gotten the domynyon ouercomed Demetrius conquered the lande and stryken a felde with hym so that we haue dysconfyted both him and his hoost and syt in the trone of hys Kyngdome Let vs nowe make freÌ„oshippe together geue me thy daughter to wyfe so shall I be thy sonne in lawe and both geue the rewardes and her great dygnyte Ptolomy the kyng gaue answere sayenge Happy be the daye wherin thou arte come agayne to the lande of thy Progenytours and set in the trone of theyr kyngdome As nowe wyll I fulfyll thy wrytynge but mete me at Ptolomais that we maye se one another that I may mary my daughter vnto the accordinge to thy desyre So Ptolomy wente out of Egypte wyth hys daughter Cleopatra and came vnto Ptolomays in the. Clxij yeare where kinge Alexander met hym and he gaue Alexander his daughter Cleopatra maried the at Ptolomais with greate worshyppe lyke as the maner of kynges is to be TheÌ„ wrote kyng Alexander vnto Ionathas that he shulde come and mete hym So he wente honorably vnto Ptolomais and there he mete the two kynges and gaue them greate presentes of golde and siluer and founde fauoure in their syght And there came together agaist Ionathas certayne wycked men vn gracyous persones of Israel makyng com playntes of him but the kyng regarded theÌ„ not As for Ionathas the kynge commaunded to take of hys garmentes and to clothe him purple and so they dyd Then y t kinge appoynted hym to syt by hym and sayde vnto hys princes Go with hym into y e middest of the cytye and make a proclamacion that no man complayne against him of any matter and that no maÌ„ trouble hym for eny maner of cause So it happened that when hys accusers sawe the worshyppe which was proclamed of hym and that he was clothed in purple they sled euerychone And the Kynge made much of hym wrote hym amonge hys chefe frendes made hym a duke and partaker of hys domynyon Thus Ionathas wente agayne to IerusaleÌ„ with peace gladnes In the. Clxv. yeare came Demetriê° the soÌ„ne of Demetrius from Creta into hys fathers lande wherof when Alexander herde tel he was ryght sory and retourned vnto Antioche And Demetrius chose Appollonyus which had the gouernaunce of Celosyrya to be hys captayne So he gathered a greate hoost and came vnto Iamnta and sente word vnto Ionathas the hye prest sayeng Darteste y u withstand vs thy self alone As for me I am but laughed to scorne and shamed because thou prouedst thy streÌ„gth agaynst vs in the mouÌ„taynes Nowe therfore yf thou trust este in thine owe streÌ„ght come downe to vs into y e plaine felde there let vs proue our streÌ„gth together thou shalt fynde that I haue vale aunt men of warre with me shalt knowe whom I am the other that stande by me Which saye that your fote is not able to stande before oure face for thy fathers haue bene twise chased into theyr owne laÌ„de And nowe how wylt y u be able to abyde so great an hoost of horssineÌ„ fotemeÌ„ in y â— feld where as is nether rocke stone nor place to fle vnto When Ionathas herd the wordes of Appolloniê° he was moued i hys mynde wherfore he chose tenne thousande meÌ„ and went oute of Ierusalem and Symon hys brother met him for to helpe him And they pitched their tentes at Ioppa but y e cytie kepte hym forth for Ioppa was an holde of Appollonius Then Ionathas laied sege to it and they that were in the cyte for very feare let hym in and so Ionathas wanne Ioppa Appollonius hearinge of this toke thre thousande horssmen with a greate hoost of fote and wente as though he wold go to Azotus and came immediatly into the plaine felde because he had so many horssmen and put hys trust in theÌ„ So Ionathas folowed vpon him to Azotus there they strocke the battayll Now had Appolloniê° left a thousande horsmeÌ„ behynde theÌ„ priuely in y â— teÌ„tes And when Ionathas knewe y e suche wayte was layed behynde them they went rounde aboute the enemyes hoost and shot dartes at y e people froÌ„ the morninge to y e euenynge As for Ionathas people they kepte theyr ordre as he had commaunded them and the enemyes horses were euer labourynge Then brought Symon forth hys hoost and set them agaynste the fote men For the horsmen were weery all ready So he dyscomfited them and they fled And they that were scatred in the felde gat theÌ„ to Azotus and came into the temple of Dagon theyr Idoll y t they myght there saue theyr lyues But Ionathas set fyre vpon Azotus and al the cyties rounde aboute it and toke theyr goodes and brent vp the temple of Dagon with all them that were fled into it Thus were slayne brent well nye viij M. men So Ionathas remoued the hoost froÌ„ thence brought theÌ„ to Ascalon where the men of the cytie came forth met hym with great worshyp After this went Ionathas his hoost a gayne to Ierusalem with great substaunce of good And when kynge Alexander herde these thynges he thought to do Ionathas more worshype sent hym a colar of golde as y e vse is to be geueÌ„ vnto suche as are of the kynges nexte bloude He gaue him also the cytie of Accaron with the landes belongynge therto in possessyon CAPI XI ¶ The dissencion betwyre Ptolomes AlexanÌ„der his soÌ„ne in â—â—we The deeth of Alexanâ—der Demetrius taygneth after the deeth of Ptolomâ—us Syon is besegid of Ionathas De netriuâ— seinge that no mâ— resisted him seÌ„deth his armye 〈…〉 pho moueth Aâ—â—â—â—chns against Demetrâ—us De meâ—â—nus is desiuered by the suciour of Ianathas After hys dcly gâ—râ—unce he meaketh hys couenauâ—â— that he had made AND the kynge of Egypte gathered â—an hoost lyke the sande y e lyeth vpon y e sce sâ—bore many shippes went aboute thorâ—we dysceate to obtayne y e kyngdome of Alexander to ioyne it vnto hys owne realmâ—e Upon this he toke hys iourney into Siriâ— was letten into y