maye be detter vnto God because y t by y e dedes of the lawe no flesh maye be iustified in his sighte For by the lawe commeth but the knowlege of synne But now without addinge to of y e lawe is the righteousnes which avayleth before God declared hauynge witnesse of y e lawe and the prophetes but I speake of y e righteousnes before God which cōmeth by the faith on Iesus Christ vnto all and vpō all them that beleue For here is no difference For they are all synners and wāte the prayse that God shulde haue of thē but without deseruynge are they made righteous euē by his grace thorow the redempcion that is done by Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth for a Mercyseate thorow faith in his bloude to shewe the righteousnes which avayleth before him in that he forgeueth the synnes which were done before vnder the sufferaunce of God which he suffred that at this tyme he mighte shewe y e righteousnes which avayleth before him y t he onely mighte be righteous the righteous maker of him which is of the faith on Iesus Where is now then thy reioysinge It is excluded By what lawe By the lawe of workes Nay but by the lawe of faith We holde therfore that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Or is God the God of the Iewes onely Is he not also the God of the Heythen Yes verely the God of the Heythen also for so moch as he is the God onely that iustifieth the circumcision which is of faith and the vncircūcision thorow faith Destroys we then the lawe thorow faith God forbyd But we mantayne the lawe The fourth Chapter WHat shal we saye thē that Abrahā o father as pertayninge to y e flesh dyd fynde This we saye Yf Abraham were made righteous thorow workes then hath he wherin to reioyse but not before God But what sayeth y e scripture Abrahā beleued God y t was counted vnto him for righteousnes Vnto hī y t goeth aboute w t workes is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of dutye Howbeit vnto him y t goeth not aboute with workes but beleueth on him y t iustifieth the vngodly is his faith counted for righteousnes Euen as Dauid sayeth also that blessednes is onely that mans vnto whō God counteth righteousnes without addinge to of workes where he sayeth Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnesses are forgeuen and whose synnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the LORDE imputeth no synne Now this blessednes goeth it ouer the circūcision or ouer the vncircumcision We must nedes graunte y t Abrahās faith was coūted vnto hī for righteousnes How was it thē rekened vnto him In the circūcision or in the vncircumcision Doutles not in the circūcision but in the vncircumcision As for the tokē of circūcision he receaued it for a seale off the righteousnes off faith which he had yet in y e vncircūcision y t he shulde be a father of all thē y t beleue beinge in y e vncircūcisiō y t it might be coūted vnto thē also for righteousnes that he might be a father of circumcision not onely of thē that are of y e circumcision but of them also that walke in the fotesteppes of the faith which was in the vncircumcision of oure father Abraham For the promes that he shulde be y e heyre of the worlde was not made vnto Abraham or to his sede thorow the lawe but thorow the righteousnes of faith For yf they which are of the lawe be heyres thē is faith vayne and the promes of none effecte for so moch as the lawe causeth but wrath For where the lawe is not there is also no transgression Therfore was the promes made thorow fayth that it myght come off fauoure wherby the promesse myghte be made sure vnto all the sede not onely vnto him which is off the lawe but also vnto him that is of the faith of Abrahā which is the father of vs all As it is wrytten I haue made the a father of many Heythē before God whom thou hast beleued which quyckeneth the deed and calleth it which is not that it maye be And he beleued vpō hope where nothinge was to hope that he shulde be a father of many Heythen Acordinge as it was sayde vnto him Euen so shal thy sede be And he was not faynte in faith nether cōsidred his awne body which was deed allready whyle he was almost an hundreth yeare olde nether the deed wombe of Sara For he douted not in the promes of God thorow vnbeleue but was strōge in faith and gaue God the prayse was sure that loke what God promyseth he is able to make it good And therfore was it rekened vnto him for righteousnes But this is not wryttē onely for his sake y t it was counted vnto him but also for oure sakes vnto whō it shal be counted yf we beleue on him that raysed vp oure LORDE Iesus from the deed Which was geuen for oure synnes and raysed vp for oure righteousnesse sake The V. Chapter BEcause therfore that we are iustified by faith we haue peace with God thorow oure LORDE Iesus Christ by whō also we haue an intraunce in faith vnto this grace wherin we stonde reioyse in the hope of y e glorye for to come which God shal geue Not onely y t but we reioyse also ī troubles for so moch as we knowe y t trouble bryngeth paciēce paciēce bryngeth experiēce experiēce bryngeth hope As for hope is letteth vs not come to cōfusion because the loue of God is shed abrode in oure hertes by the holy goost which is geuen vnto vs. For whan we were yet weake acordinge to the tyme Christ dyed for vs vngodly Now dyeth there scace eny man for the righteous sake Peraduenture for a good man durst one dye Therfore doth God set forth his loue towarde vs in y t Christ dyed for vs whan we were yet synners Moch more then shal we be saued from wrath by him seynge we are now made righteous thorow his bloude For yf we were recōcyled vnto God by y e death of his sōne whā we were yet enemies moch more shal we be saued by him now y t we are reconcyled Not onely that but we reioyse also in God thorow oure LORDE Iesus Christ by whom we haue now receaued the attonement Wherfore as by one man synned entred in to the worlde and death by y e meanes off synne euen so wente death also ouer all men in so moch as they all haue synned For synne was in y e worlde vnto the lawe but where no lawe is there is not synne regarded Neuertheles death reigned from Adam vnto Moses euen ouer them also that synned not with like transgression as dyd Adam which is y e ymage of him y t was to come But it is not with the gifte as
in the worlde sene the begynnynge which was wrytten in thy lawe that men maye fynde the path and that they which wyl lyue in the latter dayes maye lyue And he answered me sayēge Go y t waye gather thy people together saye vnto thē that they seke the not for xl dayes but loke thou gather the many boxe trees and take with the Sarea Dabria Selemia Echanus and Asial these fyue which are ready to wryte swiftly and come hither and I shal light a cādle of vnderstōdinge in thine hert which shal not be put out tyll the thinges be perfourmed which thou shalt begynne to wryte And then shalt thou declare some thinges openly vnto the perfecte and some thinges shalt thou shew secretly vnto y e wyse Tomorow this houre shalt thou begynne to wryte Then wēte I forth as he commaūded me and gathered all y e people together and sayde Heare these wordes o Israel Oure fathers from the begynnynge were straunges in Egipte from whēce they were delyuered and receaued the lawe of life which they kepte not which ye also haue trāsgressed after thē Then was this londe and the londe of Sion parted amōge you by the lot to possesse But yo r fathers and ye yo r selues also haue done vnrighteousnes haue not kepte the wayes which the Hyest cōmaunded you And for so moch as he is a righteous iudge he toke from you in tyme the thinge that had geuen you And now are ye here and yo r brethren amōge you Therfore yf so be that ye wil subdue yo r owne vnderstandinge and refourme youre hert ye shal be kepte aliue after death shal ye opteyne mercy For after death shall the iudgment come whan we shal lyue agayne and then shal the names of the righteous be manifest and y e names of the vngodly with their workes shal be declared Let no mā therfore come now vnto me ner axe eny question at me these xl dayes So I toke the fyue men as he commaunded me and we wente in to the felde and remayned there The next daye a voyce called me sayēge Eszdras Open thy mouth drynke that I geue the. Thē opened I my mouth beholde he reached me a full cuppe which was full of water but the colo r of it was like fyre And I toke it and dranke And whā I had dronken it my hert had vnderstondinge and wyszdome grew in my brest for my sprete was kepte in remembraunce and my mouth was opened and shut nomore The Hyest gaue vnderstondinge vnto the fyue men y t they wrote y e hye thīges of the night which they vnderstode not But in the night they ate bred as for me I spake in the daye and helde not my tonge by night In xl dayes they wrote two hundreth foure bokes And it happened whā the xl dayes were fulfilled that the Hyest spake sayenge The first that thou hast wryttē speake openly y t the worthy and vnworthy maye rede it But kepe y e lxx last y t thou mayest shew it onely to soch as be wyse amonge thy people For in them is the sprynge of vnderstōdinge the fountayne of wyszdome and the streame of knowlege And I dyd so The XV. Chapter BEhelde speake thou in the eares of my people the wordes of prophecie which I wyll put in y e mouth saieth the LORDE and cause them to be wrytten in a letter for it is the trueth Feare not the ymaginaciōs against y t let not y e vnfaithfulnes of them trouble the that speake agaynst the. For all the vnfaithfull shal dye in their vnfaithfulnes Beholde saieth the LORDE I wil brynge plages vpon the worlde y e swerde honger death and destruccion for wickednes hath the vpper hande in all y e earth and their shamefull workes are fulfilled Therfore saieth the LORDE I wil holde my tonge nomore vnto their wickednesse which they do so vngodly nether wil I suffre them in the thinges that they deale with all so wickedly Beholde the innocent bloude of the troubled crieth vnto me and the soules of the righteous complayne cōtynually and therfore saieth the LORDE I wil surely auēge and receaue vnto me all the innocēt bloude from amonge them Beholde my people is led as a flock of shepe to be slayne I wil not suffre them now to dwel in Egipte but wyl brynge them ou◠with a mightie hande and a stretched out arme and smyte it with plages as afore and wyl destroye all the londe off it Egipte shal mourne and the foundacions of it shal be smytten with the plage and punyshment y t God shal brynge vpon it They that tyll y e groūde shal mourne for their sedes shal be destroyed thorow the blastinge and hale and an horrible starre Wo worth y e worlde and them that dwell therin for y e swerde their destrucciō draweth nye one people shal stōde vp to fight against another swerdes in their hādes For mē shal be vnstedfast and some shal do violence vnto other they shal not regarde their kynge and prynces the wayes of their doinges and hādelinges in their power A man shal desyre to go in to the cite shal not be able For because of their pryde y e cities shal be brought in feare y e houses shal shake and men shal be afrayed A man shal haue no pitie vpon his neghboure but one shal prouoke another vnto battayll to spoyle their goodes because of the honger of bred and because of the greate trouble Beholde I gather call together all the kynges of y e earth which are from the vprysinge from the south from the east and Libanus to turne vnto them and restore the thinges that they haue geuē them Like as they do yet this daye vnto my chosen so wil I do also and recōpense thē in their bosome Thus sayeth y e LORDE God My right hande shal not spare y e synners and my swerde shal not ceasse ouer them that shed the innocēt bloude vpon earth The feare is gone out frō his wrath and hath cōsumed the foundacions of the earth and the synners like the strawe that is kindled Wo worth them that synne and kepe not my commaundementes saieth the LORDE I wil not spare them Go youre waye ye children from violence defyle not my Sanctuary for the LORDE knoweth all thē that synne agaynst him and therfore delyuereth he them vnto death and destrucciō For now are the plages come vpon the worlde ye shal remayne in thē For God shal not delyuer you because ye haue synned agaynst him Beholde an horrible vision commeth frō the east where generacions of Dragons shal come out and the people of the Arabes with many charettes and the multitude of them shal be as the wynde vpō earth that all they which heare them ragynge in their wrath maye feare and be afrayed and as the wylde bores out of y e wod so shal they go out and with
¶ Because that whan thou goest to study in holy scripture thou shuldest do it with reuerence therfore for thy instruction louynge admonicion therto the Reuerende father in god Nicolas Bisshoppe of Salisbury hath prescrybed the this prayer folowynge taken out of the same O Lorde God almyghtye whiche longe agoo saydest by the mouthe of Iames thyn Apostle If any of you lacke wysdom let hym aske it of God whiche geueth it plenteously to all men and casteth no man in the tethe and it shal be geuen hym Heare my peticion for this thy promes sake Let my prayer ascende luckely in to thy syght lyke incense Let thy◠eare be attent vnto my depe desyre Geue me wysdome which is eue◠assistent about thy seate And put me not out from amonge 〈…〉 for I am thy seruaunt and y e sonne of thy handmayde ▪ 〈…〉 her I meane thy godly wysedome out of thyne holy heauens and from the trone of thy maiestye that she maye be with me and laboure with me y t I may knowe what is acceptable in thy syght Oh lerne me goodnes nurtoure and knowlege for I beleue thy commaundementes Thou art good and gracyous instructe me in thyne ordynaunces Let myne hertie besechynge ascende in to thy presence Geue me vnderstondynge accordynge to thy worde Oh geue me vnderstōdynge and I shall kepe thy lawe Yee I shall kepe it with all myne herte Shewe me thy wayes o Lorde teache me thy patthes Leade me in to thy trueth and lerne me for thou art the God of my helth And on the do I depende alway Heare now my voyce O Lorde with which I haue cryed vnto the. Haue mercy vpon me and gracyouslye heare me for Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde which lyueth and reygneth with the his father the holy goost worlde without ende Amen ¶ After the ende of any Chapter yf thou wylt thou mayest saye these verses folowynge LEade me o Lorde in thy waye and let me walke in thy trueth Oh let myne herte delyte in fearynge thy name Ordre my goynges after thy worde that no wyckednes reygne in me Kepe my steppes within thy patthes lest my fete turne in to any contrary waye Vnto the most victorious Prynce and oure most gracyous soueraigne Lorde kynge Henry the kynge of Englonde and of Fraunce lorde of Irlonde c. Defendour of the Fayth and vnder God the chefe and suppreme heade of the Church of Englonde ¶ The ryght iust administracyon of the lawes that God gaue vnto Moses and vnto Iosua the testimonye of faythfulnes that God gaue of Dauid the plenteous abundaunce of wysdome that God gaue vnto Salomon the lucky and prosperous age with the multiplicacyon of sede whiche God gaue vnto Abraham and Sara his wyfe be geuē vnto you most gracyous Prynce with your dearest iust wyfe and most vertuous Pryncesse Quene Anne Amen CAiphas beynge bysshope of that yeare lyke a blynde prophete not vnderstandyng what he sayd prophecied that it was better to put Christ vnto death then that all the people shulde perysshe he meanyng that Christ was an heretike a deceauer of the people a destroyer of the lawe and that it was better therfore to put Christ vnto death thā to suffre hym for to lyue and to deceaue the people c. where in very dede Christ was the true prophete the true Messias and the onely true Sauiour of the worlde sent of his heauenly father to suffre the moste cruell most shamefull and most necessary death for our redempcyon accordyng to y e meanynge of the prophecie truely vnderstonde Euen after the same maner y e blynde bysshoppe of Rome that blynde Baalam I saye not vnderstondynge what he dyd gaue vnto your grace this tytle Defendour of the fayth onely bycause your hyghnes suffred your bysshoppes to burne Gods worde the rote of fayth and to persecute the louers and mynisters of y e same where in very dede the blynde bysshoppe though he knewe not what he dyd prophecied that by the ryghteous admynistracyon and contynuall diligence of youre grace the fayth shulde so be defended that Gods worde the mother of Fayth with the frutes therof shulde haue his fre course thorowe out all Christendome but specyally in your realme Yf your hyghnesse now of your pryncely benignite wyll pardon me to compare these two bysshoppes I meane bysshoppe Caiphas and the bysshoppe of Rome theyr prophecies together I doute not but we shal fynde them agree lyke brethren though the one be a Iewe and the other a counterfayre Christian. Fyrst Caiphas prophecied that it was better to put Christ vnto death then that the people shulde perysshe The bysshoppe of Rome also not knowynge what he prophecied gaue youre grace this tytle Defendour of the fayth The trueth of both these prophecies is of the holy goost as was Baalams prophecie though they that spake thē knewe not what they sayd The trueth of Caiphas prophecie is that it was necessary for mans saluacyon that Christ by his death shulde ouercome death and redeme vs. And the trueth of oure Baalams prophecie is y t your grace in very dede shulde defende the Fayth Yee euen the true fayth of Christ no dreames no fables no heresie no papisticall inuencions but the vncorrupte fayth of Gods most holy worde which to set forth praysed be the goodnes of God and increace youre gracyous purpose your hyghnes with youre most honorable councell applyeth all his studye and endeuoure These two blynde bysshopes now agree in y e vnderstādyng of theyr prophecies for Caiphas taketh Christ for an heretike Oure Balaā taketh the worde of Christ for heresie Caiphas iudgeth it to be a good dede to put Christ vnto death that he shulde not deceaue the people Oure Balaam calleth defendynge of the fayth the suppressyng kepyng secrete and burnyng of the worde of fayth lest the lyght thereof shulde vtter his darknes lest his owne Decretales Decrees his owne lawes and constitucions his owne statutes and inuencions shulde come to none effecte lest his intollerable exactions and vsurpacions shulde lose theyr strengthe lest it shulde be knowen what a thefe and murtherer he is in the cause of Christ and how haynous a traytoure to God and man in defraudynge all Christen kynges prynces of theyr due obedience lest we youre graces subiectes shulde haue eyes in the worde of God at the last to spye out his crafty conueyaūce and iuglynges and lest men shulde se how sore he and his false Apostles haue deceaued all Christendome specyally youre noble realme of Englonde Thus your grace seyth how brotherly the Iewysh bysshoppe and oure Balaam agree together not onely in myter and outwarde appearaunce but as the one persecuted the Lorde Iesus in his owne persone so doth the other persecute his worde and resysteth his holy ordynaunce in the auctorite of his anoynted kynges For so moche nowe as the worde of God is the onely trueth that dryueth awaye all
Math. Mathew the Euangelist xxviii ii· Mar. Marke the Euangelst xvi xvi· Luc. Luke the Euangelist xxiiiii xxv Ioh. Ihon the Euangelist xxi xl Act. The Actes of the Apostles xxviii li. Rom. The Epistle to the Romaynes xvi lxvi I. Cor. The fyrst epistle to the Corinthians xvi lxxii II. Cor. The seconde epistle to the Corinthians xiii lxxviii Gal. The epistle to the Galathians vi lxxxii Ephe. The Epistle to the Ephesians vi lxxxiiii Phil. The epistle to the Philippians iiii lxxxvi Col. The epistle to the Collossians iiii lxxxvii I. Tess. The first Epistle to the Tessalonians v. lxxxix II. Tess. The seconde Epistle to the Tessalonians iii. xc I. Timo. The fyrst Epistle vnto Timothy vi xci II. Tim. The seconde Epistle vnto Timothy iiii xciâ— Tit. The epistle vnto Tytus iii. xciiii Phile. The epistle vnto Philemon i. xciiii I. Pet. The fyrst epistle of S. Peter v. xcv II. Pet. The seconde epistle of S. Peter iii. xcvi I. Ioh. The fyrst epistle of S. Ihon. v. xcviii II. Ioh. The seconde epistle of S. Ihon i. xcix III. Ioh. The thirde epistle of S. Ihon i. xcix Heb. The epistle vnto the Hebrues xiii c. Iac. The epistle of S. Iames v. ciiii Iud. The epistle of S. Iude. i. cvi Apo. The Reuelacion of S. Ihon. xxii cvi The first boke of Moses called Genesis what this boke conteyneth Chap. i. The creacion of the worlde in sixe dayes and of man Chap ii The rest of the seuenth daye The tre of knowlege of good euell is forbyddeÌ„ c. Of the creacion of Eua. Chap. iii The serpent deceaueth the woman they transgresse and are dryuen out of paradyse Chap. iiii Abels offerynge pleaseth God therfore doth his brother Cayn hate hym murthureth hym is cursed Of the chyldren of Cayn Chap. v. Of the generacion age death of AdaÌ„ Seth and his sonnes vnto Noe. Chap. vi The occasion of the floude and of the preparynge of the arcke Chap. vii Noe with his housholde is preserued in the arcke where as all the worlde perisheth thorowe the floude Chap. viii The floude abateth Noe goeth out of arcke c. Chap. ix God blesseth Noe and his sonnes forbyddeth to eate the bloude of beestes and to shed maÌ„s bloude maketh a conuenaunt and geueth the raynbowe for a token of the same that he wyll destroye the worlde no more by water Noe is dronken Ham vncouereth hym and getteth his curse Chap. x. The increace of maÌ„s generacioÌ„ by Noes thre sonnes which go abrode and begynne to buylde Chap. xi The buyldynge of the towre of Babel is hyndreth thorowe the confusyon of the tonges The generacion of Sem vntyll Abram whiche goeth with Loth vnto Haran Chap. xii Abram goeth with Loth into a straunge londe at the worde of the Lord which appeareth vnto hym in Canaan and promiseth to geue the same londe vnto his sede Afterwarde goeth Abram into Egypte and fayneth Saray to be his syster Chap. xiii Abram and Loth departe agayne out of Egypte and haue so many cattell that they can not dwell together Abram receaueth the blessynge and promes Chap. xiiii Loth is taken presoner Abram deliuereth hym Melchisedech fedeth Abram at his returnynge Abram geueth hym tythes of the spoyles and holdeth nothinge of the kynge of Sodoms goodes Chap. xv God conforteth Abram and promyseth hym sede He beleueth and is iustified Chap. xvi Sarai geueth Abram leue to take hyr mayde whiche beareth hym Ismaell Chap. xvii The coÌ„uenaunt of circumcisyon c. Chap. xviii Thre meÌ„ appeare vnto AbrahaÌ„ to whom the destruction of Sodome is declared Chap. xix Loth receaueth the two angels the men of Sodome go aboute to abuse them Loth is delyuered Sodome is destroyed Loths wyfe is turned to a pyler of salt and his doughters beare chyldren vnto hym Chap. xx Abraham departeth as a straunger in to Gerar and fayneth Sarai to be his syster the kynge taketh her and geueth hym her agayne Chap. xxi The byrth of Isaac Agar is put out with hyr sonne Abraham and Abimelech are sworne frendes Chap. xxii God tryeth Abraham whiche at his word wolde offre his owne sonne The promes is confirmed vnto hym with an ooth Chap. xxiii The death of Sara for whom Abraham byeth a pece of londe to burye her in Chap. xxiiii Abraham wyll haue his sonne to mary in his owne kynred the seruaunt bryngeth Rebecca whoÌ„ Isaac taketh to wyfe Chap. xxv Abraham begetteth mo chyldren by another wyfe geueth his good vnto Isaac and dyeth Isaac begynneth to growe Esau selleth his byrth righte Chap. xxvi Isaac goeth into Gerar fayneth Rebecca to be his syster increasseth in ryches The Philistines stoppe his welles Abimelech he are sworne frendes Chap. xxvii Iacob is blessed before Esau and Esau threateneth hym but he flyeth into Haram to Labaâ— his mothers brother Chap. xxviii Isaac sâ—ndeth Iacob awaye to mary amonge Labans doughters Iacob seyth a vision God confirmeth hym the promes made vnto AbrahaÌ„ whervpon Iacob maketh a vowe Chap. xxix Iacob geueth Labans shepe to drynkeâ— serueth seuen yeare for Rachell Lea is geuen hym yet serueth he seuen yeare mo for Rachell Chap. xxx Rachel geueth Iacob hyr mayden and so doeth Lea they beare hym chyldren his reward is appoynted with a condicion wherby he is made ryche Chap. xxxi Iacob goeth home ward Rachell stealetâ— hyr fathers ymages Laban ouertaketh them and fyndeth not his ymages they sweare together the angell meteth Iacob Chap. xxxii Iacob sendeth presentes vnto Esau Putteth God in remembraunce of his promes and wresteleth with the angell whiche chaunâ—eth his name and blesseth hym Chap. xxxiii Iacob and Esau are agreed c. Chap. xxxiiii Dyna Iacobs doughter is forced by Sychem wherof there commeth great bloud sheddynge Chap. xxxv Rachell dyeth at the byrth of Beniamin Ruben lyeth with his fathers concubyne Chap. xxxvi Of the princes that came of Esau and how Esau departeth from his brother Chap. xxxvii Ioseph is hated of his brethren and solde in to Egypte Chap. xxxviii Iuda lyeth with his doughter in lawe which beareth hym two sonnes Chap. xxxix Ioseph is beloued because he wyll not consente to the inordinate desyre of his mastresse he is put in pryson Chap. xl Ioseph expouÌ„deth the dreames of the two presoners Chap. xli Ioseph declareth Pharaos dreame and is made a Lorde of Egypte The derth begynneth Chap. xlii Iosephs brethren come in to Egypte to bye corne and are troubled of hym Chap. xliii They come agayne for corne brynge Ben-Iamyn with them and are put to more trouble Chap. xliiii As they go home he causeth theÌ„ be brought agayne and put to more feare Chap. xlv Ioseph vttereth hym selfe to his brethren and sendeth for his father Chap. xlvi Iacob commeth in to Egypte with all his people Ioseph receaueth hym Chap. xlvii Pharao geueth them the londe of Gâ—sen y e derth is great in Egypte c. Chap. xlviii Iacob is sycke blesseth Iosephs sonnes Chap. xlix Iacob before
The darcknes shal once come to an ende he can seke out the grounde of all thinges the stones the darcke the horrible shadowe w t the ryuer of water parteth he a sunder the straunge people y t knoweth no good neghbourheade soch as are rude vnmanerly boysteous He bryngeth foode out of the earth y t which is vnder consumeth he with fyre There is founde a place whose stones are clene Saphirs and where y e clottes of the earth are golde There is a waye also that the byrdes knowe not that no vulturs eye hath sene wherin y e proude hye mynded walke not where no lyon commeth There putteth he his honde vpon the stony rockes ouerthroweth the mountaynes Ryuers flowe out of the rockes loke what is pleasaunt his eye seyth it Out of droppes bryngeth he greate floudes together the thinge that is hyd bryngeth he â—o light How commeth a man then by wyszdome Where is the place that men fynde vnderstondinge Verely no man can tell how worthy a thinge she is nether is she fouÌ„de in the loÌ„de of the lyuynge The depe sayeth she is not in me The see sayeth she is not with me She can not be gotten for the most fyne golde nether maye the pryce of her be bought with eny moneye No wedges of golde of Ophir no precious Onix stones no Saphirs maye be compared vnto her No nether golde ner Christall nether swete odours ner golden plate There is nothinge so worthy or so excelleÌ„t as once to be named vnto her for parfecte wyszdome goeth farre beyonde theÌ„ all The Topas that coÌ„meth out of Inde maye in no wyse be lickened vnto her yee no maner of apparell how pleasaunt and fayre so euer it be From wheÌ„ce then commeth wyszdome where is the place of vnderstondinge She is hyd from the eyes of all men yee froÌ„ the foules of the ayre Destruccion death saie we haue herde tell of her w t oure eares But God seyth hir waie knoweth hir place For he beholdeth the endes of the worlde and loketh vpon all that is vnder the heaueÌ„ When he weyed the wyndes measured y e waters when he set the rayne in ordre and gaue the mightie floudes a lawe Then dyd he se her theÌ„ declared he her prepared her and knewe her And vnto man he sayde Beholde to feare the LORDE is wyszdome to forsake euell is vnderstondinge The XXIX Chap. SO Iob proceaded and weÌ„te forth in his communicacion sayenge O y t I were as I was in the monethes by past in the dayes wheÌ„ God preserued me when his light shyned vpon my heade wheÌ„ I wente after the same light shyne eueÌ„ thorow the darcknesse As it stode w t me wheÌ„ I was welthy had ynough wheÌ„ God prospered my house when the allmightie was with me when my housholde folkes stode aboute me wheÌ„ my wayes ranne ouer w t butter when the stony rockes gaue me ryuers of oyle when I wente thorow the cite vnto the gate wheÌ„ they set me a chayre in y e strete wheÌ„ the yonge meÌ„ as soone as they sawe me hyd theÌ„ selues when the aged arose stode vp vnto me wheÌ„ the princes left of their talkinge laied their haÌ„de to their mouth wheÌ„ the mightie kepte still their voyce and wheÌ„ their tonges cleued to the rofe of their mouthes When all they y t herde me called me happie when all they y t sawe me wysshed me good For I delyuered y e poore wheÌ„ he cried the fatherlesse y t wanted helpe He y t shulde haue bene lost gaue me a good worde y e widdowes hert praised me And why I put vpon me rightuousnes which couered me as a garmeÌ„t equite was my crowne I was an eye vnto the blynde a fote to the lame I was a father vnto the poore wheÌ„ I knew not their cause I sought it out diligeÌ„tly I brake the chaftes of y e vnrightuous plucte the spoyle out of their teth Therfore I thought verely y t I shulde haue dyed in my nest y t my dayes shulde haue bene as many as the sondes of the see For my rote was spred out by the waters syde the dew laye vpoÌ„ my corne My hono r encreased more more and my bowe was euer the stronger in my hande Vnto me men gaue eare me they regarded w t sylence they taried for my couÌ„cell Yf I had spoken they wolde haue it none other wayes my wordes were so well taken amonge theÌ„ They wayted for me as the earth doth for the rayne gaped vpon me as the grouÌ„de doth to receaue the latter shower When I laughed they knew well it was not earnest this testimony of my couÌ„tenaunce pleased theÌ„ nothinge at all When I agreed vnto their waye I was the chefe sat as a kynge amonge his seruauntes Or as one that comforteth soch as be in heuynesse The XXX Chapter BVt now they that are my inferiours yonger then I haue me in derision yee eueÌ„ they whose fathers I wolde haue thought scorne to haue set w t the dogges of my catell The power streÌ„gth of their haÌ„des might do me no good as for their age it is speÌ„t past awaye without eny profit For very misery honger they wente aboute in the wildernesse like wretches beggers pluckynge vp herbes from amonge the buszshes the Iumpers rote was their meate And when they were dryuen forth men cried after them as it had bene after a thefe Their dwellinge was beside foule brokes yee in the caues dennes of the earth VpoÌ„ the drye heeth weÌ„te they aboute crienge in the brome hilles they gathered them together They were the children of fooles vylanes which are deed awaye froÌ„ the worlde Now am I their songe am become their iestinge stocke they abhorre me they fle farre fro me stayne my face w t spetle For y e LORDE hath opened his quyuer he hath hytt me put a brydle in my mouth Vpon my right haÌ„de they rose together agaynst me they haue hurte my fete made awaye to destroye me my path haue they clene marred It was so easy for them to do me harme that they neded no man to helpe theÌ„ They fell vpon me as it had bene y e breakynge in of waters came in by heapes to destroye me Fearfulnesse is turned agaynst me Myne honoure vanâ—sheth awaye more swiftly then wynde my prosperite departeth heÌ„ce like as it were a cloude Therfore is my mynde poured full of heuynesse y e dayes of trouble haue takeÌ„ holde vpon me My bones are pearsed thorow in y e night season my synewes take no rest With all their power haue they chaunged my garmeÌ„t gyrded me therwith as it were w t a coate I am eueÌ„ as it were claye am become like aszshes dust WheÌ„ I crie vnto the thou
al people and the coueringe wherwith all Gentiles are couered As for death he shal vtterly coÌ„sume it The LORDE God shal wipe awaye the teares from all faces and take awaye the confucioÌ„ of his people thorow y e whole worlde For y e LORDE himself hath sayde it At the same tyme shal it be sayde lo this is oure God in whoÌ„ we put oure trust and he hath healed vs. This is the LORDE that we haue wayted for Let vs reioyse delyte in his health For the hoÌ„de of y e LORDE ceaseth vpoÌ„ this hil But Moab shal be throssheÌ„ downe vnder him like as the straw is trodeÌ„ vnder fete in a doÌ„ge hill For he shal stretch out his hoÌ„des vpon him like as a swimmer doth to swymme And w t the power of his hondes shal he cast downe his hie pompe As for his stroÌ„ge holdes hie walles he shal burâ—e them cast theÌ„ downe and fell theÌ„ to the grounde in to dust The xxvj Chapter THen shal this songe be sunge in the londe of Iuda We haue a stroÌ„ge citie the walles tâ—e ordinauÌ„ce shal kepe vs. OpeÌ„ y e gates y t the good people maye go in which laboureth for the treuth And thou which art the doer and hast the matter in honde shalt prouyde for peace eueÌ„ the peace y t meÌ„ hope for in the. Hope stil in the LORDE for in the LORDE God is euerlastinge streÌ„gth For why it is he y t bringeth lowe the hie mynded citesyns casteth downe the proude cities He casteth theÌ„ to the grouÌ„de yee eueÌ„ in to y e myre y t they maye be trodeÌ„ vnder the fete of the symple with the steppes of the poore Thou LORDE coÌ„sidrest the path of y e rigtuous whether it be right whether the waye of y e rightuous be right Therfore LORDE we haue a respecte vnto the waye of thy iudgmentes thy name and thy remeÌ„braunce reioyse the soule My soule lusteth after the all the night loÌ„ge my mynde haisteth frely to the. For as soone as thy iudgment is knowne to the worlde theÌ„ the inhabitours of the earth lerne rightuousnesse But the vngodly though he haue recaued grace yet lerneth he not rightuousnesse but in that place where he is punished he offendeth feareth not the glory of the LORDE LORDE they wil not se thine hie honde but they shal se it and be confounded wheÌ„ thou shalt deuoure them with the wrath of the people and with the fyre of thine enemies But vnto vs LORDE prouyde for peace for thou workest in vs all o r workes O LORDE oure God though soch lordes haue dominacion vpon vs as knowe not the yet grauÌ„te that we maye only hope in the and kepe thy name in remembraunce The malicious Tyrauntes wheÌ„ they die are nether in life nor in the resurrectioÌ„ for thou visitest theÌ„ and rootest theÌ„ out and destroyest all the memoryall of them Agayne thou increacest the people o LORDE thou increacest the people thou shalt be praysed and magnified in all y e endes of the worlde The people that seke vnto the in trouble that same aduersite which they complane of is vnto theÌ„ a chastenynge before the. Like as a wife w t childe wheÌ„ hir trauayle coÌ„meth vpoÌ„ her is ashamed crieth and suffreth the payne EueÌ„ so are we o LORDE in thy sight We are with childe we trauayle beare with the sprete we bringe forth health where thorow the earth is vndestroyed and the inhabitours of the worlde perish not But as for thy dead men and ours that be departed they are in life and resurrection They lie in the earth they wake haue ioye for y t dew is a dew of life light But y e place of the malicious Tyrauntes is falleÌ„ awaye So go now my people in to thy chaÌ„bre and shut the doore to the and suffre now y e twiÌ„cklinge of an eye till the wrath be ouerpast For beholde the LORDE wil go out of his habitacion vyset the wickednes of theÌ„ that dwell vpon earth He wil discouer the bloude that she hath deuoured she shal neuer hyde theÌ„ that she hath murthured The xxvij Chapter THen the LORDE with his heuye great and loÌ„ge swearde shal vyset LeuiathaÌ„ that invincible serpeÌ„t eueÌ„ LeuiathaÌ„ y t croked serpent and shal slaye the Wallfish in y e see At the same tyme shal meÌ„ synge of the vynyarde of Muscatel I the LORDE kepe it and water it in due season I watch daye night that no man breake in to it I beare no euel wil in my mynde Who will compell me that I greatly forgettinge all faith fulnesse shulde burne it vp at once w t thornes bushes Or who will enforce me to kepe or make peace It wil come to this poynte y t Iacob shal be rooted againe and Israel shal be grene beare floures they shal fyll y e whole worlde w t their frute Smyteth he not his smyter as euel as he is smytteÌ„ him self Destroieth he not y e murtherers as he is murthured Euery maÌ„ recoÌ„penseth w t y e measure y t he receaueth He museth vpoÌ„ his sore wynde as vpoÌ„ the dayes of extreme heate And therfore shal the iniquite of Iacob be thus reconciled And so shal he take awaye all y e frute of his synnes As for aulter stones he shal make them all as stones beaten to poulder the Groues and Idols shal not stonde The stronge cities shal be desolate and y e fayre cities shal be left like a wildernes The catel shal fede and lie there and the shepe shal eate it vp Their haruest shal be brent their wyues which were their bewtie when they came forth shal be defyled For it is a people without vnderstoÌ„dinge and therfore he y t created them shal not fauoure them and he y t made them shal not be merciful to theÌ„ In y t tyme shal y e LORDE shute from y e swifte water of Euphrates vnto y e ryuer of Egipte And there shal the children be chosen out one by one Then shal the greate trompet be blowen so that those which haue bene destroyed in the Assirians londe and those that be scatred abrode in Egipte shal come worshipe the LORDE at IerusaleÌ„ vpoÌ„ the holy mount The xxviij Chapter WO be to y e crowne of pryde to y e dronkeÌ„ Ephraemites and to the faydinge floure to the glory of his poÌ„pe y t is vpoÌ„ the toppe of the pleÌ„teous valley which meÌ„ be ouerladen w t wyne Beholde the strength and power of the LORDE shal breake in to the londe on euery syde like a tempest of hale that beareth downe stronge holdes and like an horrible mightie and ouer flowinge water And the proude crowne of the dronken Ephraemites shal be troden vnderfoote And as for the faydinge floure the glory of his pompe which is vpon the toppe of the plenteous valley
remayne And after seueÌ„ dayes the worlde that yet awaketh not shal be raysed vp shal dye corrupte And the earth shal restore those that haue slepte in her and so shall the dust those that dwell in syleÌ„ce and the secrete places shal delyuer those that be committed vnto them And yeâ—ost hyest shal be openly declared vpon the seate of iudgment all misery shal vanysh awaye and loÌ„ge suffringe shal be gathered together But the iudgment shall contynue y e trueth shal remayne and faith shal waxe stroÌ„ge the worke shal folowe and the rewarde shall be shewed the righteousnesses shall watch and the vnrighteousnesses shall beare no rule Then sayde I Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites Moses for the fathers y t synned in the wyldernes he y t came after him for Israel in y e tyme of Achas and Samuel and Dauid for y e destruccion and Salomon for them that came in to the Sanctuary Helias for those that receaued rayne and for the deed that he might lyue and Ezechias for y e people in the tyme of Senna cherib dyuerse other in like maner which haue prayed for many EueÌ„ so now seynge y e corrupte is growne vp and wickednes increased and the righteous haue prayed for the vngodly wherfore shal it not be so now also He answered me and sayde This present worlde is not y e ende there remayneth moch honoure in it therfore haue they prayed for the weake But the daye of dome shal be the ende of this tyme and y e begynnynge of the immortalite for to come wherin all corrupcion vanysheth all volupteousnes is lowsed all myszbeleue taken awaye righteousnes growne and the verite spronge vp Then shall no man be able to saue him that is destroyed ner to oppresse him y t hath gotteÌ„ y e victory I answered theÌ„ sayde This is my first last sayenge y t it had bene better not to haue geuen the earth vnto Adam or els whan it was geueÌ„ him to kepe him that he shulde not synne For what profit is it for men now in this present tyme to lyue in heuynes after death to loke for punyszment O thou AdaÌ„ what hast thou done For though it was thou y t synned thou art not falleÌ„ alone but we all y t come of the. For what profit is it vnto vs yf there be promysed vs an immortall tyme where as we medle w t deadly workes that there is promysed vs an euerlastinge hope where as we o r selues are euell vayne y t there are layed vp for vs dwellynges of health fredome where as we haue lyued euell and that the worshipe of y e Hyest is kepte to defende them which haue led a pacient life where as we haue walked in y e most wicked wayes of all and that there shal be shewed a paradyse whose frute endureth for euer wherin is fredome and medycyne where as we shal not go in for we haue walked in vnpleasaunt places And that the faces of them which haue absteyned shal shyne aboue the starres where as oure faces shal be black and darcke For whyle we lyued and dyd vnrighteously we considered not that we shulde suffre therfore after death TheÌ„ answered he me and sayde This is the consideracion thought of the battayl which man hath vpon earth that yf he be ouercome he shall suffre as thou hast sayde But yf he gett the victory he shall receaue the thinge that I saye For this is the life wherof Moses spake vnto the people whyle he lyued sayenge Chose the life that thou mayest lyue Neuertheles they beleued him not nether the prophetes after him No ner me which haue spoken vnto them that heuynes shulde not reach vnto them to their destruccion like as ioye is for to come ouer those that haue suffred theÌ„ selues to be enfourmed in saluacion I answered then sayde I knowe LORDE that the Hyest is mercyfull in y t he hath mercy vpon them which are not yet in the worlde and vpon those also that walke in his lawe and that he is pacient and longe sufferinge towarde those that haue synned in their workes and that he is liberall to geue where as it requyreth and that he is of greate mercy for he multiplieth his louynge kyndnesses towarde those that are present and that are past and to them which are for to come For yf he multiplie not his mercies the worlde shal not be made lyuynge with those that dwell therin He geueth also for yf he gaue not of his goodnesse that they which haue done euell might be eased the ten thousande parte of men shulde not be made lyuynge And yf the iudge forgaue not those y t be healed with his worde and yf he wolde destroye y e multitude that stryueth there shulde be very few left in an innumerable multitude The VIII Chapter ANd he answered me sayeÌ„ge The most hyest made this worlde for many but the worlde to come for few I wyl tell the a symilitude Eszdras As whan thou axest the earth it shal saye vnto the that it geueth moch moulde wherof erthen vessels are made but litle of it y t golde coÌ„meth of Euen so is it with the worke of this worlde There be many created but few shall be preserued Then answered I sayde Then swalowe vp the witt thou soule and deuoure the vnderstondinge for thou art agreed to herken and to geue eare and wyllinge to prophecie for thou hast no longer space geuen the but only to lyue O LORDE wilt thou not geue thy seruaunt leue y t we maye praye before the and that thou mayest geue sede vnto oure hert and buylde oure vnderstondinge that there maye come frute of it and that euery one which is corrupte and beareth the state and place of a man maye lyue For thou art alone and we all are one workmanshipe of thy handes like as thou hast sayde and like as the body is fashioned now in the childeszbed and thou geuest the membres and thy creature is preserued in fyre and water ix monethes doth thy worke suffre thy creature which is fashioned in her but the thinge that preserueth and it y t is preserued shal both be kepte together whan tyme is the childeszbedd delyuereth y e thinge that is kepte and growne in her For thou hast commaunded the brestes to geue mylck vnto the frute that the thinge which is created and fashioned maye be norished for a tyme and then thou disposest and ordrest it with thy mercy bryngest it vp with thy righteousnes nurturest it in thy lawe and refourmest it with thy vnderstondinge mortifiest it as thy creature and makest it lyuynge as thy worke Seinge then that thou destroyest him which w t so greate labours is created and fashioned thorow thy commaundement thou coudest lyghtly ordene also that the thinge which is made might be preserued And this I speake now of all men in generall as thou knowest
ye haue beleued shall be preserued from the saide parels and shal se my sauioure in my londe and within my borders for I haue halowed me from the worlde Then shall they be in carefulnesse which now haue abused my waies and they that haue cast them out despytefully shall dwell in paynes For soch as in their life haue receaued benefites and haue not knowne me and they that haue abhorred my lawe whyle they had yet fredome and whan they had yet open rowme of amendemēt and conuersion vnderstode not but despysed it y e same must knowe it after death in payne And therfore be thou nomore carefull how the vngodly shal be punyshed how the righteous shal be saued and whose the worlde is and for whom the worlde and whan it is Then answered I and sayde I haue talked before now I speake and wyl speake also herafter that there be many moo of them which perish then shal be saued like as the floude is greater then the droppes And he answered me sayenge like as the felde is so is also the sede as the floures be so are the colours also soch as the workman is soch is also y e worke and as the huszband man is himself so is his huszbandrye also for it was the tyme of the worlde And whan I prepared for them that are now or euer the worlde was made wher in they shulde dwel then was there no man that withstode me Now whan euery one was and the maker also in the worlde which is now prepared and the moneth that ceaseth not and the lawe which is vnsearcheable their maners were corrupte So I considered the worlde and beholde there was parell because of y e thoughtes that were come in to it And I sawe and spared thē greatly and haue kepte me a wynebery of the grapes and a plante from amonge many generacions Let the multitude perish thē which are growne vp in vayne and let my grape wynebery be kepte euen my plante for with greate laboure haue I made it vp Neuertheles yf thou wilt take vpon the yet seuen dayes mo but thou shalt not fast in them go thy waye then in to y e felde of floures where no house is buylded and eate onely of the floures of the felde taist not flesh drinke no wine but eate floures onely Praye vnto the Hyest contynually so will I come and talke with the. So I wente my waye and came in to the felde which is called Ardath like as he commaunded me and there I sat amonge y e floures and ate of the herbes of the felde and y e meate of the same satisfied me After seuen dayes I sat vpon the grasse my hert was vexed within me like as afore and I opened my mouth and beganne to talke before the Hyest and saide O LORDE thou y t shewest thy self vnto vs thou hast declared and opened thy self vnto oure fathers in the wyldernes in a place where no man dwelleth in a baren place whan they came out of Egipte and thou spakest sayēge Heare me O Israel and marke my wordes thou sede of Iacob Beholde I sowe my lawe in you and it shal brynge frute in you ye shal be honoured in it for euer For oure fathers which receaued the lawe kepte it not and obserued not thy ordinaunces and statutes the frute of y e lawe was not declared for it might not for why it was thine For they that receaued it perished because they kepte not y e thinge that was sowne in them It is a custome whan the grounde receaueth sede or the see a shipp or a vessell meate and drynke that whan it perisheth or is broken wherin a thinge is sowne or wherin eny thinge is put the thinges also perishe are broken which are sowne or putt therin But vnto vs it hath not happened so for we y t haue receaued the lawe perish in synne and oure hert also which receaued the lawe notwithstondinge the lawe perisheth not but remayneth in his laboure And whan I considered these thinges in my hert after this maner I loked aboute me with myne eyes and vpon the right syde I sawe a woman which mourned sore made greate lamentacion and wepte with loude voyce hir clothes were rent in peces she had aszshes vpon hir heade Thē let I my thoughtes go y t I was in turned me vnto her sayde wherfore wepest thou why art thou so sory discomforted And she sayde vnto me Syr let me bewayle myself take yet more sorowe for I am sore vexed in my mynde brought very lowe And I saide vnto her what ayleth y t Or who hath done eny thinge to y e tell me She sayde I haue bene vnfrutefull and baren and haue had an huszband thirtie yeares And these xxx yeares I do nothinge els daye and night and all houres but make my prayer to y e Hyest After thirtie yeares God herde me thy handmayden loked vpon my misery considred my trouble and gaue me a sonne and I was glad of him so was my huszbād also and all my neghbours and we gaue greate honoure vnto y e Mightie And I norished him with greate trauayle So whan he grewe vp came to the tyme that he shulde haue a wife I made a feast The X. Chapter ANd it happened that whan my sonne wente in to his chamber he fell downe and dyed thē ouethrew we all the lightes and all my neghbours rose vp to cōforte me Thē toke I my rest vnto the secōde daye at night whan they had all rested y t they might comforte me I rested also and rose vp by night and fled and am come hither in to this felde as thou seist and am purposed not to come in the cite but to remayne here and nether to eate ner drynke but continually to mourne and to fast vntill I dye Then let I my meditacions and thoughtes fall that I was in and spake to her in displeasure Thou foolish woman seist thou not oure heuynes and mournynge and what happeneth vnto vs how Sion o r mother is all wofull and sory and how she is cleane brought downe and in misery seinge we be all now in heuynes make oure mone for we be all soroufull As for the heuynes that thou takest it is but for one sonne Demaunde the earth and she shal tell the that it is she which ought by reason to mourne for the fall of so many that growe vpon her For from the begynnynge all men are borne of her other shal come and beholde they walke allmost all into destruccion and many of them shal be roted out Who shulde then by reason make more mournynge then she that hath lost so greate a multitude and not thou which art sory but for one But yf thou woldest saye vnto me My mournynge is not like the mournynge of the earth for I haue lost the frute of my body which I
wildernesse Moses intreateth for the people Chap. XIX Like as the wicked are euer synnynge more and more so doth the wrath of God neuer ceasse tyll they be destroyed Of them that were punyshed in the tyme of Loth. The first Chapter O Set youre affeccion vpoÌ„ wyszdome ye that be iudges of the earth Haue a good opinion of the LORDE seke him in the synglenesse of hert For he will be fouÌ„de of them that tempte him not and appeareth vnto soch as put their trust in him As for frowarde thoughtes they separate from God but vertue yf it be alowed refourmeth y e vnwyse And why wyszdome shall not entre in to a frowarde soule ner dwell in the body that is subdued vnto synne For the holy goost abhorreth fayned nurtoure withdraweth himself froÌ„ y e thoughtes that are without vnderstondinge where wickednes hath the vpper haÌ„de he flieth from thence For the sprete of wyszdome is louynge gentle and gracious and wil haue no pleasure in him that speaketh euell with his lippes For God is a witnesse of his reynes a true searcher out of his hert and an hearer of his tonge For the sprete of y e LORDE fylleth the rounde compasse of the worlde and y e same that vpholdeth all thinges hath knowlege also of the voyce Therfore he that speaketh vnrighteous thinges can not be hydd nether maye he escape the iudgmeÌ„t of reprofe And why inquysicion shal be made for the thoughtes of the vngodly and the reporte of his wordes shal come vnto God so that his wickednes shal be punished For the eare of gelousy heareth all thinges and the noyse of the grudginges shal not be hydd Therfore bewarre of murmuringe which is nothinge worth and refrayne youre tonge from slauÌ„der For there is no worde so darck and secrete that it shall go for naught and the mouth that speaketh lyes slayeth the soule O seke not youre owne death in y e erroure of youre life destroye not youre selues thorow the workes of youre awne handes For God hath not made death nether hath he pleasure in the destruccion of the lyuynge For he created all thinges that they might haue their beynge yee all the people of the earth hath he made that they shulde haue health that there shulde be no destruccion in them and that the kyngdome of hell shulde not be vpon earth for righteousnesse is euerlastinge and immortall but vnrighteousnes bringeth death Neuerthelesse the vngodly call her vnto them both w t wordes workes whyle they thinke to haue a frende of her they come to naught for the vngodly that are confederate with her and take hir parte are worthy of death The II. Chapter FOr y e vngodly talke ymagin thus amonge them selues but not right The tyme of oure life is but short tedious when a man is once gone he hath nomore ioye ner pleasure nether knowe we eny man y t turneth agayne from death for we are borne of naught we shal be herafter as though we had neuer bene For oure breth is as a smoke in oure nostrels y e wordes as a sparck to moue oure herte As for o r body it shal be very aszshes y t are queÌ„ched o r soule shal vanish as y e soft ayre Oure life shall passe awaye as y e trace of a cloude come to naught as y e myst y t is dryueÌ„ awaye w t the beames of y e Sonne put downe w t the heate therof Oure name also shal be forgotten by litle litle no man shal haue oure workes in remembraunce For o r tyme is a very shadow y t passeth awaye after o r ende there is no returnynge for it is fast sealed so y t no maÌ„ coÌ„meth agayne Come on therfore let vs enioye y e pleasures y t there are let vs soone vse y e creature like as in youth We wil fyll oure selues w t good wyne oyntment there shal no floure of the tyme go by vs. We wil crowne o r selues w t roses afore they be wythered There shal be no fayre medowe but o r lust shall go thorow it Let euery one of you be partaker of oure volupteousnes Let vs leaue some token of o r pleasure in euery place for y t is oure porcion els gett we nothinge Let vs oppresse the poore righteous let vs not spare the wyddowe ner olde man let vs not regarde y e heades y t are gray for age Let y e lawe of vnrighteousnesse be oure auctorite for y e thinge y t is feble is nothinge worth Therfore let vs defraude the righteous whyâ—he is not for o r profit yee he is cleane coÌ„trary to o r doinges He checketh vs for offendinge agaynst y e lawe slaundreth vs as transgressours of all nurtor. He maketh his boost to haue y e knowlege of God yee he calleth him self Gods sonne He is the bewrayer of oure thoughtes It greueth vs also to loke vpon him for his lyfe is not lyke other mens his wayes are of another fashion He counteth vs but vayne personnes he w t draweth him self from o r wayes as from fylthynes he coÌ„mendeth greatly y e latter ende of the iust maketh his boast y t God is his father Let vs se then yf his wordes be true let vs proue what shal come vpon him so shal we knowe what ende he shal haue For yf he be y e true sonne of God he will receaue him delyuer him from the handes of his enemies Let vs examen him with despitefull rebuke and tormentinge that we maye knowe his dignite proue his pacience Let vs condemne him with the most shamefull death for like as he hath spoken so shal he be rewarded Soch thinges do the vngodly ymagin go astraye for their owne wickednes hath blynded them As for the misteries of God they vnderstonde them not they nether hope for the rewarde of righteousnesse ner regarde the worshipe that holy soules shall haue For God created man to be vndestroied yee after the ymage of his awne licknesse made he him Neuerthelesse thorow envye of the deuell came death in to the worlde and they that holde of his syde do as he doth The III. Chapter BVt the soules of y e righteous are in y e hande of God y e payne of death shal not touch theÌ„ In y e sight of the vnwyse they appeare to dye their ende is takeÌ„ for very destruccion The waye of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruccion but they are in rest And though they suffre payne before men yet is their hope full of immortalite They are punished but in few thinges neuerthelesse in many thinges shal they be well rewarded For God proueth them fyndeth theÌ„ mete for himself yee as the golde in the fornace doth he trye them receaueth them as a brent
pleasure of his goodes There is no thinge worse then whan one disfauoureth himself this is a rewarde of his wickednes Yf he do eny good he doth it not knowinge therof and agaynst his will and at the last he declareth his vngraciousnes A nygarde hath a wicked eye he turneth awaye his face and despyseth his owne soule A couetous mans eye hath neuer ynough in the porcion of wickednes vntyll the tyme that he wither awaye and haue lost his owne soule A wicked eye spareth bred there is scarcenesse vpō his table My sonne do good to y e self of y t thou hast geue y e LORDE his due offeringes Remembre y t death tarieth not how y t the couenaunt of the graue is shewed vnto the for the couenaunt of this worlde shal dye the death Do good vnto y t frende before thou dye and acordinge to thy abylite reach out thine hande and geue vnto y e poore Be not dispoynted of y e good daye let not y e porcion of y e good daie ouerpas the. Shalt thou not leaue thy trauayles and labours vnto other men In the deuydinge of the heretage geue and take and sanctifie thy soule Worke thou righteousnes before thy death for in y e hell there is no meate to fynde All flesh shal fade awaye like grasse like a florishinge leaf in a grene tre Some growe some are cast downe euen so is y e generacion of flesh and bloude one commeth to an ende another is borne All transitory thinges shall fayle at the last and the worker therof shal go withall Euery chosen worke shall be iustified and he y t medleth withall shal haue honoure therin Blessed is the man y t kepeth him in wyszdome and exercyseth himself in vnderstandinge with discrecion shal he thinke vpon the fore knowlege of God Which considereth y e wayes of wyszdome in his hert hath vnderstandinge in hir secretes goeth after her as one that seketh hir out contynueth in hir wayes He loketh in at hir windowes herkeneth at hir dores He taketh his rest besyde hir house festeneth his stake in hir walles He shall pitch his tent nye vnto hir hande and in his tent shal good thinges rest for euermore He shal sett his children vnder hir coueringe shal dwell vnder hir braunches Vnder hir coueringe shal he be defended from the heate and in hir glory shall he rest The XV. Chapter HE that feareth God wil do good and who so kepeth the lawe shal optayne wyszdome As an honorable mother shal she mete him and as a vyrgin shall she receaue him With y e bred of life and vnderstandinge shall she fede him and geue him the water of wholsome wyszdome to drynke Yf he be constant in her he shall not be moued and yf he holde him fast by her he shal not come to cōfucion She shall brynge him to honoure amonge his neghbours and in the myddest of the congregacion shall she open his mouth With the sprete of wyszdome and vnderstādinge shal she fyll him and clothe him with the garment of glory She shal heape the treasure of myrth ioye vpō him and geue him an euerlastinge name to heretage Foolish men wyll not take holde vpon her but soch as haue vnderstandinge wil mete her for she is farre from pryde and disceate Men that go aboute with lyes wil not remembre her but men of trueth shall be founde in her euen vnto the beholdinge of God Prayse is not semely in the mouth of y e vngodly for he is not sent of y e LORDE For of God commeth wyszdome the prayse shall stonde by the wyszdome of God and shal be plenteous in a faithfull mouth and the LORDE shal geue her vnto him Saye not thou It is the LORDES faute that I am gone by for thou shalt not do y e thinge that God hateth Saye not thou he hath caused me to go wronge for he hath no nede of the vngodly God hateth all abhominacion of erroure they that feare God wyl loue no soch God made man from the begynnynge left him in the hande of his councell He gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes yf thou wilt obserue the commaundementes kepe acceptable faithfulnes for euer they shal preserue ye. He hath set water and fyre before the reach out thine hande vnto which thou wilt Before man is life and death good and euell loke what him liketh shal be geuen him For the wyszdome of God is greate and mightie in power and beholdeth all men contynually The eyes of the LORDE are vpon them that feare him and he knoweth all the workes of man ▪ He hath commaūded no man to do vngodly nether hath he geuen eny man leue to synne The XVI Chapter DElyte not thou in the multitude of vngodly children and haue no pleasure in them yf they feare not God Trust not thou to their life and regarde not their labours for one sonne y t feareth God is better thē a thousande vngodly And better it is for a man to dye without childrē thē to leaue behynde him soch children as are vngodly For by one y t hath vnderstandinge maye a whole cite be vpholden but though the vngodly be many yet shal it be waysted thorow them Many soch thinges hath myne eye sene and greater thinges then these haue I herde with myne eares In the congregacion of the vngodly shal a fyre burne amonge vnfaithfull people shal the wrath be kyndled The olde giaūtes optayned no grace for their synnes which were destroyed trustinge to their owne strēgth Nether spared he them amōge whom Loth was a straunger but smote them and abhorred them because of the pryde of their wordes He had no pitie vpō them but destroyed all the people that were so stoute in synne And for so moch as he ouersawe not the sixe hundreth thousande that gathered them selues together in y e hardnesse of their hert it were maruell yf one beynge hardnecked shulde be fre For mercy wrath is with him he is both mightie to forgeue and to poure out displeasure Like as his mercy is greate euē so is his punyshment also he iudgeth a man acordinge to his workes The vngodly shal not escape in his spoyle and the longe pacience of him that sheweth mercy shal not byde behynde All mercy shall make place vnto euery man acordinge to the deseruynge of his workes and after the vnderstandinge of his pilgremage Saye not thou I wyl hyde my self from God for who wyl thinke vpon me from aboue I shal not be knowne in so greate a heape of people for what is my soule amonge so many creatures Beholde the heauen yee the heauen of heauens the depe the earth and all that therin is shall be moued at his presence the mountaynes the hilles and the foundacions of the earth shal shake for feare whan God vysiteth them These
I shal destroye this dragon without swearde or staff The kynge sayde I geue y e leaue Then Daniel toke pitch fatte and hairie woll and did seyth them together and made lompes therof this he put in y e DragoÌ„s mouth and so y e dragon barst in sonder and Daniel sayde lo there is he whom ye worshipped When they of Babylon herde that they toke greate indignacion and gathered them together agaynst the kynge sayenge The kynge is become a Iewe also he hath destroyed Bel he hath slayne y e Dragon and put the prestes to death So they came to y e kynge sayde let us haue Daniel or els we wâ—l destroye the and thine house Now whan y e kynge sawe that they russhed in so sore vpon him that necessite constrained him he deliuered Daniel vnto them which cast him in to the lyons denne where he was sixe dayes In the denne there were seuen lyons and they had geuen them euery daye two bodies and two shepe which then were not geueÌ„ them that they might deuoure Daniel There was in Iewry a prophet called Abacuc which had made potage and broker bred in a depe platter and was goinge in to the felde for to brynge it to y e mowers But the angell of the LORDE sayde vnto Abacuc go cary the meate that thou hast in to Babilon vnto Daniel which is in y e lyoÌ„s denne And Abacuc sayde LORDE I neuer sawe Babilon and as for the denne I knowe it not Then the angel of the LORDE toke him by the toppe and bare him by the hayre of the heade and thorow a mightie wynde set him in Babilon vpon the denne And Abacuc cried sayenge O Daniel thou seruaunt of God haue take the breakfast y t God hath sent ye. And Daniel saide O God hast thou thought vpon me wel thou neuer faylest them that loue the. So Daniel arose ate and the angel of the LORDE set Abacuc in his owne place agayne immediatly Vpon the seuenth daye the kynge wente to bewepe Daniel and whan he came to the denne he loked in and beholde Daniel sat in the myddest of the lyons Then cried y e kynge with a loude voyce sayenge Greate art thou o LORDE God of Daniel he drewe him out of the denne As for those that were y e cause of his destruccioÌ„ he dyd cast theÌ„ in to the denne and they were deuoured in a moment before his face After this wrote the kynge vnto all people kynreddes and tunges that dwelt in all countrees sayenge peace be multiplied with you My commaundement is in all the dominyon of my realme that men feare and stonde in awe of Daniels God for he is the lyuynge God which endureth euer his kyngdome abydeth vncorrupte and his power is euerlastinge It is he that can delyuer and saue he doth wonders and maruelous workes in heauen and in earth for he hath saued Daniel from the power of the Lyons The ende of the Storye of Bel. The first boke of the Machabees What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Of the power of Alexander kynge of Macedonia Of certayne vnfaithfull Israelites Of the greate tyranny of Antiochus how miserably he destroyeth IerusaleÌ„ which God suffreth to be plaged because they haue forsaken him Chap. II. How feruently Matathias and his sonnes stryue for the honoure of God and welfare of the people How swetely he exorteth his sonnes eueÌ„ in the houre of his death to be sted fast in the lawe of God Chap. III. Of Iudas Machabeus that worthy captayne and of his noble actes agaynst Antiochus Chap. IIII. V Of the glorious victory that God gaue Iudas against Gorgias and Lisias how they wynne the cite and clense the temple agayne how they fyght afterwarde against the Heithen Chap. VI. Antiochus besegeth Elymas in Persia Iudas layeth sege to the castelar Ierusalem the kynge goeth aboute to helpe theÌ„ that are therin Chap. VII The tyranny of Demetrius They take truce with the people of God kepe it not Chap. VIII Iudas hearinge how reasonable the Romaynes are seketh for to make peace with them Chap. IX How Iudas was slaine in the bataill and how there came vp derth after his death Ionathas was captayne after him and gatt the victory of Bachides Chap. X. Of AlexaÌ„der the sonne of Antiochus Demetrius maketh peace with Ionathas so doth Alexander afterwarde Ptolomy geueth his doughter Cleopatra vnto AlexaÌ„der Demetrius defyeth Ionathas Chap. XI Ptolomy ryseth agaynst Alexander and Ionathas and promyseth to geue Demetrius his daughter whom he had geuen allredy vnto Alexander The death of Alexander and Ptolomy â–ª the raigne of Demetrius Demetrius and Ionathas are frendes Alexanders sonne taketh the kyngdome vpon him Chap. XII The Iewes wryte vnto the Romaynes and Sparcians to renue the olde frendshipe Triphon receaueth Ionathas with fayre wordes and then causeth him and his to be slayne Chap. XIII After the death of Ionathas is Symon his brother made Captaine of the people which goeth forth agaynst Triphon and burieth his brother Triphon slayeth Antiochus haynously Symon maketh peace with Demetrius and layeth sege to Gaza Chap. XIIII Demetrius seketh helpe against TriphoÌ„ Demetrius is takeÌ„ Peace in Iewry SimoÌ„ ruleth well The Romaines and they of Sparta renue the peace with Symon Chap. XV. Antiochus wryteth louyngly vnto the Iewes and persecuteth Triphon He breaketh the bonde with the Iewes Chap. XVI The faithfulnes of SymoÌ„ his sonnes Ptolomy szlayeth them disceatfully and betrayeth the londe The first Chapter AFter that Alexander the sonne of Philippe kynge of Macedonia wente forth of the londe of Cethim and slewe Darius kynge of the PersiaÌ„s and Meedes It happened that he toke greate warres in honde wanne very many stronge cities and slew many kinges of y e earth goinge thorow to y e endes of the worlde and gettinge many spoyles of the people In so moch y t the worlde stode in greate awe of him therfore was he proude in his herte Now wheÌ„ he had gathered a mightie stroÌ„ge hoost subdued y e loÌ„des and people with their prynces so that they became tributaries vnto hiÌ„ he fell sick And wheÌ„ he perceaued that he must nedes die he called for his noble estates which had bene brought vp with him of children parted his kyngdome amonge them whyle he was yet alyue So AlexaÌ„der raygned xij yeare and then dyed After his death fell the kyngdome vnto his prynces and they optayned it euery one in his rowme and caused them selues to be crowned as kynges and so dyd their childreÌ„ after them many yeares moch wickednesse increaced in the worlde Out of these came y t vngracious rote noble Antiochus y e sonne of Antiochus the kynge which had bene a pledge at Rome he raigned in y e Cxxxvij yeare of the raigne of the Grekes In those dayes weÌ„te there out of Israel wicked men which moued moch people w t their couÌ„cel sayeÌ„ge Let
might be disceaued by this meanes also shulde I defyle myne age make it abhominable For though I were now delyuered from the tormentes of men yet shulde I not escape the honde of allmightie God nether alyue ner deed Wherfore I will dye manfully do as it becommeth myne age Wherby I maie peraduenture leaue an exāple of stedfastnesse for soch as be yonge yf I w t a ready mynde manfully dye an honest death for the most worthy and holy lawes When he had sayde these wordes immediatly he was drawen to the tormēte Now they that led him and were mylde a litle afore beganne to take displeasure because of the wordes y t he sayde for they thought he had spokē them of an hye mynde But whē he was in his martirdome he mourned and sayde Thou O LORDE which hast the holy knowlege knowest openly that where as I might be delyuered frō death I suffre these sore paynes of my body but in my mynde I am wel contente to suffre them because I feare the. Thus this man dyed leauynge y e memoriall of his death for an example not only vnto yonge men but vnto all y e people to be stedfast and manly The VII Chapter IT happened also that there were vij brethren with their mother taken compelled by the kynge agaynst the lawe to eate swynes flesh namely w t scourges and lethren whippes And one of them which was y e chefe sayde What sekest thou and what requyrest thou of vs As for vs we are ready rather to suffre death then to offende the lawes of God and the fathers Then was the kynge angrie and bad heare cauldrons and brasen pottes Which when they were made hote immediatly he commaunded y e tonge of him that spake first to be cut out to pull the skynne ouer his heade to payre of the edges of his handes and fete yee and that in the sight of his mother and the other of his brethren Now when he was cleane marred he commaunded a fyre to be made so whyle there was eny breath in him to be fryed in the caudron In the which when he had bene longe payned the other brethren with their mother exorted him to dye manfully sayēge The LORDE God shal regarde the treuth and comforte vs like as Moses testifieth and declareth in his songe sayenge and he wyl haue compassion on his seruauntes So whē the first was deed after this maner they brought the seconde to haue him in derision pulled the skynne with the hayre ouer his heade and axed him yf he wolde eate swynes flesh or he were payned in y e other membres also thorow out his body But he answered boldly and sayde I will not do it And so was he tormented like as y e first And whē he was euē at y e geuinge vp of y e goost he sayde Thou most vngracious personne puttest vs now to death but the kynge of y e worlde shall rayse vs vp which dye for his lawes in y e resurreccion of euerlastinge life After him was the thirde had in derision and when he was requyred he putt out his tonge and that right soone holdinge forth his hondes manfully and spake with a stedfast faith These haue I of heauē but now for the lawe of God I despyse them for my trust is that I shall receaue them of him agayne In so moch that the kynge and they which were with him marueled at the yonge mans boldnesse that he nothinge regarded the paynes Now when he was deed also they vexed the fourth with tormentes in like maner So when he was now at his death he sayde It is better that we beynge put to death of mē haue oure hope and trust in God for he shal rayse vs vp agayne As for the thou shalt haue no resurreccion to life And when they had spoken to the fifth they tormēted him Then loked he vnto y e kinge sayde Thou hast power amōge mē for thou art a mortall man also y i self to do what thou wilt but thinke not y t God hath forsaken o r generacion Abyde the tary styll a whyle thou shalt se the greate power of God how he wil punysh the thy sede After him they brought the sixte which beynge at the poynte of death sayde Be not disceaued o kynge for this we suffre for oure owne sakes because we haue offended oure God therfore marvelous thinges are shewed vpon vs. But thinke not thou which takest in honde to stryue agaynst God that thou shalt escape vnpunyshed This excellent mother worthy to be well reported of and had in remembraunce sawe hir seuen sonnes dye in one daye and suffred it paciētly because of the hope that she had in God Yee she exorted euery one of them in especiall and that boldly and stedfastly w t parfite wyszdome wakynge vp hir wyuysh thought with a manly stomacke and sayde vnto them I can not tell how ye came in my wombe for I nether gaue you breth ner soule no ner life It is not I y t ioyned y t mēbres of yo bodies together but y e maker of y e worlde which fashioned y e byrth of mā begāne all thinges Euen he also of his owne mercy shall geue you breath and life agayne like as ye now regarde not youre owne selues for his lawes sake Now thought Antiochus that she had despysed him therfore he let her go with hir reproues and beganne to exorte the yongest sonne which yet was left not only w t wordes but swore vnto him w t an ooth y t he shulde make him a rich welthy man yf he wolde forsake y e lawes of his fathers yee and y t he shulde geue him what so euer were necessary for him But whē the yonge man wolde not be moued for all these thinges he called his mother counceled her to saue hir sonnes life And when he had exorted her with many wordes she promised him that she shulde speake vnto hir sonne So she turned her vnto him laughinge y e cruell tyraunte to scorne spake w t a boylde voyce O my sonne haue pite vpon me y t bare y e ix monethes in my wombe that gaue the sucke norished the and brought the vp vnto this age I beseke the my sonne loke vpon heauen and earth and all that is therin and considre that God made them and mans generacion of naught so shalt thou not feare this hangman but suffre death stedfastly like as thy brethren haue done that I maye receaue the agayne in the same mercy with thy brethren Whyle she was yet speakynge these wordes the yonge man sayde Whom loke ye for ▪ Wherfore do ye tary I wil not obeye the kynges commaundement but the lawe that God gaue vs by Moses As for the that ymaginest all myschefe agaynst the Iewes thou shalt not escape the honde of God for we suffre these thinges because of oure synnes And though
syngle all thy body shal be full of light but yf thine eye be wicked then shal all thy body be full of darcknesse Take hede therfore that the light which is in the be not darcknesse Yf thy body now be light so that it haue no parte of darknesse then shal it be all full of light and shall light the euen as a cleare lightenynge But whyle he yet spake a certayne Pharise prayed him that he wolde dyne with him And he wente in and sat him downe at the table Whan the Pharise sawe that he marueyled that he waszhed not first before dyner But the LORDE sayde vnto him Now do ye Pharises make cleane the out syde of the cuppe and platter but youre inwarde partes are full of robbery and wickednesse Ye fooles is a thinge made cleane within because the outsyde is clensed Neuertheles geue almesse of that ye haue and beholde all is cleane vnto you But wo vnto you Pharises ye that tythe mynt and rewe and all maner herbes and passe ouer iudgmēt and y e loue of God These ought to haue bene done and not to leaue the other vndone Wo vnto you Pharises for ye loue to syt vppermost in the synagoges and to be saluted in the market Wo vnto you scrybes and Pharyses ye ypocrites for ye are like couered sepulcres where ouer men walke and are not awarre of them Then answered one of the scrybes and sayde vnto him Master with these wordes thou puttest vs to rebuke also But he saide And wo vnto you also ye scrybes for ye lade men with vntollerable burthens and ye youre selues touch them not with one of yo fyngers Wo vnto you for ye buylde the sepulcres of the prophetes but youre fathers put them to death Doutles ye beare wytnesse and consente vnto the dedes of yo fathers for they slewe them and ye buylde their sepulcres Therfore sayde the wyszdome of God I wil sende prophetes and Apostles vnto thē and some of them shal they put to death and persecute that the bloude of all the prophetes which hath bene shed sens the foundacion of the worlde was layed maye be requyred of this generacion from the bloude of Abell vnto y e bloude of Zachary which perished betwene the altare and y e temple Yee I saye vnto you it shal be requyred of this generacion Wo vnto you scrybes for ye haue receaued y e keye of knowlege Ye are not come in youre selues and haue forbydden them that wolde haue bene in Whan he spake thus vnto them the scrybes and Pharyses beganne to preasse sore vpon him and to stoppe his mouth with many questions and layed wayte for him and sought to hunte out some thinge out of his mouth that they might accuse him The XII Chapter THere were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people in so moch that they trode one another Then beganne he and sayde first vnto his disciples Bewarre of the leuen of the Pharises which is ypocrisye But there is nothinge hyd that shal not be discouered nether secrete that shal not be knowne Therfore what soeuer ye haue spokē in darknesse that same shal be herde in light and that ye haue spoken in to the eare in the chābers shal be preached vpon the house toppes But I saye vnto you my frendes Be not afrayed of them that kyll the body and after that haue no more that they can do But I wil shewe you whom ye shal feare Feare him which after he hath kylled hath power also to cast in to hell Yee I saye vnto you Feare him Are not fyue sparowes bought for two farthinges Yet is not one of them forgotten before God The very hayres of youre heade also are nombred euery one Feare not therfore for ye are better then many sparowes I saye vnto you Who so euer knowlegeth me before men him shal the sonne of mā also knowlege before the angels of God But he that denyeth me before men shal be denyed before the angels of God And who so euer speaketh a worde agaynst the sonne of man it shal be forgeuen him But who so blasphemeth the holy goost it shal not be forgeuen him Whan they brynge you in to their synagoges and to the rulers officers take ye no thought how or what ye shal answere or what ye shal speake for the holy goost shal teach you in the same houre what ye ought to saye But one of the people sayde vnto him Master byd my brother deuyde the enheritaunce with me Neuertheles he sayde vnto him Man who hath set me to be a iudge or heretage parter ouer you And he sayde vnto them Take hede and bewarre of couetousnesse for no man lyueth therof that he hath abundaunce of goodes And he tolde them a symilitude and sayde There was a riche man whose felde had brought forth frutes plenteously and he thought in himself and sayde What shal I do I haue nothinge wher into gather my frutes And he sayde This wil I do I wil breake downe my barnes buylde greater and therin wil I gather all myne increace my goodes wil saye vnto my soule Soule thou hast moch goodes layed vp in stoare for many yeares take now thine ease eate drinke and be mery But God sayde vnto him Thou foole this night shal they requyre thy soule from the and whose shal it be that thou hast prepared Thus goeth it with him y t gathereth treasure for himself and is not riche in God But he sayde vnto his disciples Therfore I saye vnto you Take ye no thought for youre life what ye shal eate nether for youre body what ye shal put on The life is more then meate and the body more then raymēt Consydre the rauens they nether sowe ner reape they haue also nether stoarehouse ner barne and yet God fedeth them But how moch better are ye then the foules Which of you though he toke thought therfore coulde put one cubyte vnto his stature Seinge then ye be not able to do that which is least why take ye thought for the other Considre the lilies vpō the felde how they growe they laboure not they spynne not But I saye vnto you that euen Salomen in all his royalte was not clothed like one of these Wherfore yf God so cloth the grasse y t is to daye in y e felde and tomorow shal be cast into the fornace how moch more shal he clothe you o ye of litle faith Axe not ye therfore what ye shal eate or what ye shal drynke and clymme not vp an hye The Heithen in the worlde seke after all soch thinges But seke ye the kyngdome of God and all these shal be mynistred vnto you Feare not thou litle flocke for it is youre fathers pleasure to geue you the kyngdome Sell that ye haue and geue almesse Make you bagges which waxe not olde euen a treasure that neuer fayleth in heauen
with the synne for yf thorow the synne of one many be deed yet moch more plenteously came the grace and gifte of God vpon many by the fauoure that belonged vnto one man Iesus Christ. And the gifte is not onely ouer one synne as death came thorow one synne of one that synned For the iudgment came of one synne vnto condempnacion but the gifte to iustifye fro many synnes For yf by y e synne of one death raigned by the meanes of one moch more shal they which receaue the abūdaunce of grace and of the gifte vnto righteousnes raigne in life by y e meanes of one Iesus Christ. Likewyse thē as by the synne of one condemnacion came on all men euen so also by the righteousnes of one came the iustififienge off life vpon all men For as by the disobedience of one many became synners euen so by the obedience of one shal many be made righteous But the lawe in the meane tyme entred that synne shulde increace Neuertheles where abundaunce of synne was there was yet more plenteousnes of grace that like as synne had reigned vnto death euē so mighte grace reigne also thorow righteousnes to euerlastinge life by the meanes of Iesus Christ. The VI. Chapter WHat shal we saye then Shal we contynue in synne that there maye be abundaunce of grace God forbyd How shal we lyue in synne y t are deed from it Knowe ye not that all we which are baptysed in to Iesu Christ are baptysed in to his death Therfore are we buried w t him by baptyme in to death that like as Christ was raysed vp from the deed by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new life For yf we be grafted w t him vnto like death then shal we be like the resurreccion also For so moch as we knowe that oure olde man is crucified with him that the synfull body mighte ceasse that hence forth we shulde serue synne nomore For he that is deed is made righteous frō synne But yf we be deed with Christ we beleue that we shal lyue also with him and are sure that Christ raysed from the deed dyeth nomore Death shal haue nomore power ouer him For as touchinge that he dyed he dyed cōcernynge synne once but as touchinge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Likewyse ye also counte youre selues to be euen deed concernynge synne and to lyue vnto God thorow Iesus Christ oure LORDE Let not synne reigne therfore in youre mortall bodye that ye shulde obeye vnto the lustes of it Nether geue ye ouer youre membres vnto synne to be wapens of vnrighteousnes but geue ouer youre selues vnto God as they that off deed are become lyuynge and youre membres vnto God to be wapēs off righteousnes For synne shal not haue power ouer you in so moch as ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace How then Shal we synne because we are not vnder y e lawe but vnder grace God forbyd Knowe ye not that loke vnto whō ye geue ouer youre selues as seruauntes to obeye his seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of synne vnto death or of obediēce vnto righteousnes But God be thanked that though ye haue bene the seruauntes of synne ye are now yet obedient of herte to the ensample off the doctryne whervnto ye are commytted For now that ye are made fre from synne ye are become the seruauntes of righteousnes I wil speake grosly because of the weaknes of youre flesh Like as ye haue geuen ouer youre membres to the seruyce of vnclennesse from one wickednesse to another Euē so now also geue ouer youre membres to the seruyce of righteousnesse that they maye be holy For whan ye were the seruauntes of synne ye were lowse from righteousnes What frute had ye at that tyme in those thinges wherof ye are now ashamed For the ende of soch thinges is death But now that ye be fre from synne and are become the seruauntes of God ye haue youre frute that ye shulde be holy but the ende is euerlastinge life For death is the rewarde of synne but the gifte of God is euerlastinge life The VII Chapter KNowe ye not brethren for I speake vnto them that knowe the lawe how that y e lawe hath power vpon a man as longe as he lyueth For the woman y t is in subieccion to the man is bounde vnto the lawe whyle the man lyueth but yf the man dye then is she lowsed from the lawe that concerneth the man Yf she be now with another man whyle the manlyneth she shal be called a wedlocke breaker But yf the man be deed then is she fre from the lawe so that she is no wedlocke breaker yf she be with another man Euen so my brethren ye also are deed vnto the lawe by the body of Christ that ye shulde be with another namely w t him which is raysed vp from the deed that we shulde brynge forth frute vnto God For whan we were in the flesh the synfull lustes which were stered vp by the lawe were mightie in oure membres to brynge forth frute vnto death But now are we lowsed from the lawe and deed vnto it that helde vs captyue so that we shulde serue in a new conuersacion of the sprete and not in the olde conuersacion of the letter What shal we saye then Is the lawe synne God forbyd Neuertheles I knewe not synne but by y e lawe For I had knowne nothinge of lust yf the lawe had not sayde Thou shalt not lust But then toke synne occasion at the commaundement and stered vp in me all maner of lust For without the lawe synne was deed As for me I lyued some tyme without lawe Howbeit whan the commaundement came synne renyued but I was deed And the very same commaundement that was geuen me vnto life was founde to be vnto me on occasion of death For synne toke occasion at the cōmaundement and disceaued me and slewe me by the same commaundement The lawe in dede is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good Is that then which is good become death vnto me God forbyd But synne that it mighte appeare how y t it is synne hath wroughte me death thorow good that synne mighte be out of measure synfull by the commaundement For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I knowe not what I do For I do not y t I will but what I hate y t do I. Yf I do now that which I wil not thē graunte I that the lawe is good So then it is not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me for I knowe that in me y t is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thinge To wyll is present w t me but to perfourme y t which is good I fynde not For y e good that I wyll do I not but the euell which I wil not
another I holde of Apollo are ye not thē fleshlye What is Paul What is ▪ Apollo Euē mynisters are they by whom ye are come to the beleue and the same acordinge as the LORDE hath geuen vnto euery man I haue planted Apollo hath watred but God hath geuen the increace So then nether is he that planteth eny thinge nether he that watreth but God which geueth the increace As for him that planteth and he that watreth y e one is as the other but yet shal euery one receaue his rewarde acordinge to his laboure For we are Gods labourers ye are Gods huszbandry ye are Gods buyldinge Acordinge to the grace of God which is geuen vnto me as a wyse buylder haue I layed the foundacion but another buyldeth theron Yet let euery man take hede how he buyldeth theron For other foūdacion can noman laye then that which is layed the which is Iesus Christ. But yf enyman buylde vpon this foundacion golde syluer precious stones tymber haye stobble euery mās worke shal be shewed For the daye of the LORDE shal declare it which shal be shewed with fyre and the fyre shal trye euery mās worke what it is Yf eny mans worke that he hath buylde theron abyde he shal receaue a rewarde Yf eny mans worke burne he shal suffre losse but he shal be saued himselfe neuertheles as thorow fyre Knowe ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the sprete of God dwelleth in you Yf eny man defyle the tēple of God him shal God destroye For the temple of God is holy which ye are Let no mā disceaue himselfe Yf eny man thinke himselfe wyse amōge you let him become a foole in this worlde that he maye be wyse For the wyszdome off this worlde is foolishnes with God For it is wrytten He compaseth the wyse in their craftynesse And agayne The LORDE knoweth the thoughtes of the wyse that they are vayne Therfore let no man reioyse in men For all is youres whether it be Paul or Apollo whether it be Cephas or ▪ the worlde whether it be life or death whether it be presente or for to come All is youres but ye are Christes and Christ is Gods The IIII. Chapter LEt euery man this wyse esteme vs euen for the mynisters of Christ and stewardes of the secretes of God Now is there no more requyred of the stewardes then that they be founde faithfull It is but a small thinge vnto me that I shulde be iudged of you or of mans daye nether iudge I myne awne selfe I knowe noughte by my selfe yet am I not therby iustified It is the LORDE that iudgeth me Therfore iudge ye nothinge before y e tyme vntyll the LORDE come which shal brynge it to lighte that is hyd in darknesse and opē the councels of y e hertes and thē shal euery one haue prayse of God These thinges brethren haue I described in myne awne preson in Apollos for youre sakes that ye mighte lerne by vs that noman counte hygher of him self then aboue is wrytten that one be not puft vp agaynst another for eny mans cause For who preferreth the What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Yf thou hast receaued it why makest thou thē thy boost as though thou haddest not receaued it Now ye are full now ye are made riche ye raigne without vs and wolde God ye dyd raigne that we might raigne with you Me thynketh that God hath set forth vs Apostles for the lowest off all euen as those that are appoynted vnto death For we are agasynge stocke vnto y e worlde and to the angels and vnto men We are fooles for Christes sake but ye are wyse in Christ We weake but ye strōge Ye honorable but we despysed Euen vnto this daye we hōger and thyrst and are naked and are boffetted with fystes and haue no certayne dwellinge place and laboure and worke with oure awne handes We are reuyled and yet we blesse we are persecuted and suffre it We are euell spoken of and we praye We are become as it were the very outswepinges of y e worlde yee the of scowringe of all men vnto this tyme. I wryte not this to shame you but as my deare childrē I warne you For though ye haue ten thousande instructours in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers For I haue begotten you in Christ Iesu thorow y e Gospell Wherfore I exhorte you be ye my folowers For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timotheus which is my deare sonne and faithfull in the LORDE that he maye put you in remembraunce of my wayes which are in Christ euē as I teach euery where in all congregacions Some are puft vp as though I wolde come nomore at you But I wil come to you shortly yf the LORDE wyl and wyl knowe not the wordes of thē that are puft vp but y e power For the kyngdome of God is not ī wordes but in power What wil ye Shal I come vnto you w t the rodd or with loue and the sprete of mekenesse The V. Chapter THere goeth a commen reporte that there is whordome amōge you and soch whordome as is not once named amōge the Heythen that one shulde haue his fathers wife And ye are puft vp and haue not rather sorowed that he which hath done this dede mighte be put frō amōge you For I verely as absent in body but present in sprete haue determyned allready as though I were present cōcernynge him that hath done this dede in y e name of oure LORDE Iesus Christ whā ye are gathered together with my sprete and with the power of oure LORDE Iesus Christ to delyuer him vnto Sathan for the destruccion of the flesh that the sprete maye be saued in the daye of the LORDE Iesus You re reioysinge is not good Knowe ye not that a litle leuen sowereth the whole lompe of dowe Pourge out therfore the olde leuen that ye maye be new dowe like as ye are swete bred For we also haue an Easter lambe which is Christ that is offred for vs. Wherfore let vs kepe Easter not in y e olde leuen ner in the leuen of maliciousnes and wickednes but in the swete bred of purenesse and of the trueth I wrote vnto you in the Epistle that ye shulde haue nothinge to do with whoremōgers that meant I not at all of the whoremongers of this worlde ether of the couetous or of extorcioners or of thē that worshippe ymages for then must ye nedes haue gone out of the worlde But now haue I wryttē vnto you y t ye shulde haue nothinge to do with them Namely yf there be eny man that is called a brother and is an whoremonger or couetous or a worshipper of ymages ether a raylar or a dronkarde or an extorcioner with soch shal ye not eate For what haue I to do to
seyth not And this coÌ„maundement haue we of him that he which loueth God shulde loue his brother also The V. Chapter WHo so euer beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God And who soeuer loueth him that begat loueth him also which was begotten of him By this we knowe that we loue Gods children whan we loue God and kepe his commaundementes For this is the loue of God that we kepe his commaundementes and his commaundemeÌ„tes are not greuous For all that is borne of God ouer commeth the worlde and this is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde eueÌ„ oure faith Who is it y t ouercommeth the worlde but he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God This is he that coÌ„meth with water and bloude euen Iesus Christ not with water onely but with water and bloude And it is the sprete that beareth wytnes for the sprete is the trueth For there are thre which beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and the holy goost these thre are one And there are thre which beare recorde in earth the sprete water and bloude and these thre are one Yf we receaue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater for this is the wytnesse of God which he testifyed of his sonne He that beleueth on y e sonne of God hath the wytnes in him selfe He that beleueth not God hath made him a lyar And this is that recorde euen y t God hath geueÌ„ vs euerlastinge life And this life is in his sonne He that hath the sonne of God hath life He that hath not the sonne of God hath not life These thinges haue I wrytteÌ„ vnto you which beleue on the name of the sonne of God that ye maye knowe how that ye haue eternall life and that ye maye beleue on y e name of the sonne of God And this is the fre boldnesse which we haue towarde him that yf we axe eny thinge acordinge to his wyll he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heareth vs what so euer we axe then are we sure that we haue y e peticions which we haue desyred of him Yf eny man se his brother synne a synne not vnto death let him axe and he shal geue him life for theÌ„ y t synne not vnto death There is a synne vnto death for the which saye I not that a man shulde praye All vnrighteousnes is synne and there is synne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne off God synneth not but he that is begotteÌ„ of God kepeth himselfe y t wicked toucheth him not We knowe that we are of God the worlde is set alltogether on wickednes But we knowe that the sonne of God is come and hath geuen vs a mynde to knowe him which is true and we are in him y t is true in his sonne Iesu Christ. This is the true God and euer lastinge life Babes kepe youre selues from ymage The seconde Epistle of S. Ihon. The summe of this epistle He wryteth vnto a certayne lady reioyseth that her children walke in the trueth exhorteth theÌ„ vnto loue warneth them to bewarre of soch disceauers as denye that Iesus Christ came in the flesh prayeth them to contynue in the doctryne of Christ and to haue nothinge to do with them that bringe not this lernynge THE Elder To y e electe lady and hir childreÌ„ whom I loue in the trueth not I onely but all they also that haue knowne the trueth for the truthes sake which dwelleth in vs and shal be with vs for euer Grace mercy and peace be with you froÌ„ the LORDE Iesus Christ y e sonne of the father in the trueth and in loue I am greatly reioysed that I haue founde amonge thy children them that walke in y e trueth as we haue receaued a commaundement of the father And now lady I beseke the not as though I wrote a new commaundement vnto the but the same which we haue had from the begynnynge that we loue one another And this is the loue that we walke after his commaundementes This is the commaundement as ye haue herde froÌ„ the begynnynge that we shulde walke therin For many disceauers are come in to the worlde which confesse not y t Iesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a disceauer and an Antechrist Take hede to youre selues that we lose not that which we haue wrought but that we maye receaue a full rewarde Who so euer transgresseth and abydeth not in the doctryne of Christ hath not God he that abydeth in y e doctryne of Christ hath both the father and the sonne Yf eny man come vnto you and brynge not this doctryne receaue him not in to the house nether salute him for he that saluteth him is partaker of his euell dedes I had 〈◊〉 any thinges to wryte vnto you neuertheâ—â—â—â— I wolde not wryte w t papyre and ynke 〈…〉 to come vnto you and to 〈…〉 mouth that oure ioye 〈…〉 â—hildren of thy electe sister The thirde Epistle of S. Ihon. The summe of this epistle He is glad of Gaius that he walketh in the trueth exhorteth him to be louynge vnto the poore christen in their persecucion sheweth the vnkynde dealynge of Diotrephes and the good reporte of Demetrius THE Elder To the beloued Gaius whom I loue in the trueth My beloued I wysshe in all thinges that thou prospere and fare well euen as thy soule prospereth I reioysed greatly whan the brethren came and testified of the trueth that is in y e how thou walkest in the trueth I haue no greater ioye theÌ„ to heare that my childreÌ„ walke in the trueth My beloued thou doest faithfully what so euer thou doest to the brethren and to strauÌ„gers which haue borne witnesse of thy loue before the congregacion and thou hast done well that thou dyddest brynge them forwarde on their iourney worthely before God For because of his names sake they wente forth and toke nothinge of the Heythen We therfore oughte to receaue soch that we mighte be helpers vnto the trueth I wrote to the congregacion but Diotriphes which loueth to haue the preemynence amonge them receaued vs not Wherfore yf I come I wil declare his dedes which he doeth ieastinge vpoÌ„ vs with malicious wordes nether is he therwith coÌ„tent Not onely he himselfe receaueth not the brethreÌ„ but also he forbyddeth them that wolde and thrusteth them out of the congregacion My beloued folowe not y t which is euell but that which is good He that doeth well is of God but he that doeth euell seyth not God Demetrius hath good reporte of all men and of the trueth yee and we oure selues also beare recorde and ye knowe that oure recorde is true I had many thinges to wryte but I wolde not with ynke and pen wryte vnto the. But I trust shortly to se the and so wyl we speake together mouth to mouth Peace be with the. The louers salute the. Grete the louers
his mouth water after the womā as it had bene a ryuer that he might cause her to be caught of y e floud And the earth holpe the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swalowed vp the ryuer which the dragon cast out of his mouth And the dragon was wroth with the womā and went and made warre with the remnaunt of hyr sede which kepe the cōmaundementes of God and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ. And I stode on the see sonde The XIII Chapter ANd I sawe a beest rise out of the see hauinge seuen heades and x. hornes and vpon his hornes x. crownes and vpō his heed the names of blasphemy And the beest which I sawe was lyke a catt of the mountayne and his fete were as the fete of a bear and his mouth as the mouthe of a lyon And y e dragō gaue him his power and his seate and greate auctorite and I sawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death and his dedly wounde was healed And all the worlde wōdred at the beest and they worshipped the dragon which gaue power vnto the beest and they worshipped the beest sayenge who is like vnto the beest who is able to warre with him And there was geuen vnto him a mouth to speake greate thinges blasphemies and power was geuen vnto him to do xlij monethes And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemy agaynst God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen And it was geuen vnto him to make warre with the sayntes and to ouercome them And power was geuen him ouer all kynred tonge and nacion and all that dwell vpon the earth worshipt him whose names are not wrytten in the boke of life of the lambe which was kylled from the beginnynge of the worlde Yf eny man haue an eare let him heare He that leadeth in to captiuite shal go in to captiuite he that killeth with a swearde must be killed with y e swearde Heare is the pacience and the faith of the saynctes And I behelde another beest commynge vp out of the earth and he had two hornes like a lambe and he spake as dyd the dragō And he dyd all that the first beest coulde do in his presence and he caused the earth and them which dwell therin to worshippe the fyrst beest whose deedly woūde was healed And he dyd greate wonders so that he made fyre come downe from heauē in the sight of men And deceaued them that dwelt on the earth by y e meanes of those signes which he had power to do in the sight of the beest sayenge to them that dwelt on the earth that they shulde make an ymage vnto the beest which had the wounde of a swearde and dyd liue And he had power to geue a sprete vnto the ymage of the beest and that the ymage of the beest shulde speake and shulde cause that as many as wolde not worshippe the ymage of the beest shulde be kylled And he made all bothe smale and greate ryche and poore fre and bond to receaue a marke in their right hondes or in their forheades And that noman might by or sell saue he y t had y e marke or the name of the beest ether the nombre of his name Here is wiszdome Let him that hath wyt count the nombre of the beest For it is the nombre of a man and his nombre is sixe hondred thre score and sixe The XIIII Chapter ANd I loked and lo a lambe stode on the moūt Syon and with him C. and xliiij thousande hauynge his fathers name wrytten in their forheades And I herde a voyce from heauen as the sounde of many waters and as the voyce of a greate thondre And the voyce that I herde was as the harpers that playe vpon their harpers And they songe as it were a newe songe before the seate before y e foure beestes and the elders and no man coulde learne y t songe but the hondred and xliiij M. which were redemed from the earth These are they which were not defyled with wemen for they are virgyns These folowe the lambe whither soeuer he goeth These were redemed from men beynge the fyrst frutes vnto God and to the lambe and in their mouthes was founde no gyle For they are withoutē spot before the trone of God And I sawe an angell flye in the myddes of heauen hauinge an euerlastinge Gospell to preache vnto them that syt and dwell on the earth and to all nacions kinreddes and tōges and people sayēge with a lowde voyce Feare God and geue honour to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worshippe him that made heauen and earth and the see and the fountaynes off water And there folowed another angell sayenge She is fallen she is fallen euē Babilon that greate cite for she made all nacions drynke off the wyne off hyr whordome And the thyrde angel folowed thē sayenge with a loude voyce Yf eny man worshippe the beest and his ymage and receaue his marke in his forhed or on his honde the same shall drynke of the wyne of the wrath of God which is powred in the cuppe of his wrath And he shal be punyszhed in fyre and brymstone before the holy Angels and before the lambe And the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore And they haue no res◠daye ner nyght which worshippe the beast and his ymage and whosoeuer receaueth the prynt of his name Here is the pacience of sayntes Heare are they that kepe the commaundementes and the faith off Iesu. And I herde a voyce from heauen sayenge vnto me wryte Blessed are y e deed which here after dye in the LORDE Yee the sprete sayeth that they rest from their laboures for their workes folowe them And I loked and beholde a whyte cloude and vpō y e cloude one syttynge like vnto the sonne of man hauinge on his heed a golden crowne and in his hōde a sharpe sykle And another angell came out of the temple cryenge with a loude voyce to him that sat on the cloude Thruste in thy sycle and reepe for the tyme is come to reepe for the corne of the earth is rype And he that sat on y e cloude thrust in his sykle on the earth and the earth was reeped And another angell came out of the temple which is in heauen hauinge also a sharpe sykle And another angel came out from the aultre which had power ouer fyre and cryed with a loude crye vnto hym that had the sharpe syckle and sayde Thruste in thy sharpe syckle and gather the clusters of y e earth for hir grapes are rype And the angell thrust in his syckle on the erthe and cut downe the grapes of the vynyarde of the earth and cast them in to the greate wynefat of y e wrath of God the wynefat was trodden without the cite and bloude came out of the fat euen vnto the