be turned backe and put to shame sodenly ¶ The. vij Psalme ☞ Sigaion of Dauid whiche he sauge vnto the Lorde in the busynes of ☞ â—â—huâ— the conne of Iemini O Lorde my God in the haue I put my truste saue me from all them that per secute me and delyuer me Lest he deuour my soule lyke a lyon and teare it in peces whyle there is none to helpe O Lorde my God yf I haue done any suche thynge or yf there be any wyckednesse in my handes If I haue rewarded euyll vnto hym that dealt frendely withme yee I haue delyue red hym that with out any cause is myne enemye Then let myne enemye persecute my soule take me ye let hym treade my lyfe downe vpon the earth laye myne honoure in the dust Sela. Stande vp O Lorde in thy wrath and lyfte vp thy selfe because of the indyngnacions of myne enemye aryse vp for me in the ☞ iudgemente that thou haste promysed And so shall the congregacyon of the people come aboute the for theyr sakes therfore lyfte vp thy selfe agayne The Lorde shall iudge the people geue sentence with me O Lorde accordynge to my ryghteousnes and accordynge to the innocencye that is in me Oh let the wyckednes of the vngodly come to an ende but guyde thou the iuste For the ryghteous God tryeth the very hertes and the raynes My helpe commeth of God which preserueth them that are true of hert God is is a ryghteous iudge âšœ stronge and pacyent and God is prouoked euery daye If man wyl nat turne he wyl whette his swerde he hathe bente his bowe and made it ready He hathe prepared for hym the instrumentes of death he ordeneth hys arowes âšœ agaynste the persecutours Bebolde he trauyleth with mischefe he hathe conceaued sorowe brought forth vngodlynesse He hathe grauen and digged vp a pytte is fallen him selfe into the destrue cyon that he made for other For his trauayll shal come vpon his owne heade and his wickednes shal fall vpoÌ„ his owne pate I wyll geue thankes vnto the Lorde accordynge to his ryghteousnes wyl prayse the name of the Lorde the moste hyest ¶ The. viii Psalme ¶ To him that excelleth ☞ in Githith a Psalme of Dauyd O LODE our gouernour howe excellente is thy name in the worlde thou that haste sette thy glory aboue the heaueÌ„s â–ª Out of the mouthe of verye babes and sucklynges hast thou ordeyned ☞ strength because of thyne enemyes that thou myghtest styll the enemye and the auenger For I wyll consydre thy heuens euen the worke of thy fyngers the Mone and the Starres whiche thou haste ordeyned What is man that thou arte myndeful of hym â–ª and the sonne of man that thou vysitest hym Thou madest him lytle lesse then the aungels to crowne him with glorye and worshyppe Thou makest hym to haue domi nyon in the workes of thy haÌ„des and thou haste put all thynges in subâ—ectyon vnder his fete Al shepe and oxen yee and y â— beastes of the felde The foules of the ayre and the fishe of the see and what so euer wal keth thorowe the pathes of the sees O Lorde our gouernour howe excellent is thy name in all the worlde ¶ The. ix Psalme ¶ To him that eycelleth vpon ☞ Almuth Lâ—ben a Psalme of Dauyd I wyl gyue thankes vnto the O Lorde with my whole herte I wyll speake of all thy merueylous workes I wyll be glad and reioyce in the yee my songes wyl I make of thy name O thou moste hyghest Whyle myne enemyes are dryuen backe they shall fal and peryshe at thy presence For thou haste mayntened my ryght and my cause thou art set in the throne that â—ud ged ryght Thou hast rebuked y â— Heithen destroied the vngodly thou haste put out their name for euer and euer O thou enemye distruccions are come to an ende euen as the cities which thou hast distroied their memorial is perished with them But the Lorde shall endure for euer he hath also pre pared his seate for iudgemeÌ„t For he shall iudge the worlde in ryghtuousnes and ministre true iudgemeÌ„t vnto the people The Lorde also wyl be a defence for the oppressed eueÌ„ a refuge iÌ„ due time of trouble And they y â— knowe thy name wyll put their trust in the for thou Lorde hast neuer fayled theÌ„ that seke the. O prayse the Lorde which dwelleste in Syon shewe the people of hys doynges For when he maketh in quisycion for bloude he remembreth them forgetteth not the complaynte of the poore Haue mercy vpon me O Lorde consydre my trouble whiche I suffre of them that 〈…〉 thou that lyftest me vp froÌ„ the ga 〈…〉 deathe That I maye shewe all thy 〈…〉 with in the portes of the doughter of Syon I wyll reioyce in thy saluacion The Heythen are suncken downe in the pytte that they made in the same net which they hyd pryuely is there owne fore taken The Lorde is knowen to execute iudgement the vngodly is trapped in the worke of his owne haÌ„des A consideracion Sela. The wicked shal be turned vnto hell and all people that forget God For the poore shall nat be all waye forgotten nor the hope of the meke shall nat peryshe for euer Up Lorde and let nat man haue the vpper hande let the Heythen be iudged in thy syght Put them in feare O Lorde that the Heythen maye knowe them selues to be but men Sela. ¶ The. x. Psalme WHy standest thou so farre of O Lord hidest thy face in tyme of trouble â–ª The vngodly for his owne lust doth ê‘secute the poore let them be taken in the craftye wylenesse that they haue ymagined For the vngodly hathe made boste of his owne hertes desyre speakethe good of the couetous whom God abhorreth The vngodly is so proude y t he careth nat for God neither is God in his thought Hys wayes are alwaye greuous thy iudgementes are farre out of his syght and therfore defyeth he all his enemyes For he hath sayde in his here Tushe I shall neuer be caste downe there shall no harme happen vpon me His mouth is ful of cursing dissâ—it and frauâ—e vnder his tong is vngodlynesse and vanite He sytteth lurkynge in the stretes and priuely doth he murther y â— innocent his eyes are sette agaynste the poore For he lyeth wayting secretly euen as a Lion lurketh he in his denne that he maye rauishe the pore He doth rauishe the pore when he getteth hym into his nette ☞ He falleth downe and humbleth him selfe that the congregacion of the poore maye fall into the hande of his captaynes He hath sayde in his herte Tushe God hath forgotteÌ„ he hydeth away his face and he wyll neuer se it Aryse O Lorde God and lyfte vp thyne haÌ„de forget nat the poore Wherfore shulde the wyeked blapheme God whyle he dothe saye in his herte tushe thou carest
that day shal the Lorde of hoostes be the crowne of glory and dyamonde of beautye vnto the resydue of his people He wyll be also a sprete of perfyte knowledge to hi that sytteth in iudgement and strength vnto them that turne awaye the batayle to the gate of the enemyes But they are out of the waye by reason of wyne yea farre out of y â— waye are they thorowe stronge drynke ☞ The preste also and the prophete are gone astraye by the meanes of stronge dryncke they are dronken with wyne they go amysse thorowe stronge drynke they fayle in sight and stomble in iudgement For all tables are so full of vomyte and fylthynes that no place is cleane Whome then shall suche one teache knowledge And whom shall be make to vnderstande the thynge that he hereth For they are ignoraunt as yonge chyldren that are taken from the mylke and are weened For they that be suche must haue ☞ after one lesson another lesson after one coÌ„mauÌ„dement another commaundemeÌ„t after one rule another rule after one instruccion another instruceyon there a lytle there a lytle For he y â— speketh vnto this people is eueÌ„ as one y â— vseth rudenesse of speche a straunge langage Yf any man say vnto them lo this is the rest where with ye maye ease him that is werye this is the refresshynge they wyll not herken Therfore shall the worde of the Lorde lesson vpon lesson commaundement vpon coÌ„maundement rule vpon rule instruccion vpon instruccyon there a lytle and there a lytle shall be vnto them an occasyon of stomblynge that they maye go on and fal backeward be broused tangled and snared Wherfore heare the worde of the Lorde ye mockers ye that haue rule of this people whiche is at IerusaleÌ„ Because ye haue said ☞ we haue made a couenaunt with death with hell are we at agremeÌ„t And though there go forth a sore plage it shall not come vnto vs. For we haue made falshode our refuge and vnder vanite are we hyd Therfore thus sayeth y â— Lorde God Beholde I lay in Syon for a foundacion a stone euen a tryed stone a precyous corner stone a sure fouÌ„dacion ☞ who so beleueth let him not be to hastye Iudgement also wyl I lay to y â— rule and ryghtuousnes to the balaunce so that ☞ y â— hayle shal take away your vayne confydence and the preuy place of your refuge shall the waters renne ouer And thus the couenaunt that ye made w t deathe shal be disanulled and your agremeÌ„t that ye made with hell shall not stande yea whan the sore plage goeth forth ye shall be troden downe vnder it From the tyme that it goeth forth it shall take you awaye For earely in the morninge euery day yea bothe daye and nyght shall it go thorowe whan the noyse therof is perceyued it shall gendre vexacion For ☞ the bedde is narowe and not large and the couerynge so small that a man can not wynde hym selfe vnder it For the Lorde shal stonde as ☞ in mount Pecazim and shal be wrothe lyke as in the valley Gibeon that he may do his worke ☞ his straunge worke and brynge to passe his acte his straunge acte Nowe therfore se that ye be no mockers lest your punishemeÌ„t icrese for I haue herd of the Lorde of hostes that there shall come a short ende vpon the whole earth Heare ye then herkeÌ„ vnto my voyse coÌ„sidre pondre my speche Doth not the husbande man plowe all the daye and openeth breaketh the clottê of his grounde that he may sow Whan he hath made it playne wyll he nat sprede abrode the fytches sowe comyn cast in wheate by measure the appoynted barly â—ye in theyr place God wyl instruct him to haue descrecion euen his God wyll teache him For fitches shal not be thresshed with an harowe nether shal a cart whele be brought thorowe the coÌ„men but the fytches are beaten out with a staffe and commyn w t a rod. But y â— sede y â— bread is made of is thresshed thoughe it be not alwaye a thresshing And the cart whele must be brought ouer it lest he grynde it with his teeth This also commeth of the Lorde of hostes which worketh with wonderfull wysdome bryngeth out arme with a terrible countenaunce and with the flame of a consumynge fyre with noysome lyghtenynge with a shower and with hayle stone For thorowe the voyce of the Lorde shall Assur be destroyed which smote other men with the rodde And it shal come to passe that whither soeuer he goeth the rodde shall cleaue vnto hym whiche the Lorde shall laye vpon hym ☞ with tabrettes and harpes And with great warre shal he fyght agaynst his hoste For the fyre of payne is ordeyned from the begynnynge yea euen for Kynges is it prepared This hathe the Lorde set in the depe and made it wyde the burnynge wherof is fyre moche woode The breth of the Lorde whiche is as a ryuer of brymstone doth kyndle it ¶ He curseth them that forsake God and seke for the helpe of men CAPI XXXI WO be vnto them that go downe into Egypte for helpe and truste in horses put theyr confydence in charettes because they be many and in horse men because they be lusty and stronge But they regarde not the holy one of Israell and they aske no questyon at the Lorde Where as he neuertheles beynge wysest of all plageth the wycked and yet goeth not from his worde when he steppeth forth and taketh the victory agaynst the housholde of the frowarde and agaynst the helpe of euel doers Nowe the Egipcians are men and not God and theyr horses fleshe and not spiryte And as soone as the Lorde stretcheth out his hande then shall the helper fal and he that shulde haue bene helped and they shall all together be destroyed For thus hathe the Lorde spoken vnto me Lyke as the Lyon or lyons whelpe roareth vpon the praye that he hath gotten is not afray ed thoughe the multytude of shephardes crye out vpon hym neyther abasshed for all the heape of them So shall the Lorde of Hostes come downe to fyght for mount Syon and defende his hyll Lyke as byrdes flotre aboute theyr nestes so shal the lorde of Hostes kepe saue defende and delyuer Ierusalem Therfore O ye children of Israell turne agayne lyke as ye haue exceaded in your goynge backe For ☞ in that day euery man shall cast out his Idols of syluer and golde whiche ye haue made with your synfull handes Assur also shal be slayne with the swerde not with a mans swerde A swerde shal deuoure him but not a mans swerde And he shall fle from the slaughter âšœ and hys seruauntes shall be taken prysoners He shall go for feare to hys stronge holdes and his Prynces shall fle from his badge This hath the Lorde spoken whose lyght
â— thou hast made with vs. Are there any amonge the Goddes of the Gentiles that sende rayne or geue the showers of heauen Dost not thou it O Lorde our God in whom we trust Yee Lorde thou doste all these thynges ¶ The Lorde wyll not heare Moses or Aaron yf they pray for the people but wyll wrape them in many myseryes The â—â—use of suche great myseryes CAPI XV. THEN spake the Lorde vnto me Thoughe Moses Samuel stode before me yet haue I no herte to this people Dryue them awaye that they maye go out of my syght And yf they say vnto the Why ther shall we go then tell them The Lorde gyueth you this aunswere Some vnto deathe some the swearde some to honger some into captyuite For I wyl bryng foure plages vpon them sayeth the Lorde The swearde shall straÌ„gle them the dogges shal deuoure them the foules of the ayre and beastes of the earthe shall eate them vp and destroye them I wyll scatre them aboute also in all kyngdomes and landes to be plaged because of Manasseh the soÌ„ne of Hezekia kynge of Iuda for the thynges that he dyd in Ierusalem Who shall then haue pyte vpon the O Ierusalem Who shall be sorye for the Or who shal make intercessioÌ„ to optayne peace for the seynge thou goest fro me and turnest backewarde sayeth the Lord Therfore I dyd stretche out myne hande agaynst the to destroye the and I wyll not be intreated I haue scatred them abrode with the fanne on euery syde of the lande I haue wasted my people destroyed them Yet they haue had no lust to turne from their owne wayes I haue made theyr wydowes mo in nombre then the saÌ„des of the see Upon the mothers of theyr chyldren dyd I brynge a destroyer in the none day SodeÌ„ly vnawares dyd I sende a feare vpon theyr cyties She that hath borne seuen chyldren hathe none her herte is full of sorowe The Sonne doth fayle her in the clere daye she is confounded and faynte for very heuynes As for those that cemayne I wyll delyuer them vnto the swerde before they re enemyes sayeth the Lord. O mother alas that euer thou didest beare me an enemye hated of the whole lande Thoughe I neuer lent nor receyued vpon vsurye yet all men speake euyl vpon me And the Lorde answered me Lede not I y â— then vnto good Come not I to the when thou arte in trouble and helpe the when thyne enemy oppresseth the Doth one yron hurte another or one metell that commeth from the North another As for thy rychesse and treasure I wyl geue them out into a pray not for any money but because of al thy synnes that thou hast done in al thy costes And I wyl bryng the with thyne enemyes into a lande that thou know est not for the fyre that is kyndled in my indignacion shall hurne you vp O Lorde thou knowest therfore remembre me and vyset me delyuer me fro my persecuters Receyue not my cause in thy longe wrathe yet thou knowest that for thy sake I suffre rebuke When I had founde thy wordes I dyd eate them vp gredely they haue made my herte ioyful and glad For I call vpon thy name O Lorde God of Hostes I dwell not amonge the scorners neither is my delyte therein but I dwell onely in the feare of thy hande for thou haste fylled me with bytternes Shall my heuynesse endure for euer Are my plages then so great that they may neuer be healedâ— Wylt thou be as a water that falleth and can nat continue Upon these wordes thus sayde the Lorde vnto me If thou wylte turne agayne I shall set the in my seruyce and yf thou wylte take out the thynges that is precious from the vyle thou shalte be euen as myue owne mouthe They shall conuerte vnto the but turne not thou vnto them so shall I make the a stronge brasen wall against thê people They shal fyght against the but they shall not preuayle For I my selfe wyll be with the to helpe the and delyuer the sayeth the Lorde And I wyl ryd the out of the handes of the wycked and delyuer the out of the hande of Tiraunâ—es ¶ He prophecyeth the mysery of the Iewes He sheweth that the worshyppynge of Idoles the contempte of Gods lawe is the cause of their myserye He prophecyeth the captyuite of Babylon and theyr delyuâ—raunce frome thence agayne The callynge of the Gentyles CAPI XVI THVS sayde the Lord vnto me â–ª Thou shalte take the no wyfe norbeget chyldren in this place For of the chyldren that are borne in this place of they re mothers that haue borne them and of theyr fathers that haue begotten them in this lande thus sayeth the Lorde âšœ They shal dye an horrible death no man shall mourne for them nor burye them but they shall lye as donge vpon the earth They shall perishe thorowe the swearde and honger and theyr bodies shal be meate for the foules of the ayre and beastes of the earth For thus sayth y e Lord Go not thou in vnto theÌ„ nor come to mourn and wepe for theÌ„ for I haue taken my peace from this people sayeth the Lorde yee my fauoure my mercy And in this lande shal they dye olde and yonge and shal not be buried no man shal be wepe them no man shal clyppe or shaue him selfe for them There shal not one viset another to mourne with them for their deade or to comforte them One shall not offre another the cuppe of consolacyon to forget theyr heuynesse for father and mother Thou shalt not go into their feaste house to sytte downe to eate or dryncke with them For thus sayeth y e Lorde of Hostes the God of Israell Beholde I shal take awaye out of this place the voyce of myrth and gladnesse the voyce of the brydegrome of the bryde yee and that in your dayes that ye may se it Nowe when thou shewest this people al these wordes and they saye vnto the. Wherfore hath the Lorde deuysed all thys greate plage for vs Or what is the offence and synne that we haue done agaynste the Lord our God Then make thou them this answere Because your fathers haue forsaken me sayeth the Lorde and haue walked after straunge Goddes whome they haue honoured and worshypped but me haue they forsaken and haue not kepte my lawe And ye with youre shamefull blasphemyes haue exceaded the wyckednesse of youre fathers For euery one of you hath folowed the frowarde and euyll ymagynacyon of his owne herte and is not obedyent vnto me Therfore wyll I caste you out of this lande into a lande that ye and your fathers knowe not and there shal ye serue straunge goddes day and nyght there wyll I shewe you no fauoure Beholde therfore sayeth the Lorde the dayes are come that it shall no more be sayde The Lorde lyueth whiche
There is gone aboute the lande a crye of a slaughter â—reat murthur namely on thê maner Howe happeneth it that the haÌ„mer of the whole worlde is thus broken and brosed in sonder Howe chauÌ„ceth it that Babylon is become a wyldernes amonge the Heathen on thys maner I my selfe haue layed wayte for the and thou art takeÌ„ vnawares art thou trapped snared for why thou haste prouoked the Lorde vnto anger The Lorde hathe opened his house of ordinaunce brought forth the weapens of his wrath For y â— thing that is done in the lande of the Caldees it is the Lorde of hostes worcke These thynges shal come vpon her at the laste they shall breake into her preuy chambres they shall leaue her as bare as stones that be layed together vpon heapes They shal so destroye her that nothing shal be left â–ª They shal sleye al theyr myghtie souldyers and put them to death Wo be vnto them for the daye and tyme of theyr vysitacion is at hande Me thynke I heare all ready a crye of them that be fled and escaped out of the lande of Babylon which shewe in SyoÌ„ the vengeaunce of the Lorde our God the vengeauÌ„ce of his temple yee a voyce of theÌ„ crye agaynst BabyloÌ„ Cal vp al the archers agaynst Babylon pytch your tâ—ntes rounde about her that none escape Recompence her as she hathe deserued and accordynge as she hath done so deale with her agayne for she hathe set vp her selfe agaynste the Lorde against the holy one of Israel Therfore shall her yonge men fall downe in the stretes and all her men of warre shal be roted out in that daye sayeth the Lorde Beholde I speake vnto the O thou proâ—de sayeth the Lorde God of Hostes for thy daye shall come euen the tyme of thy vysytacyon And the proude shall stomble and fall and no man shall helpe hym vp I wyll burne vp hys cytyes with fyre and it shall consume all that is rounde aboute hym Thus sayeth the Lorde of Hostes The chyldred of Israell and Iuda suffer violence together All they that haue them in captyuyte kepe them faste and wyll nat let them go but theyr auenger and redemer is myghtye whose name is the Lorde of Hostes he shall maynteyne theyr cause he shal make the lande shake and iudge them that dwel therin one with another The swearde shall come vpon the Caldees sayeth the Lorde vpon them that dwell in Babylon vpon theyr prynces and vpon theyr wyse men The swearde vpon theyr sothsayers as for those they shall become fooles The swearde vpon theyr worthyes so that they shall stande in feare The swearde vpon theyr horsmen and charettes and vpon all the comen people that dwell vnder them so that they shall all become lyke wemen The swearde vpon theyr treasure so that it shall be stolen awaye The swearde vpon theyr waters so that they shal be dryed vp For the lande worshyppeth ymages delyteth in straunge wondrefull thynges Therfore shall wylde beestes Apes and Estriches dwel therin for there shall neuer man dwel there neyther shall any man haue his habytacyon there for euermore Lyke as God destroyed Sodome and Gomorre with the cyties that laye there aboute sayeth the Lorde So shall no man dwell there also neyther shall any man haue there his habytacyon Beholde there shal come a people from the North with a great bonde of men and many kynges shall stande vp from the endes of the earth They beare bowes and buclers cruell are they and vnmercyfull Theyr voyce roareth lyke the ragyng see they ryde vpon horses come weapened to fyght agaynst the O Babilon As soone as the kynge of Babylon hereth tel of theÌ„ hys handes shall waxe feable Soro â—ee and heuynes shal come vpoÌ„ hiÌ„ as on a womaÌ„ trauelynge with chylde Beholde lyke as the Lyon commeth vp from the pleasaunt medowes of Iordane vnto the grene pastures of Ethan so wyll I dryue theÌ„ forth make them ruâ—â—e agaynst her But whom shal I chose out ordayne to such a thynge For who is lyke me or who wyl stryne with me or what shepherde may staÌ„de agaynste me Therfore heare the councel that the Lorde hathe geuen vpon Babylon and the deuyce that he hathe taken vpon the lande of the Caldees The least amonge the people shall teare them in peces and loke what pleasauÌ„t thyng they haue they shal laye it wast The noyse at the wynnynge of Babylon shall moue the earth and the crye shal be herde amonge the Gentyles ¶ Howe Babylon shulde be ouerthrowen Ieremy geueth his boke to Saraias CAPI LI. THVS hath the Lorde sayde beholde I wyll rayse vp a perlous wynde agaynst Babylon and her cytezeÌ„s that beare euell wyll agaynste me I wyll fende also in to Babylon fanners to fanne her out and to destroye her lande for in the daye of her trouble they shal be about her on euery syde Moreouer the Lorde hathe sayde vnto the bowe men and to them that clyme ouer the walles in brest plates Yee shal nat spare her yonge men kyll downe all her hoost Thus the sleyne shal fal downe in the lande of the Caldees and the wounded in the stretes As for Israel and Iuda they shall nat be forsaken of theyr God of the Lorde of Hostes of y e holyone of Israel no though they haue fylled al theyr lande full of synne Flye awaye from Babylon euery man saue his lyfe Let no man holde his tunge to her wyckednes for the tyme of the Lordes vengauÌ„ce is come yee he shall rewarde her agayne Babylon hathe bene in the Lordes hande ☞ a golden cuppe that maketh all landes droncken Of her wyne haue all people droncken therfore are they out of theyr wyttes But sodenly is Babylon fallen and destroyed Mourne for her brynge plasters for her woundes yf she maye peraduenture be healed agayne We wolde haue made Babylon whole sayeth they but she is nat recouered Therfore wyll we let her alone and go euery man into his owne countre For her iudgement is come into heauen and is gone vp to the cloudes And therfore come on we wyll shewe Syon the worcke of the Lorde oure God Make sharpe the arowes and fyll the quyuers for the Lodre shal rayse vp the sprete of the kynge of the Meeades whiche hath all ready a desyre to destroye BabyloÌ„ Thys shal be the vengaunce of the Lorde and the vengaunce of his temple Set vp tokens vpon the walles of Babylon make youre watch stronge set youre watch men in araye yee holde preuye watches and yet for all that shall the Lorde go forth with the deuyce whiche he hath taken vpon them that dwell in Babylon O thou that dwellest by the greate waters O thou that hast so great treasure and riches thyne ende is come the rekenynge of thy wynninges The Lorde of hoostes hath sworne by hym selfe that he wyll ouer whelme the with men
a great rich man had a fayre orcharde ioyninge vnto his house And to h◠resorted the Iewes comēly because he was a mā of reputacion among thē The same yere were there made two Iudges suche as the Lorde speaketh of Al the wyckednesse of Babylon cōmeth from the elders that is from the iudges whiche seme to rule the people These came ofte to Ioachims house and all such as had any thyng to do in the law came thyther vnto them Nowe when the people came agayne at after noone Susanna went into her husbādes orcharde to walcke The elders seinge this that she wente in daylye and walcked they burned for luste to her yee they were almost out of theyr wyttes and caste downe theyr eyes that they shulde not se heauen nor remembre that God is a ryghtuous iudge For they were both wounded with the loue of her nether durst one shew another his grefe And for shame they duest not tel her there in ordinate lust that they wold fayne haue had to do with her Yet they layed wayte for her earnestly from daye to day that they myght at the least haue a syght of her And the one sayde to the other Up let vs go home forit is diner tyme. So they wēt their way frō her When they returned agayne they came together enquyryng out y ◠matter betwyxte them selues yee the one tolde y ◠other of hys wycked lust Then appoynted they a tyme when they myght take Susanna alone It happned also y ◠they spyed out a conuenient tyme when she went forth to walke as her maner was and no body wyth her but two maydens thought to wasshe her selfe in the gardē for it was an hote season And there was not one person there excepte the two elders had y ◠hyd them selues to beholde her So she sayde to her maydens go fet me oyle and sope and shut the orcharde dore that I may wash me And they dyd as she bad them and shut the orchard dore and went out them selues at a backe dore to fet the thyng that she had commaūded but Susanna knewe not that the elders laye there hyd within Nowe when the maydens were gone forth the two elders gat them vp and ranne vpō her saying now the orcharde dores are shut that no man can se vs we haue a lust vnto the therfore cōsente vnto vs and lye wyth vs. If thou wylt not we shal brynge a testymoniall agaynst the that there was a yonge felo we wyth the and that thou hast sente away thy maydēs from the for the same cause Susanna syghed sayde Alas * I am in trouble on euery syde Though I folow your mynde it wyll be my death yf I cōsent not vnto you I can not escape your hādes Wel it is better for me to fall into your hāde with out the dede doynge then to synne in y e syght of the Lorde and wyth that she cryed out wyth a loude voyce the elders also cried out agaynst her Then rāne there one to the orchard dore and smote it open Nowe when the seruauntes of the house herde the erye in the orchard they russhed in at the backe dore to se what the matter was So when the elders tolde them the seruauntes were greatly ashamed for whyethere was neuer such a reporte made of Susanna On the morowe after came the people to Ioachim her husbande the two elders came also full of myscheuous ymaginacyon agaynst Susanna to brynge her vnto death and spake thus before the people Sende for Susanna the daughter of Helchias Ioachims wyfe And imediately they sente for her So she came wyth her father mother her chyldrē and all her kynred Now Susanna was a tender person and maruelous fayre of face Therfore the wycked men commaunded to take of the clothes from her face for she was couered that at the leest they might so be satisfyed in her buety Then her frendes yee and all they that knewe her beganne to wepe Those two elders stode vp in the myddest of the people layed theyr handes vpon the heade of Susanna which wepte and loked vp towarde Heauen for her herte had a sure toust in the Lord. And the elders sayde As we were walkynge in the orchard alone thys woman came in with her two maydēs whom she sente away from her and sparred the orcharde dores wyth that a yonge felow whiche there was hyd came vnto her and laye with her As for vs we stode in a corner of the orcharde And when we sawe this wyckednes we ranne to her and perceaued that they had medled together But we could not holde him for he was stronger then we thus he opened the dore and gat him away Now when we had taken thys woman we asked her what yonge felowe thys was but she wolde not tel vs. This is the matter and we be wytnesses of the same The comen sorte beleued them as those that were the elders and iudges of the people and so they condemned her to death Susāna cryed out with a loude voyce and sayd O euerlastyng God thou sercher of secretes thou that knowest al thynges afore they come to pas thou wotest that they haue borne false wytnes agaynste me beholde I muste dye where as I neuer dyd any suche thynges as these men haue malycyously inuented agaynst me And the Lorde herde her voyce For when she was led forth to death the Lorde raysed vp the sprete of a yonge chylde whose name was Daniel whiche cryed with a loude voyce I am cleane from this bloude Then al the people turned them towarde hym and sayde What meane these wordes that thou hast spoken Daniel stode in the myddest of thē and sayde Are ye suche fooles O ye chyldren of Israel that ye can not discerne nor know the truth Ye haue here condemned a daughter of Israell vnto death and know not y ◠trueth wherfore Go syt on iudgement agayne for they haue spoken false wytnesse agaynst her Wherfore the people turned agayne in al the hast And the elders that is the pryncypall heades sayde vnto him come syt downe here amonge vs and shewe vs this matter seyng God hath geuē the as greate honoure as an elder And Daniel said vnto thē Put these two asyde one from another and then shall I heare thē When they were put asunder one frome another he called one of them and sayde vnto hym O thou olde canckerd earle that hast vsed thy wickednesse so lōg thyne vngracyous dedes which y u hast done afore are nowe come to lyght For thou hast geuen false iudgementes thou hast oppressed the innocent letten the gyltye go fre where as yet y ◠Lord sayeth The innocent ryghtuous se thou sley not Wel thā yf thou hast sene her tell me vnder what tre sawest thou them talkyng together He answered vnder a Molbery tree And Danyel sayde very well now thou lyest euen vpon thyne head Lo
that thys saluacyon of God is sente to the gentyls and they shall heare it And when he had sayde these wordes the Iewes departed from him and had great despycyons among them selues And Paule dwelt two yeares full in hys lodginge and receaued all that came in vnto him preachyng the kigdome of God teachynge those thynges whiche concerne the Lorde Iesus with all confydence no man forbydding him ¶ Here endeth the Actes of the Apostles ⧠The Epistle of the Apostle Saynt Paule to the Romaynes ¶ Paule declareth hys loue towarde the Romaynes sheweth what the Gospell is with the frute therof and rebu keth the â—â—astlynce of the Heathen CAPI I. ✚ PAule the seruaunt of Iesus Christe called to the offyce of an apostle put a part for y â— Gospell of God whiche he had promysed afore by hys prophetes in the holy scriptutures of his sonne which was borne âšœ vnto hym of the seed of Dauid after the flesh and hathe bene declared to be the sonne of God with power after the sprere that sanctyfyeth sence the tyme that Iesus Chryste oure Lorde rose agayne from deeth by whom we haue receaued grace and Apostle shyp that obedience myght be geuen vnto the fayth in his name amonge all Heathen of whose nombre you be that are called of Iesu Chryste ⊢ To all you that be at Rome beloued of God and called sayntes Grace be with you and peace from God oure father and from the Lorde Iesus Chryste Fyrst verely I thanke my God thorowe Iesus Chryste for you all that youre fayth is spoken of in all the worlde For God is my wytnes whom I serue with my sprete in the Gospell of hys sonne that with out ceasynge I make mencyon of you alwayes in my prayers besechynge that by some meane at the last out tyme or other a prosperous iorney by the wyll of God myght fortune me to come vnto you For I longe to se you that I myght bestowe amoÌ„ge you some spyritual gyfte to strength you withall that is that I myght haue consolacyon together with you through the coÌ„men faith whiche bothe ye and I haue I wolde that ye shulde knowe brethren howe that I haue often tymes purposed to come vnto you but haue bene let hytherto to haue some frute also amonge you as amonge other of the Gentyls I am detter both to the Grekes and to the vngrekes to learned and to the vnlearned So that as much as in me is I am redy to preache the Gospell to you that are at Rome also For I am not asshamed of the gospell of Christ because it is the power of God vnto saluacyon to euery one that beleueth to the Iewe fryst and also to the gentyle For by it is the ryghtewesnes of God opened ☞ froÌ„ fayth to fayth As it is wrytten the iust shal lyue by fayth For y â— wrath of God apeareth from heauen agaynste all vngodlynes and vnryghtewesnes of men whiche withholde the trueth in vnryghtewesnes seynge that it whiche may be knowen of God is manifest amonge them For God hath shewed it vnto theÌ„ Yee his inuisyble thinges that is to saye his eternall power and godhed are sene for as much as they are vnderstande by the workes from the creacyon of the worlde So that they are without excuse because that when they knewe God they glorified him not as God nether were thankfull but wexed full of vanities in theyr ymagynacyons and theyr folysh herte was blynded When they counted them selues wyse they became fooles and turned the glory of the immortal God vnto an ymage made not onely after the similitude of a mortal man but also of byrdes and foure foted beastes of crepynge beastes Wherfore God gaue them vp vnto theyr hertes iustes to vnclennes to defyle theyr owne bodies among theÌ„ selues which turned his trueth vnto a lye worshypped and serued the thinges that be made more then hym that made them which is blessed for euer Amen Wherfore God gaue them vp vnto shamfull lustes For euen theyr wemen dyd chaunge the naturall vse in to that whiche is agaynste nature And lyke wyse also the men left the natural vse of the woman and brent in theyr lustes one with another meÌ„ with men wrought filthynes and receaued to them selues the rewarde of theyr erroure as it was accordynge â–ª And as they regarded not to knowe God euen so God delyuered them vp vnto a lewde mynde that they shuld do those thinges whiche were not comly beinge ful of al vnrightteousnesse fornicacion wyckednes coueteousnes malycyousnes full of enuye murther debate disseyÌ„te euyll coÌ„dicyoned whysperers backbyters haters of God doers of wronge proude boasters bringers vp of euyll thynges disobedyent to father and mother without vnderstandynge couenaunte breakers vnlouynge trace breakers vnmerciful Which men though they knewe the ryghtewesnes of God âšœ consydred nat howe that they which coÌ„myt suche thynges are worthy of deeth not only âšœ they that do the same but also âšœ they whyche haue pleasure in them that do them ¶ He rebuketh the Iewes whiche as touchynge synne are lyke the Heathen CAPI II. THerfore art thou inexcusable O man whosoeuer thou be that ☞ iudgest For in that same wherin thou iudgest another thou condemnest thy selfe For thou that iudgest doest euen the same selfe thynges But we are sure that the iudgement of God is accordynge to trueth agaynst theÌ„ which coÌ„myt luch thynges Thynkest thou this O thou man that iudgest them which do suche thynges and doest euen the very same thy selfe that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God Ether despysest thou the ryches of his goodnes and pacyence long sufferaunce not knowynge that the kyndnes of God leadeth the to repentaunce But thou after thy stubburnesse and herte that cannot repente heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the daye of vengeaunce when shal be opened the ryghtewes iudgement of God whiche wyll rewarde euery man ☞ accordynge to his dedes that is to saye prayse honoure and immortalyte to them whiche contynue in good doyng and seke immortalyte But vnto them that are rebelles and that do not obeye the trueth but folowe vnryghteousnes shall come indignacyon and wrath trybulacyon and anguyshe vpon the soule of euery man that do the euyll of the Iew fyrst and also of the Gentyle To euery man that do the good shall come prayse and honoure and peace to the Iewe fyrst and also to the Gentyll For there is no respecte of parsonnes with God For whosoeuer hath synned without lawe shall also peryshe without lawe And as many as haue synned in the lawe shal be iudged by the law For in the syght of God they are not ryghteous whiche heare the lawe But the doers of the lawe shal be iustifyed For whaÌ„ the Gentyls which haue not the lawe ☞ do of nature the thynges contayned in the lawe then they hauynge not the lawe are a
reporte our selues to euery maÌ„nes conscieÌ„ce in the syght of God ✚ If our Gospel be yet hyd it is hyd amonge them that are lost in whom the God of this worlde hath blynded the myndes of them whiche beleue not lest the lyght of the Gospell of the glorye of Christ whiche is the ymage of God shulde shyne vnto them ✚ For we preach not our selues but Christ Iesus to be the Lorde our selues your seruauÌ„tes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darcknes which hath shyned in oure hertes for to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods not ours We are troubled on euery syde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty but not vtterly without somwhat We suffre persecucion but are not for saken therin We are cast downe neuertheles we perysh not We alwayes bere about in the bodye the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our bodye For we whiche lyue are alwayes delyuered vnto deth for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesu myght appeare in our mortall fleshe So then death worcketh in vs but life in you ⊢ ✚ But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth according as it is wrytten I beleued therfore haue I spoken We also beleue therfore speake For we knowe that he whiche raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus shal set vs with you For al thinges do I for your sakes that the plentuous grace by thanckes gyuen of many maye redâ—uÌ„de to the praise of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtwarde man peryshe yet the in warde man is renued daye by daye For oure trybulacyon which is momentany and lyght prepareth an excedynge and an eternall wayght of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whyche are sene but on the thynges whyche are not sene For the thynges whyche are sene are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall ⊢ CAPI V. ¶ The rewarde for suffrynge trouble FOr we knowe that yf our earthy mancion of this dwelling were destroyed we haue a byldyng of God an habytacyon not made with handes but eternall in heauen For therfore syghe we desyrynge to be clothed with our mansyon whiche is from heauen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked For we that are in this tabernacle syghe and are greued because we wolde not be vnclothed but wold be clothed vpoÌ„ that mortalite might be swalowed vp of life He that hath ordeyned vs for this thyng is God which very same hath gyuen vnto vs the ernest of the spirite Therfore we are alwaye of good cheare and knowe that as long as we are at home in the body we are absent from god For we walcke in fayth not after outwarde appearauÌ„ce Neuertheles we are of good comfort and had leuer to be absent from the bodye to be preseÌ„t with God Whefore whether we be at home or from home we endeuour our selues to please hym For we must all appere before the iudgement seate of Chryste that euery man may receyue the worckes of his bodye accordynge to that he hath done whether it be good or bad ✚ Seyng then that we knowe howe the Lorde is to be feared We fare fayre wyth men For we are knowen well ynough vnto god I trust also that we are knoweÌ„ in your consciences For we prayse not our selues agayne vnto you but gyue you an occasyon to reioyce of vs that ye may haue some what agaynst theÌ„ which reioyce in the face and not in the herte For yf we be to feruent to god are we to feruent Or yf we kepe measure for your cause kepe we measure For y â— loue of Christ coÌ„strayneth vs bycause we thus iudge that yf one dyed for all then were all deade he dyed for all that they whych lyue shuld not hence forth lyue vnto them selues but vnto him whych dyed for them rose agayne ⊢ Wherfore hence forth knowe we no maÌ„ after the flesshe In so muche though we haue knowen Christ after the fleshe now yet heÌ„â—e forth know we him so no more Therfore yf any man be in Christ he is a newe creature Olde thynges are passed awaye beholde al thynges are become newe Neuertheles al thiÌ„ges are of God which hath reconcyled vs vnto hym self by Iesus Christ and hath gyuen to vs the offyce to preache the attonement For God was in Christ made agrement betwene the worlde and him self imputed not their synnes vnto them and hath commytted to vs the preachyng of the attonement Nowe then are we messengers in the rowme of Christ eueÌ„ as though God dyd beseche you thorowe vs. So praye we you in Christes stede that ye be reconcyled vnto God for he made him to ☞ be synne for vs whiche knewe no synne that we by his meanes shulde be that ryghtuousnesse whiche before God is alowed ¶ An exhortacyon to receyue the word of God with thankefulnesse and amendement of lyfe The dyligence of Paule in the Gospell and howe he warneth them to exchewe the company of the Heythen CAPI VI. WE also as helpers exhort you that ye receyue not the grace of god in vayne For he sayeth I haue herde the in a tyme accepted and in the day of saluacion haue I suckered the. Beholde nowe is that accepted tyme beholde nowe is the day of saluacyon Let vs gyue no occasyon of euyl that in our offyce be founde no faute but in al thinges let vs behaue our selues as the ministers of God In much pacieÌ„ce in affliccyons in necessyties in anguyshes in strypes in presonmeÌ„tes in strytes in laboures in watchiÌ„ges in fastinges in purenes in knowledge in loÌ„ge suffryng in kyndnes in the holy Ghoste in loue vnfaynedly in the word of truth in the power of God by the armour of ryghtuousnes of the ryght hande on the lefte be honoure and dishonour by euyl report good reporte as disceyuers and yet true as vnknowen and yet knoweÌ„ as dying behold we lyue as chastned not killed as sorowing yet alway mery as pore and yet make many ryche as hauyng nothyng yet possessyng al thynges O ye Corinthians our mouth is opeÌ„ vnto you Our hert is made large ye are in no strayte in vs but are in a strayte in youre owne bowels I promyse vnto you lyke reward as vnto chyldren Set your selues at large ✚ beare not ye the yocke with the vnbeleuers For what fellyshyp hath ryghtuousnes with vnryghtuousnes Or what company hath lyght wyth dackenesse Or what concorde hath Christe wyth Beliall Eyther what parte hath he that beleueth with an infydell Or howe
do take the kyngê away euery man out of his place put dukes in theyr rowmê And do thou nombre the an hoost lyke the hoost that thou hast lost such horses such charetê we wyll fyght agaynst them in the playne thou shalt se vs get the better of them And he herkened vnto theyr voyce dyd euen so And it fortuned that after the yere was gone aboute Benhadad nombred the Sirians went vp to Aphek to fyght agaynst Israel And the chydren of Israel were nombred with theyr hole nombre went they agaynst them the chyldren of Israel pytched before them lyke two lytell flockes of kyddes but the Sirians fylled the countrey And there came a man of God and sayd vnto the kyng of Israel thus sayth the Lorde Bycause the Sirians haue sayd the Lorde is but God of the hylles and not God of the valleys therfore wyll I delyuer all this great multitude in to thyne hande ye shall know that I am the lorde And they pytched one ouer agaynst the other seuen dayes it came to passe that in the seuenth day the battayle was ioyned And the chyldren of Israell slue of the Sirians an hundred thousande foote men in one day But the rest fled to Aphek into the citye And there fell a wall vpon xxvii M. of the men that were lefte And Benhadad fled and came into the citye froÌ„ chambre to chambre And his seruauntes sayde vnto hym Beholde we haue herde say that the kynges of the house of Israel are mercyfull kyngê We wyll therfore put sacke cloth oboute our loynes ropes aboute our neckes go out to the kyng of Israel yf haplye he wyl saue thy lyfe And so they gyrded sacke cloth aboute theyr loynes put ropes about theyr heades came to the kynge of Israel and sayd Thy seruaunt Benhadad sayth I pray the let me lyue He sayde is he yet alyue he is my brother And they toke that worde for good lucke and hastely caught it out of his mouth and sayd Yea thy brother Benhadad He sayd go bryng hym hyther And Benhadad came out vnto hym and he caused hym to come vp in to the charet And he sayde vnto hym the cityes whiche my father toke from thy father I wyl restore agayne And thou shalte make streetes for the in Damasco as my father dyd in Samaria ☞ And I wyl make an appoyntment with the sende the awaye And so he made an appoyntment with hym and sente hym away And there was a certayne man of the chyldren of the prophets which sayd vnto his neyghboure in the worde of the Lorde smyte me I pray the. And the man wolde not smyte hym Then sayd he vnto him Bycause thou hast not herkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde beholde as soone as thou arte departed from me a lyon shall sley the. And 〈◊〉 came to passe that as soone as he was departed from hym a lyon fouÌ„de hym and slue him Then he founde an other man sayde smyte me I pray the. And the maÌ„ smote hym so that in smytynge he wounded hym So the prophet went forth wayted for the kyng by the way put hym selfe out of knowledge with asshes whiche he layde vpon his face And when the kyng came by he cryed vnto the kyng and sayd thy seruaunt went out in the myddes of the battayle And beholde there went away a man whom an other man brought vnto me and sayde kepe this man And yf he be myssed or lost thy lyfe shall go for his or els thou shalte paye a talent of syluer And as thy seruaunt had here and there to do he was gone And the kynge of Israell sayd vnto hym euen so shall thy iudgement he as y â— hast defined it thy self And he hasted toke the asshes awaye from his face the kyng of Israel knew hym that he was of the prophets And he sayd vnto hym thus sayth the Lorde bycause thou haste let go a man that ☞ is in my curse thy lyfe shal go for his life thy people for his people And the king of Israell went to his house way warde and in displeasure and came to Samaria ¶ Iezabell coÌ„maundeth to kyll Nabath for the vyneyarde that he refused to sell to Ahab Elia reproueth Ahab and he repenteth CAPI XXI AFter these thynges it chaunced that Naboth the Iezrahelite had a vyneyarde in Iezrahel harde by the palace of Ahab kynge of Samaria And Ahab spake vnto Naboth sayenge Gyue me thy vyneyarde that I may make me a garden of herbes therof â–ª bycause it lyeth so nyghe my house I wyll gyue the for it a better vyneyard then it is or rather yf it please the I wyl gyue the the worth of it in money And Naboth sayd to Ahab the lorde forbyd that from me that I shulde gyue the enheritaunce of my fathers vnto the. And Ahab came into his house heuy and euyll a payde bycause of the worde whiche Naboth the Iezrahelite had spoken to hym for he had sayde I wyll not gyue the the enheritaunce of my fathers And he layde hym downe vpon his bed and turned awaye his face †to the vvall and wolde eate no bread But Iezabel his wyfe came to hym and sayd vnto hym Why is thy spirite so way warde that thou eatest no breade And he sayd vnto her For I spake vnto Naboth the Iezraelite and sayde vnto hym gyue me thy vyneyarde for money or els yf it please the I wyll gyue the an other vyneyarde for it And he answered I wyl not gyue the my vyneyarde And Iezabell his wyfe sayde vnto hym Doest thou thus gouerne the kyngdome of Israel vp and eate bread and set thyne hert at rest I wyl gyue the the vyneyarde of Naboth the Iezraelite And so she wrote a letter in Ahabs name and sealed it with his seale and sent the letter vnto the elders and to the nobles that were in his citye dwellynge with Naboth And she wrote in the letter sayeng proclayme a faste and set Naboth on hye among the people and set two vnthryftes before hym to beare †false wytnesse agaynst hym saynge ☞ thou dydest blaspheme God and the kyng And then carye hym out and stone hym to death And the men of his citye that is to saye which dwelte in his citye dyd as Iezabel had sent vnto them and as it was wrytten in the letter whiche she had sent vnto them They proclaymed fastynge and set Naboth among the cheyfe of the people there came in two men the chyldren of Belial sat before hym And the two vnthryftie persones wytnessed agaynst Naboth in the presence of the people saynge Naboth dyd blaspheme god and the kyng And they caried hym out of the citye and stoned hym with stones that he dyed And then they sent to Iezabel sayenge Naboth is stoned to death And it fortuned wheÌ„ Iezabell herde that Naboth was stoned to death she sayd to Ahab vp
me thorowe therwith that these vncircumcysed come not and do me shame But his weapon berer wolde not for he feared excedingly So Saul caught a swerde and fell vpon it And when his haâ—nes berer sawe that Saul was deade he fell on a swerde also and dyed And thus Saul and his thre sonnes and all they of his house dyed togyther And wheÌ„ all the men of Israel that were in the valley â–ª sawe howe they fled and that Saull and his sonnes were deade they forsoke theyr cityes and ran away and the Philistines came and dwelte in them And it fortuned that on the morow when the Philistines came to strype the deade bodies they founde Saull his sonnes ouerthrowen in mount Gilboe And wheÌ„ they had strypte hym they toke his heade and his harnesse and sent them in to the lande of the Philistines rounde aboute to shewe them vnto theyr ydols and to the people And they put his harnesse in the house of theyr God and set vp his heade in the temple of Dagon And when al they of Iabes in Gilead herde all that the Philistines had done to Saull they arose all the strongest of them and fet away the body of Saull and the bodyes of his sonnes and brought them to Iabes and buryed the bodyes of them vnder an ooke in Iabes fasted seuen dayes So Saul dyed for his trespasse that he trespassed agaynst the lorde in that he kepte not the worde of the lorde and in that he sought and asked counsayle of a womaÌ„ that wrought with a spirite and asked not of the Lorde And therfore he slue hym and turned the kyngdom vnto Dauid the sonne of Isai. ¶ After the death of Saull is Dauid anoynted in Hebron The Iâ—busites rebell agaynst Dauid from whiche he taketh the â—oure of Sion His men are nombred CAPI XI THen all Israell gathered them selues to Dauid vnto Hebron saynge Behold we be thy bones thy flesshe And more ouer in tyme past euen wheÌ„ Saul was kyng thou leddest Israel out and in And the lorde thy God sayde vnto the thou shalte fede my people Israell and thou shalte be captayne ouer my people Israel Therfore came al the elders of Israel to the kyng to Hebron and Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebron before the Lorde And they anoynted Dauid kyng ouer Israel accordyng to the worde of the Lorde ☞ by the hande of Samuel And Dauid and all Israel went to Ierusalem whiche is Iebus where as were the Iebusites the enhabitours of the lande And the enhabitours of Iebus sayde to Dauid thou comest not here Neuerthelesse Dauid wan the castell of Sion whiche is called the citye of Dauid And Dauid sayde who so euer smyteth the Iebusites fyrst shall be the principall captayne and a Lorde So Ioab the sonne of Zâ—ruia wente fyrst vp and was made the cheyfe captayne And Dauid dwelt in the castell therfore they called it the citye of Dauid And he buylte the Citye on euery syde euen from Millo rounde about Ioab repayred the rest of the Citye And Dauid prospered and waxed great and the Lorde of hoostes was with hym These are the principall men of power whom Dauid had and that claue to hym in his kyngdom with all Israell to make hym kyng according to the word of the lorde vnto Israel And this is the nombre of the mighty men whom Dauid had Iasobeam the sonne of Hachmoni the cheyfe amonge thyrtye he lyfte vp his spere agaynst thre hundred and wounded them at one tyme. After hym was Eleazar his vncles son an Ahothyte whiche was one of thre myghtyest He was with Dauid at Pasdammin and there the Philistines were gathered togyther to battayle And ther was there a parcell of grounde full of barley and the people fled before the Philistines And ☞ they stepte forth in to the myddes of the felde and saued it and slue the Philistines And the lorde gaue a great victorye And the thre of the thyrtye cheyfe captaynes went to a rocke to Dauid in to the caue Adullam And the hoost of the Philistines abode in the valley of Rephaim And when Dauid was in the holde the Philistines watche was at BethleeÌ„ that same tyme. And Dauid longed and sayd Oh that one wolde gyue me drynke of the water of the well that is at the gate at Bethleem And the thre brake thorowe the hoost of the Philistines and drewe water out of the well that was by the gaâ—e at Bethleem and toke it brought it to Dauid Neuerthelesse Dauid wolde not drynke of it but rather offered it to the Lorde and sayde My God forbyd it me that I shulde do this thynge Shall I drynke the bloode of these men that haue put theyr lyues in ieoperdye for with the Ieoperdye of theyr lyues they brought it therfore he wolde not drynke it And this dyd these thre myghtyest And Abâ—sai the brother of Ioab he also was captayne among thre for he lyftâ— vp his speare agaynst thre hundred and wounded them and had a name amonge the thre Yea amonge thre he was more honourable then the two for he was theyr captayne Howbeit he attaynted not vnto the †fyrst thre Banaia the sonne of Iehoiaba the sonne of a verye stronge man dyd greater actes then Cabzeell for he slue two stronge lyons of Moab and went downe and slue a Lyon in a pyt in tyme of snowe And he slue an Egyptian whose stature was euen fyue cubytes longe and in the Egyptians hand was a speare lyke a weauers beame And the other went downe to hym with a waster plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hande and slue hym with his owne speare Soch thynges dyd Banaia the sonne of Iehoiada and had the name among the thre myghtest and was honourable amonge thyrtye but attayned not vnto the fyrst thre And Dauid made hym of his counsayle The other men of armes were these Asahell the brother of Ioab Elhanan his vncles sonne of Bethleem Sammoth the Harodite Helez the Pelonite Ira the sonne of Iâ—kes the Thekoite Abieser the Anatothite Sibaâ—ai the Husathite Ilai the Ahohite Maharai the Nethophathite Heled the son of Baâ—na the Nethophatite Ithai the sonne of Ribai of Gibea that perteyneth to the chyldren of Beniamin Benaia the Phirathonite Huâ—ai of the ryuers of Gaas Abiell the Arbathite Azmaneth the Baharumite Elihaba the Saalbonite The sonnes of Assem the Gezonite Iona than the sonne of Sage an Haraite Ahiam the sonne of Sacar the Haâ—aite Eliphal the sonne of Ur. Hepher the Mecherathite Ahia the Pelonite Hezro the Carmelite Naari the sonne of Ezbai Ioell the brother of Nathan Miâ—har the sonne of Hari Zelegam the Ammonite Naharai a Berothite the bearet of the harnesse of Ioab the son of Zeruia Ira the Iithrite and Gareb a Iethrite Uria the Hethite and Zahad the sonne of Ahlai Adina the sonne of Siza a Rubenite a captayne of the Rubenites and thyrtye with hym Hanan the Sonne of
the South and smote the foure corners of the house whiche fell vpon thy chyldren and they are deade and I am gotten away alone to tell the. Then Iob stode vp and rente his clothes and shaued his heade fell downe vpon the grounde worshypped and sayde Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I turne thyther agayne The Lorde gaue and the Lorde hath taken away †euen as it hath pleased the lorde so is it come to passe Blessed be the name of the lorde In all these thynges dyd Iob not offende nor murmured folysshly agaynst god ¶ Iob is plaged with sore byles and afterwards is mocked of his wyfe His frendes vispt hym and haue coÌ„mpassyon on hym CAPI II. ANd the chyldren of God came and stode before the Lorde and Satan came also amonge them stode before the Lorde And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan Frome whence comest thou Satan answered the Lorde and sayde I haue gone aboute the lande and walked thorowe it And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan hast thou not consydered my seruaunt Iob â–ª for there is none lyke hym in the lande For he is a perfyte and iust man suche a one as feareth God exchueth euyl and contynueth styll in his godlynesse And thou mouedst me agaynst hym that I shulde punysshe hym for nought And So â—an answered the Lorde and sayde Skynne for skynne yea a man wyll gyue all that euer he hath for his lyfe But laye thyne hande nowe vpon hym touche once his bonâ— and flesshe and he shall curse the to thy face And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan Lo there haste thou hym in thy power but spare his lyfe So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lorde and smote Iob with merueylous sore byles from the sole of his foote vnto his crowne so that he sat vpon the grounde in the asshes scraped of the fylthe of his sores with a pot sharde Then sayde his wyfe vnto hym Doest thou contynue yet in thy perfytenesse curse God and dye But Iob sayde vnto her Thou speakest lyke a folysshe woman Shal we receyue prosperite at the hand of God and not receyue aduersyte In all these thynges dyd not Iob synne with his lyppes Nowe when Iobs frendes herde of all the trouble that happened vnto hym there came thre of them euery one from his owne place namely Eliphas the Themanite Bildad the Suhite Zophad the Naamathite And they were agreed togyther to come to shewe theyr compassyon vpon hym and to conforte hym So when they lyfte vp theyr eyes a farre of they knewe hym not Then they cryed and wepte and euery one of them rente his clothes and sprynkeled dust vpon theyr heades in the ayre They sat them downe by hym also vpon the grounde seuen dayes vii nyghtes Neyther was there any of them that spake one worde vnto hym for they sawe that his payne was very great ¶ The wordes of Iob wherin he declareth that this present lyfe is miserable and that the death of the ryghteous is ioyous and â—orâ—unable CAPI III. AFter this opened Iob his mouth and ☞ cursed his day And Iob answered and sayd lost be that day wherin I was borne the nyght in the whiche it was sayd there is a man chylde conceyued The same day be turned to darkenesse and not regarded of god from aboue neyther let him shyne vpon it with lyght but let it be stayned with darkenesse and the shadowe of death Let the dymme cloude fall vpon it and let it be â—apped in with sorowe on the daye tyme. Let the darke storme ouercome that nyght and let it not be ioyned vnto the dayes of the yere nor counted in the monethes Desolate be that nyght and without gladnesse let them that curse the daye and that be redye to rayse vp mournynge gyue it also theyr curse Let the sterres of that night be dymme thorow darknesse of it Let it loke for lyghte but let it se none neyther †the rysynge vp of the fayre mornynge bycause it shut not vp the wombe that bare me For then shulde these sorowes haue bene hyd fro myne eyes Alas why dyed I not in the byrth why dyd not I perysshe as soone as I came oute of my mothers wombe Why set they me vpon theyr knees Why gaue they me sucke with theyr brestes Then shuld I nowe haue lyen styll I shulde haue slepte and bene at rest lyke as the kynges lordes of the earth which haue buylded them selues specyal places Or as the prynces that haue had greate substaunce of golde and theyr houses full of syluer Or why was I not hyd as a thynge borne out of tyme eyther as yonge chyldren whiche neuer sawe the lyght ☞ There must the wycked ceasse from theyr tyranny there such as are ouerlaboured be at rest there are those let out free which haue bene in pryson so that they heare no more the voyce of the oppressoure There are small and great and the seruaunt is free from his mayster Wherfore is the lyght gyuen to hym that is in miserye and lyfe vnto them that haue heuy hertes which long for death though it come not ☞ wolde dyg it out of hyd places whiche also wolde be excedyng glad and reioyce yf they coulde fynde theyr graue anywhere That shuld be ioy to that maÌ„ ☞ whose waye is hyd and God kepeth it backe from hym For my syghes come before I eate and my rorynges fall out lyke the water For the thynge that I feared is come vpon me and the thynge that I was afrayde of is happened vnto me Was I not happy Had I not quyetnesse Was I not in rest And nowe cometh suche misery vpon me ¶ Iob â—o reprehended of impatience and in iustice and 〈◊〉 the presumptyon of his owne ryghteousnesse CAPI IIII. ANd Eliphas the Themanite answered and sayde If we begyn to comen vâ—th the wylte thou be discontent but who can withholde hym selfe from speakynge Beholde thou hast bene a chastenet of many hast conforted the wery handes Thy wordê haue set vp those that were fallen thou hast refresshed the weyke knees But nowe that the plage is come vpon the thou arte greued nowe that it hath touched thy selfe thou arte faynt herted ☞ Is not this thy feare thy stedfastnesse thy pacience and the perfytenesse of thy wayes Consydre I praye the who euer perysshed beyng an innocent Or when were the Godly destroyed For as I haue proued by experience they that plowe iniquitie and sowe wretchednesse reape the same With the blaste of God they perysshe and with the breth of his nose thyrles are they consumed awaye The rorynge of the Lyon and the voyce of the Lyon and the teeth of the Lyons whelpes are pulled out The lyon peryssheth for lacke of praye and the lyons whelpes are scattered abrode And vnto me came the worde secretly and myne eare hath receyued a lytell therof In the thoughtes and visions of the
agaynst the ypocryte The ryghteous also wyll kepe his waye and he that hath cleane handes wyll euer be stronger and stronger As for you turne you and get you hence I pray you seynge I can not fynde one wyse man amonge you My dayes are past my counsayles and though tes of my herte are vanysshed a waye chaun gynge the nyght in to daye and the lyght in to darknesse Though I tary neuer so moch yet the graue is my house and I haue made my bed in the darke I call corrupcyon my father and the wormes call I my mother my syster What helpeth then my longe taryenge Or who hath consydered the thynge that I loke fore All that I haue shall go downe in to the pyt and lye with me in the dust ¶ Bildad reheâ—seth the paynes of the vnfaythfull and wycked CAPI XVIII THen answered Bildad the Suhite and sayde ☞ when wyll ye make an ende of your wordes Marke well and then we wyll speake Wherfore are we counted as beastes and reputed so vyle in youre syght He destroyeth hym selfe with his anger Shal the earth be forsaken or any stone remoued out of his place bycause of the Yea the lyght of the vngodly shall be put oute and the sparke of his fyre shall not burne The lyght shal be darke in his dwellyng and his candle shal be put out with hym His presumptuous goynges are kept in and his owne couÌ„sayle shall cast hym downe For his feete are taken as it were in the net and he is at his wyttes ende His foote shall be holden in the snare it shall catch them that be thyrstye of bloode The snare is layed for hym in the grounde and a pytfall in the waye Fearfulnesse shall make hym afrayde on euery syde that he shall not knowe where to get out Hunger shal be his strength mysfortune shall hange vpon hym He shall eate the strength of his owne skynne euen the fyrste borne of death shall eate his strength His hope shall be roted out of his dwellyng very fearfulnesse shall bryng hym ☞ to the kyng Other men shall dwell in his house but shal be none of his brymstone shal be scattered vpon his habytacyon His rotes shall be dryed vp beneth and aboue shal his braunche be cut downe His remembrauÌ„ce shal peryshe from the earth and he shall haue no name in the strete they shall dryue him from the lyght into darkenes and caste hym cleane out of the worlde He shall neyther haue chyldren nor kynsfolkê among his people no nor any posterite in his dwellynges They that come after hym shall be astonyed at his day and they that go before shall be aftayde Soche are nowe the dwellynges of the wycked and this is the place of hym that knoweth not God ¶ Iob reciteth his miseryes and grenous payned He prophesyeth of the generall resurreceyon CAPI XIX IOb answered and sayde howe longe wyl ye vexe my soule trouble me with wordes Lo ☞ ten tymes haue ye reproued me and are not a shamed for to laugh me so to scorne yf I go wronge I go wronge to my selfe But yf ye wyll enhaunce your selues agaynst me and accuse me to be a wycked person bycause of the shame that is come vpon me know this then that it is god which hath handled me so violently and hath compassed me aboute with his net Yf I complayne of the violence that is done vnto me I can not be herde And yf I crye there is no sentence gyuen with me He hath hedged vp my waye that I can not passe he hath set darkenesse in my patthes He hath spoyled me of myne honour and taken the crowne awaye fro my heade He hath destroyed me on euery syde I am vndone My hope hath he taken awaye fro me as it were a tre plucte vp by the rote His wrath is kyndled agaynst me he taketh me as though I were his enemye ☞ His men of warre came togyther whiche made theyr waye ouer me and beseyged my dwellynge round aboute He hath put my brethren far awaye fro me and soche as were of myne acquayntaunce are become strauÌ„gers vnto me Myne owne kynsfolkes haue for saken me my frendes haue put me out of remembraunce The seruauntes and maydens of myne owne house toke me for a strauÌ„ger and I am become as an alyaunt in theyr syght I called my seruaunt and he gaue me no answere no though I prayed hym w t my mouth Myne owne wyfe myght not abyde my breth I was fayne to speake fayre for the chyldren of myne owne body Yea the chyldren despysed me And when I was gone from them they spake euyll vpon me All soche as were my mooste familyers abhorred me and they whome I loued best are turned agaynst me My bone hangeth to my skynne and my flesshe is awaye onely there is lefte me the skynne about my teeth Haue pyte vpon me haue pyte vpon me O ye my frendes for the hande of God hath touched me Why do â–ª ye persecute me as God doth and are not satisfyed of my fleshe O that my wordes were now wryten O that they were put in a boke wolde God they were grauen with an yron pen in leade or in stone to continue For I am sure that my redemer lyueth and that I shal ryse out of the earth in the laste daye that I shall be cloched agayne with this skyn and se God in my flesshe Yea I my selfe shall be hold him not with other but with these same eyes My raynes are consumed within me dyd not ye saye why doth he suffer persecucyon Is theyr founde an occasyon in me But beware of the swerde for the swerde wyl be auenged of wyckednesse and be sure that there is a iudgement ¶ Sophar sayth that the vnfaythfull the couptouâ— and the wycked shall haue a shorte ende CAPI XX. THen answered Sophar the Naamathite and sayde For the same cause do my thoughtes compell me to answere And why my mynde is redye within me I haue sufficyently herde thy checkynge and reprofe therfore am I purposed to make answere after myne vnderstandynge Knowest thou not this namely that from the begynnynge euer synce the creacyon of man vpon earth the gladnesse of the vngodly hath ben short and that the ioye of ypocrites coÌ„tynued but the twynclynge of an eye Though he be magnifyed vp to the heuen so that his heade teacheth vnto the cloudes yet at a turne he peryssheth foreuer In so moche that they whiche haue sene hym shall saye Where is he He shall vanysshe as a dreame so that he can no more be founde and shall passe awaye as a visyon in the nyght So that the eye whiche sawe hym before shall haue no more syght of hym and his place shall knowe hym no more ☞ His chyldren shal be fayne to agre with the pore his handes shal restore them theyr goodes From his youth his bones are full of pleasures but nowe shall
that fearest a mortall man the chylde of man whiche âšœ goeth awaye as doth the floure And forgettest the Lorde that made the that spred out the heauens and layde the foundacyon of the earth But thou art euer afrayde for the syght of thyne oppressâ—ure whiche is redy to do harme Where is the wrath of the oppressoure It commeth on fast it maketh haste to appere It shall not peryshe that it shulde not be able to destroye nether shal it fayle for taute of norishing âšœ I am the lorde thy God that make the see to be styll and to rage âšœ Whose name is the Lorde of hostes I haue put my wordes in thy mouth and haue defended y â— in the shadow of my hande that I maye plante the heuens and lay the foundacion of the earth and saye vnto Sion thou art my people Awake awake and stande vp O Ierusalem thou that from the hande of the Lorde haste droncken out âšœ the cuppe of his wrath thou that haste supped of and sucked out the slumbring cup to y â— botome For amonge al the sonnes whom he hath begotten there is not one that maye holde it vp and not one to leade it by the hande of al the sonnes that he hathe noryshed Bothe these thynges are happened vnto the but who is sorye for it Yee destruccyon wastyng hungre and swerde but who wyll comforte the Thy sonnes lye comfortles at the heade of euery strete lyke a taken venyson and are full of the terrible wrathe of the Lorde and punyshment of thy God And therfore thou myserable and dronken howbeit not w t wyne Here this Thus sayeth thy Lorde thy Lorde and God the defender of his people Beholde I wyll take the slombryng cuppe out of thy hande euen the cuppe with the dregges of my wrathe that from heÌ„ce forth thou shalt neuer drinke it more but I wyl put into theyr hande that trouble the which haue spoken to thy soule stoupe downe y â— we may go ouer the make thy body euen with the grounde and as the strete to go vpon ¶ A consolacion and comforte to the people of God CAPI LII VP Syon vp take thy strength vnto the put on thyne honest raymente O Ierusalem thou holy cytie For from thys tyme forthe there shall no vncircuÌ„cysed nor vncleane person come in the. Shake the from the dust aryse and stande vp O IerusaleÌ„ Plucke out thy necke froÌ„ y â— bonde O y â— captyue daughter Syon For thus sayeth y â— Lorde ye are sold for naught therfore shal ye be redemed also w t out any mony For thus sayeth y â— Lorde God My people wente downe afore tyme in to Egypte there to be strauÌ„gers and the kyng of the Assyrians oppressed theÌ„ without any cause And nowe what profyte is it to me sayeth the Lorde that my people is frely caryed awaye and brought in to heuynesse by their rulers and my name euer styll blasphemed sayeth the Lorde But that my people may know my name I my selfe wyl speake in that day Beholde here I am O howe beautyfull are the fete of the Embassytours that bryngeth the message frome the mountayne and proclaymeth peace that bringeth the good tydynges and preacheth healthe and sayeth vnto Syon Thy God is the kynge Thy watchemen shal lyfte vp theyr voyce with loude voyce shall they preache of him for they shal se hym present when the Lorde shall conuerte Syon Be glad O thou desolate Ierusalem reioyse together for the Lorde hath comforted his people he hath delyuered IerusaleÌ„ The Lorde hathe made bare his holy arme and shewed it forth in the syght of al the GeÌ„tyles and all the endes of the earth hathe sene the sauyng health of our God Away awaye get you out from thence and touche no vncleane thynge Go out from amonge suche And be cleane that beare the vesselles of the Lorde For ye shall not escape by rennynge nor by flyenge away but the Lorde shall go before you and the God of Israell shall gather you together Beholde my seruaunt shall deale wysely therfore shall he be magnyfyed exalted and greatly honoured Lyke as the multytude shall wondre vpon hym because hys face shal be so disfourmed and not as a maÌ„s face hys beautye lyke no man Euen so shal the multitude of y â— Gentyles loke vnto hym and kynges shall shut theyr mouthes before him For they that haue not bene tolde of hym shall se hym and they y â— herde nothynge of hym shall beholde hym ¶ He Pâ—ophecyeth euydentely of the passyon of our Sauyour Iesus Chryste ¶ CAPI LIII BVT who hath geuen credence vnto our preachyng Or to whom is y â— arme of the Lorde knowen For he dyd growe before the Lorde lyke as a braunche and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath nether bewtie nor fauoure WheÌ„ we loke vpon him there shal be no fairenesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym He is despysed abhorred of men he is suche a man as hath good experyence of sorowes infirmyties We haue rekened hym so vyle that we hyd our faces from him Howbeit he only hath taken on hym our infirmytie and borne our paynes Yet we dyd iudge hym as thoughe he were plaged and cast downe of God where as he notwithstanding was wounded for our offences and smytten for our wyckednesse For the payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym and with his strypes are we healed As for vs we haue gone all astraye lyke shepe euery one hath turned his owne waye But thorow hym the Lorde hath pardoned all our synnes He suffered violence and was euell entreated and dyd not yet open his mouth He shal be led as a shepe to be slayne yet shal he be as styl as a lambe before the shearer and not open his mouth He was had awaye his cause not herde and without any iugemente Whose generacion yet who may nombre he was cut of from ☜ the grounde of the lyuinge Whiche punisshment dyd go vpon hym for the transgressyon of my people His graue was gyuen hym with the condempned and ☜ with the ryche man at his death Where as he dyd neuer vyolence nor vnryght neyther hathe there bene any disceytfulnesse in his mouthe Yet hath it pleased the Lorde to smyte hym with infirmite that when he had made his soule an offerynge for synne he myght se longe lastynge sede And this deuyce of the Lorde shall prospere in his hande With trauayle and laboure of his soule shall he optayne greate ryches My ryghtuous seruaunt shal with wisdome iustifye and de lyuer the multitude for he shall beare away theyr synnes Therfore wyl I geue hym the multytude for his parte and he shal deuyde the stronge spoyle because he geueth ouer his soule to death and is reckened among the trangressours whiche neuertheles hath taken awaye the synnes of the
felicite Of the death of the ryghteous and of the condemne â—yon of the vnfaythfull CAPI IIII. O Howe fayre is a chast generacyoÌ„ with vertue The memoriall therof is immortal for it is knowen with God and with men When it is present men take example there at yf it go awaye yet they desyre it It is all waye crowned holden in honour and wynneth the rewarde of the vndefyled batrayll But the multitude of vngodly chyldren is vnprofitable and the thynges that are planted with whordome shal take no depe rote nor laye any fast foundacyon Though they be grene in the brauÌ„ches for a tyme yet shal they be shaken with y â— winde for they stande not fast and thorowe the vehemecye of the wynde they shal be roted out For the vnparfecte braunches shal be broken theyr frute shal be vnprofitable sowre to eate ye mete for nothynge And whyeal y â— chyldren that are borne of the wicked muste beare recorde of the wyckednesse agaynste theyr fathers mothers whe they be asked But though the ryghteous be ouertaken with death yet shall he be in rest Age is an honorable thinge neuertheles it â–ª standeth not onely in the lenght of tyme nor in the multytude of yeares but a mans wysdome is the graye hearre and an vndefyled lyfe is the olde age He pleased God was beloued of him so that where as he lyued amoÌ„ge sinners he translated him Yee sodenly was he taken awaye to the intente that wyckednesse shulde not alter hys vnderstandyng that ypocrysie shulde nat be gyle his soule For the craftye bewitthynge of lyes make good thynges darck the vnsted fastnesse also and wyckednes of bolupteous desyreturne asyde the vnderstandyng of the symple Though he was soone deed yet fulfylled he moch tyme For hys soule pleaseth God therfore hasted he to take him awaye from amonge the wycked Thys the people se and vnderstande it not they laye not vp suche thynges in theyr hertes howe that the louynge fauoure and mercy of God is vpon hys saynctes and that he hathe respecte vnto hys chosen Thus the ryghteous that is deed condeÌ„neth the vngodly which are lyuynge the youth that is soone brought to an ende the long lyfe of the vnrighteous For they se the ende of the wyse but they vnderstande not what God hath deuysed for him and wherfore the Lorde hathe taken him awaye And why they se him despise him therfore shal God also laugh theÌ„ to scorne So that they theÌ„ selues shall dye here after but without honour yee in shame amonge the deed for euermore For without any voyce shall he burst those y â— be pufte vp remoue them froÌ„ the fouÌ„dacyons so y â— they shal be layed wast vnto the hyest They shall mourne theyr memoryall shall peryshe So they beynge afrayed shal remeÌ„bre theyr synnes theyr owne wyckeduesse shall bewraye them ¶ The constantueâ— of the ryghteous before theyr persecuters The hope or the vnfaythfull is vndurable and vayne The blessednes of the saynctes and godly CAPI V. THEN shall the ryghteous stande in greate stedfastnesse agaynste suche as haue dealt extremely with them and taken awaye theyr labours When they se it they shal be vexed with horible feare and shall wonder at the hastynesse of the sodayne health gronyng for very dystresse of mynd and shall saye wythin them selues hauynge in warde sorowe and mournynge for very anguysh of mynde These are they whom we somtyme had in derisyoÌ„ iested vpon We fooles thought theyr lyfe very madnesse and theyr ende to be with out honoure But lo how they are counted amonge the chyldren of God and theyr porcyoÌ„ is amonge the sayntes Therfore we haue erred from the waye of trueth the lyght of ryghteousnesse hath not shyned vnto vs the sunne of vnderstandyng rose nat vp vpoÌ„ vs. We haue weried our selues in y â— waye of wickednesse destruccion Tedyous wayes haue we gone but as for the waye of the Lorde we haue not knowne it What good hathe our pryde done vnto vs Or what profyt hathe the pompe of ryches brought vs All those thynges are passed awaye lyke a shadow and as a messaun ger renuyng before as a shyppe that passeth ouer the waues of the water which when it is gone by the trace therof cannat be founde nether the path of it in the floudes Or as a byrde that flyeth thorowe in the ayre and no man can se any token where she is flowen but onely heareth the noyse of her wynges beatynge the lyght wynde partynge y â— ayre thorowe the vehemencye of her goynge and flyeth on shakynge her winges where as afterwarde no token of her way can be fouÌ„de Or lyke as when an arowe is shorte at a marck it parteth y â— ayre which ymmediatly commeth together agayne so that a maÌ„ can not knowe where it weÌ„te thorow EueÌ„ to we in lyke maner as soone as we were borne be ganne immediatly to drawe so oure ende haue shewed no token of vertue but are coÌ„sumed in oure owne wyckednesse Such wordes shal they that haue synned speake in the hell for y â— hope of the vngodly is lyke a drye thystell floure or duste that is blowen awaye with the wynde lyke a thynne fome that is scatred abrode with the storme lyke as the smoke which is dispersed here there with the wynde as the remembraunce of a straunger y â— taryeth for a daye and then departeth But the ryghteous shal lyue for euermore theyr reward also is with the Lorde theyr remembraunce with the Hyest Therfore shal they receaue a glorioê° Kyngdome and a bewtyfull crowne of the Lordes hande for w t his ryght hande shall he couer theÌ„ and with hys owne holy arme shall he defende them His gelousy also shal take awaye the harnesse he shall weapen the creature to be auenged of y â— enemyes He shall put on ryghteousnes for a breast plate and take sure iudgement in steade of an helmet The inuincible shylde of equite shal he take hys cruell wrath shall he sharpen for a speare the whole compase of the worlde shall syght with hym agaynste the vnwyse Then shall the thonder bolies go out of the lyghtenynges come out of the raynebowe of the cloudes to the place appoynted out of y â— harde stony indignacion there shal fall thycke hayles and the water of the see shal be wroth agaynst them and the floudes shal renne roughly together Yee a myghty wynde shall stande vp agaynst them and a storme shal scater them abrode Thus y â— vnryghteous dealynge of theÌ„ shall brynge all the lande to a wyldernes wyckednes shall ouerthrowe the dwellynges of the myghty ¶ The callynge of Kynges Prynces and Iudges whiche are also exhorted to searche wysdome CAPI VI. WYsdome is better then strength a man of vnderstandyng is more worthe then one that is stronge Heare therfore O ye Kynges vnderstaÌ„oc O lerne ye that be iudges of
of the lorde so is a vertuous wyfe the bewtye of all her house Lyke as the clere lyght is vpon y â— holy candelsticke so is the bewre of y â— face vpoÌ„ an honest body Lyke as the golden puers are vpon the sockettes of syluer so are the fayre legges vnto a woman that hath a costant mynde Perpetual are the foundacioÌ„s that be layde vpon a whole stonye rocke so are the commaundementes of God vpon the herâ—e of an holy woman There be two thinges that grene my hert and in the thyrde is a displeasure come vpoÌ„ me When an expert man of warre suffreth scarsenes aâ—d pouerte When men of vnderstandynge and wysdome are not sert by And when one departeth from ryghteousnes vnto synne Who so doth suche the Lorde hathe prepared him vnto the swerde There be two maner of thynges whiche me thynke to be herde perylous A marchauÌ„t can not lyghtly kepe hym from wronge nether a taueruer him selfe from synne ¶ Of the poâ—e that wolde be ryche The probacyon of the man that feareth God The vnconstantnesse of a foole The â—â—tretes of a trende are not to be vttred The wycked ymagineth euell whiche â— turneth vpon hym selfe CAPI XXVII BEcause of pouerte haue many one offended and he that seketh to be ryche turneth his eyes asyde Lyke as a nayie in the wall stycketh fast betwyxte two stones euen so doth synne sticke betwyxte the byes and the seller If he holde hym not dilygently in the feare of the Lorde his house shall soone be ouerthrowen Lyke as when one syfteth the fylthynes remayneth in the syue So remayneth there some vncleane thynge in the thought of man The ouen proueth the potters vessell so dothe temptacyoÌ„ of trouble trye ryghteous men The tre of the felde is knowen by hys frute so is the thought of mans herte knowne by hys wordes Prayse no man excepte thou haue herde him for a man is knowen by his wordes If thou folowest ryghteousnes thou shalt get her and put her vpoÌ„ the as a fayre garmente And thou shalt dwel with her she shal defende the for euer and in the daye of knowledge thou shalt finde sted fastnesse The byrdes resorte vnto theyr lyke so doth the truth turne vnto them that be occupyed withall The lyon wayteth the praye so dothe synners lurke vpon the workers of wyckednes The talkynge of hym that feareth God is nothynge but wysdome as for a foole he chauÌ„geth as the Moone If thou be amonge the vndiscrete kepe thy worâ—â— to a conuenient tyme but amonge suche as be wyse speake on hardely The talkynge of fooles is abhominacion and theyr sporte is volupteousnesse and mysnurtoure Moch swearynge maketh the hearre to stande vp and to striue with suche stoppeth the eares The stryfe of the proude is bloudesheddynge and theyr blasphemynge is heuy to heare Who so discouereth secretes leseth his credence and fyndeth no frende after his wyl Loue thy frende and bynde thy selfe in faythfulnes with hym but yf y â— bewrayest his secretes thou shalt not get hym agayne For lyke as the man is that destroyeth hys enemye so is he also that dealeth falsly in the frendshyp of his neyghboure Lyke as one that letteth a byrde go out of his hande cannot take her agayne Euen to thou yf thou geue ouer thy frende thou canst not get him againe Yee thou canst not come by him for he is to farre of He is vnto the as a Roo escaped out of the snare for his soule is wounded As for woundes they may be bounde vp agayne an euell worde maye be reconcyled but who so bewrayeth the secres of a frende there is no more hope to be had vnto hym He y â— wyncketh with the eyes ymageneth some cuell and no man shall take hym from it when thou art present he shall hylie commeÌ„de and prayse thy wordes but at the last he shall turne his tayle and scauÌ„der thy sayenge Many thynges haue I hated but nothynge so euell for the Lord himselfe also abhorreth soch a one Who so casteth a stone on hye it shall fall vpon hys awne head and he that smyteth with gyle woundeth him selfe Who so dyggeth a pyt shall fall therin he that layeth a stone iÌ„ his neghbours waye shall stomble theron he that layeth a snare for another shal be takeÌ„ in it him self Who so geueth a wycked noysome councell it shall come vpoÌ„ hym selfe he shal not knowe from whence The proude blaspheme and are scornefull but vengeaunce lurketh for them as a lyon They that reioyse at the fal of y e ryghteous shal be taken in the snare anguysh of herte shall consume them before they dye Anger rygorousnesse are two abhominable thynges the vngodly hath theÌ„ both vpoÌ„ hym We ought not to desyre vengeauÌ„ce but to forgeue the office of the wyces of the tonge and of the daughters therof CAPI XXVIII HE that seketh vengeaunce shal fynde vengeaunce of the Lorde which shall surely kepe hym his synnes Forgeue thy neyghboure the hurt that he hath done the and so shall thy synnes be forgeueÌ„ the also whcÌ„ thou prayest AmaÌ„ that beareth hatred agaynst another howe darre he desyre forgeuenesse of God He that sheweth no mercy to a man whiche is lyke him selfe howe darre he aske forgeuenesse of his synnes If he that is but flesh beareth hatred kepeth it who wyll intreate for his synnes RemeÌ„bre the ende and let enemyte passe whiche seketh death and destruccyon and abyde thou in the commaundementes RemeÌ„bre the commaundement so shalt thou not be rygorous ouer thy neyghboure Thyncke vpoÌ„ the couenaunt of the Hyest forgeue thy neyghbours ignoraunce Beware of stryfe thou shalt make thy synnes fewer For an angrie man kindleth variauÌ„ce and the vngodly disquyeteth frendes and putteth discorde amonge them that be at peace The more wod there is y e more vehement is the fyre and the myghtier that meÌ„ be the greater is the wrath and the loÌ„ger the strife endureth the more it burneth An hastye brawlynge kynleth a fyre an hastye stryte sheddeth blouoe A tonge also that beareth false witnesse bryngeth death If thou blowe the sparke it shal burne If y â— spyt vpon it it shall go forth and both these out of y e mouth The sclauÌ„deret a dubble tonged is cursed for many one y â— be frendes setteth he at varyaunce The thyrde tonge hath disquieted many one and dryuen them frome one lande to another Stronge cyties of the ryche hath it broken downe and ouerthrowen the houses of greate men The streÌ„gth of the people hath it brought downe and bene the decaye of myghtye nacyons The thyrde tonge hath cast out many an honest woman and robbed them of theyr labours Who so herkeneth vnto suche shall neuer fynde rest and neuer dwel safely The stroke of the rod maketh yedders but the stroke of the tonge smyteth the bones in sunder Their be many that haue peryshed
made vp the strong holde in Bethsura And if thou doest not preuente them ryght sone they wyl do more then these thou shalte not be able to ouercome them When y â— kynge herde thys he was very angrye and called all hys frendes the Captaynes of hys fote men and of all hys horsemen together He hyred men of warre also out of other realmes and out of the Iles of y â— see whiche came vnto hym And the noÌ„bre of hys hoste was an hundreth thousande fote men tweÌ„ty thousande horsmen and. xxxij ElephaÌ„tes well exercised to battayle These came thorowe Idumea vnto Bethsura and beseged it a longe season and made dyuerse instrumeÌ„tes of warre agaynste it But y e Iewes came out and brent theÌ„ and fought lyke men Then departed Iudas froÌ„ the castel at IerusaleÌ„ remoued the host toward Bethzacaran ouer agaynst the kynges army So the kynge arose before the daye and brought the power of hys Hoste into the way to Bethzacaran where the Hoostes made theÌ„ redy to y â— battayl blowyng the troÌ„pettes And to prouoke the Elephantes for to fight they shewed them the sappe of reed grapes molberies And deuyded the ElephaÌ„tes among the Host so y â— by euery Elephant there stode a. M. men well harnessed helmettes of stele vpon theyr heades Ye vnto euery one of y â— ElephaÌ„tes also were ordained â— C. horsmen of the best which wayted of the ElephaÌ„t goyng where so euer he wente and departed not from him Euery Elephant was couered with a strong tower of wod wherupon were xxxij valeaunt men with weapens to fyght and within it was a man of Iude to rule the beest As for the remnaunt of the horsmen he set them vpon both the sides in two partes with trompettes to prouoke the hoste and to stere vp suche as were slow in the armye And wheÌ„ the sunne shone vpon theyr shyldes of golde and stele the mountaynes glistred agayne at them and were as bryght as the cressettes of fyre The kynges host also was deuided one parte vpon the hye Mountaynes the other lowe beneth so they went on takynge good hede and kepynge theyr ordre And all they that dwelt in the lande were afrayed at the noyse of theyr hoost when the multitude weÌ„t forth when the weapens smote together for the hoost was both great and myghty Iudas also his hoost entred into the battayle slewe vj. C. men of the kinges army Nowe when Eleasar y â— sonne of Saura dyd se one of y â— Elephantes deckt w t the kynges badge was a more godly beest then the other he thought y â— kynge shuld be vpon him ieoparde him self to deliuer his people and to get hym a perpetuall name Wherfore he ranne wyth a corage vnto the ElephaÌ„te in y â— myddest of the hoost smytyng them downe of bothe the sydes slewe many aboute him So wente he to the Elephantes fete gat hym vnder hym slewe him then fell the Elephant downe vpon hiÌ„ there he died Iudas also his men seing y â— power of the kyng the myghtye vyoleÌ„ce of his host departed froÌ„ them And the kynges armye wente vp agaynst theÌ„ towarde Ierusalem pytched their teÌ„tes in Iewry besyde mount Syon Moreouer the kyng toke trâ—se with them that were in Bethsura But when they came out of the cyte because they had no vytailes within the laÌ„de laye vntylled the kynge toke bethsura set meÌ„ to kepe it turned his hooste to the place of the Sanctuary layed siege to it a great whyle Where he made al maner ordinaunce handbowes fyrye dartes rackettes to caste stones scorpions to shut arowes and slinges The Iewes also made ordynaunce agaynst theirs and fought a longe season But in the cytie there were no vytayles for it was the seuenth yeare of the warres those Heythen y â— remayned in Iewrye had eaten vp all their stoare And in the Sanctuary were fewe meÌ„ lefte â–ª for y â— hungre came so vpon theÌ„ that they were scatred abroade euery man to hys owne place So when Lysyas hearde that Phylyppe whoÌ„ Antiochus the kynge whyle he was yet lyuyng had ordayned to brynge vp Antiochus his sonne that he myght be kynge was come agayne out of Persia and Medea with the kynges hoost thought to optayne the kyngdome He gat him to the kynge in al the haste to the captaynes of the hoste and sayde we decrease dayly our vytayles are but small Agayne the place that we laye sege vnto is very stroÌ„g it were oure parte to se for the realme Let vs agree with these men and take truce wyth them and with all theyr people and graunte them to lyue after theyr lawe as they dyd afore For they be greued do all these thynges agaynst vs because we haue despysed theyr lawe So the kynge and the prynces were content sente vnto them to make peace they receyued it Now when the king the princes had made an othe vnto theÌ„ they came out of the castell and the kynge wente vp to mounte Syon But when he sawe that the place was well fenced he brake the othe that he had made commaunded to destroye the wall rounde aboute Then departed he in all the haste returned vnto Antioche where he founde Philyppe hauynge dominion of the cytie So he fought agaynst him toke the cytie agayne into his handes ¶ Demetrius raygned after he had kylled Antiochus and Lysyas He troubleth the chyldren of Israel thorowe the couÌ„cell of certayne wycked personnes The prayer of the Prestes agaynste Nicanor Iudas kylleth Nicanor after he had made hys prayer CAPI VII IN the. Câ—â— yere came Demetrius the soÌ„ne of Seleucus from the citieÌ„ of Rome with a small coÌ„pany of men vnto a cytie of the see caste there he bare rule And it chaunced y t when he came to Antioche the cyte of his progenitours his host toke Antiochus Lisias to brynge them vnto hym But when it was tolde hym he sayde let me not se theyr faces So the hoste put them to death Nowe when Demetrius was set vpon the trone of hys kyngdome there came vnto him wicked and vngodly meÌ„ of Israell whose captayne was Alcimus that wolde haue bene made hye preste These men accused y â— people of Israel vnto the kynge sayinge Iudas his brethren haue slayne thy freÌ„des and dryuen vs out of oure owne laÌ„de Wherfore sende now some man to whom thou geuest credeÌ„ce that he may go and se all the destruccyon whiche he hath done vnto vs to the kynges lande and let him be punished with all his frendes and fauourers Then the kynge chose Bachides a frende of hys which was a man of greate power in the realme beyonde the greate water and faythfull vnto the kynge and sente him to se the destruccyon that Iudas had done And as for that wycked Alcimus he made hym hye preste
out of the kynges Checker But when Ionathas and the people hearde these wordes they gaue no credence vnto them neyther receaued them for they remembred the greate wyckednesse that he had done vnto Israell and how sore he had vexed them Wherfore they agreed vnto Alexander for he was a prynce that had dealte frendly wyth them and so they stode by hym alwaye Then gathered kynge Alexander a greate hoost and brought hys armye agaynste Demetrius So the two kynges stroke bataylle together but Demetrius hoost iled and Alexander folowed after and fell vpon them A myghtye sore felde was it contynuynge tyll the Sonne wente downe and Demetrius was slayne the same daye And Alexandre sente ambassitoures vnto Ptolomy the kyng of Egypte wyth these wordes sayenge For so muche as I am come agayne to my reaime and am let in the trone of my progenytours and haue gotten the domynyon ouercomed Demetrius conquered the lande and stryken a felde with hym so that we haue dysconfyted both him and his hoost and syt in the trone of hys Kyngdome Let vs nowe make freÌ„oshippe together geue me thy daughter to wyfe so shall I be thy sonne in lawe and both geue the rewardes and her great dygnyte Ptolomy the kyng gaue answere sayenge Happy be the daye wherin thou arte come agayne to the lande of thy Progenytours and set in the trone of theyr kyngdome As nowe wyll I fulfyll thy wrytynge but mete me at Ptolomais that we maye se one another that I may mary my daughter vnto the accordinge to thy desyre So Ptolomy wente out of Egypte wyth hys daughter Cleopatra and came vnto Ptolomays in the. Clxij yeare where kinge Alexander met hym and he gaue Alexander his daughter Cleopatra maried the at Ptolomais with greate worshyppe lyke as the maner of kynges is to be TheÌ„ wrote kyng Alexander vnto Ionathas that he shulde come and mete hym So he wente honorably vnto Ptolomais and there he mete the two kynges and gaue them greate presentes of golde and siluer and founde fauoure in their syght And there came together agaist Ionathas certayne wycked men vn gracyous persones of Israel makyng com playntes of him but the kyng regarded theÌ„ not As for Ionathas the kynge commaunded to take of hys garmentes and to clothe him purple and so they dyd Then y t kinge appoynted hym to syt by hym and sayde vnto hys princes Go with hym into y e middest of the cytye and make a proclamacion that no man complayne against him of any matter and that no maÌ„ trouble hym for eny maner of cause So it happened that when hys accusers sawe the worshyppe which was proclamed of hym and that he was clothed in purple they sled euerychone And the Kynge made much of hym wrote hym amonge hys chefe frendes made hym a duke and partaker of hys domynyon Thus Ionathas wente agayne to IerusaleÌ„ with peace gladnes In the. Clxv. yeare came Demetriê° the soÌ„ne of Demetrius from Creta into hys fathers lande wherof when Alexander herde tel he was ryght sory and retourned vnto Antioche And Demetrius chose Appollonyus which had the gouernaunce of Celosyrya to be hys captayne So he gathered a greate hoost and came vnto Iamnta and sente word vnto Ionathas the hye prest sayeng Darteste y u withstand vs thy self alone As for me I am but laughed to scorne and shamed because thou prouedst thy streÌ„gth agaynst vs in the mouÌ„taynes Nowe therfore yf thou trust este in thine owe streÌ„ght come downe to vs into y e plaine felde there let vs proue our streÌ„gth together thou shalt fynde that I haue vale aunt men of warre with me shalt knowe whom I am the other that stande by me Which saye that your fote is not able to stande before oure face for thy fathers haue bene twise chased into theyr owne laÌ„de And nowe how wylt y u be able to abyde so great an hoost of horssineÌ„ fotemeÌ„ in y â— feld where as is nether rocke stone nor place to fle vnto When Ionathas herd the wordes of Appolloniê° he was moued i hys mynde wherfore he chose tenne thousande meÌ„ and went oute of Ierusalem and Symon hys brother met him for to helpe him And they pitched their tentes at Ioppa but y e cytie kepte hym forth for Ioppa was an holde of Appollonius Then Ionathas laied sege to it and they that were in the cyte for very feare let hym in and so Ionathas wanne Ioppa Appollonius hearinge of this toke thre thousande horssmen with a greate hoost of fote and wente as though he wold go to Azotus and came immediatly into the plaine felde because he had so many horssmen and put hys trust in theÌ„ So Ionathas folowed vpon him to Azotus there they strocke the battayll Now had Appolloniê° left a thousande horsmeÌ„ behynde theÌ„ priuely in y â— teÌ„tes And when Ionathas knewe y e suche wayte was layed behynde them they went rounde aboute the enemyes hoost and shot dartes at y e people froÌ„ the morninge to y e euenynge As for Ionathas people they kepte theyr ordre as he had commaunded them and the enemyes horses were euer labourynge Then brought Symon forth hys hoost and set them agaynste the fote men For the horsmen were weery all ready So he dyscomfited them and they fled And they that were scatred in the felde gat theÌ„ to Azotus and came into the temple of Dagon theyr Idoll y t they myght there saue theyr lyues But Ionathas set fyre vpon Azotus and al the cyties rounde aboute it and toke theyr goodes and brent vp the temple of Dagon with all them that were fled into it Thus were slayne brent well nye viij M. men So Ionathas remoued the hoost froÌ„ thence brought theÌ„ to Ascalon where the men of the cytie came forth met hym with great worshyp After this went Ionathas his hoost a gayne to Ierusalem with great substaunce of good And when kynge Alexander herde these thynges he thought to do Ionathas more worshype sent hym a colar of golde as y e vse is to be geueÌ„ vnto suche as are of the kynges nexte bloude He gaue him also the cytie of Accaron with the landes belongynge therto in possessyon CAPI XI ¶ The dissencion betwyre Ptolomes AlexanÌ„der his soÌ„ne in â—â—we The deeth of Alexanâ—der Demetrius taygneth after the deeth of Ptolomâ—us Syon is besegid of Ionathas De netriuâ— seinge that no mâ— resisted him seÌ„deth his armye 〈…〉 pho moueth Aâ—â—â—â—chns against Demetrâ—us De meâ—â—nus is desiuered by the suciour of Ianathas After hys dcly gâ—râ—unce he meaketh hys couenauâ—â— that he had made AND the kynge of Egypte gathered â—an hoost lyke the sande y e lyeth vpon y e sce sâ—bore many shippes went aboute thorâ—we dysceate to obtayne y e kyngdome of Alexander to ioyne it vnto hys owne realmâ—e Upon this he toke hys iourney into Siriâ— was letten into y