fatt and turne vnto straunge goddes and serue them and rayle on me and breake my testament And then when moch myschefe and tribulacion is come vppon them this songe shall answere before them and be a witnesse It shall not be forgetten out of the mouthes of their seed for I knowe their imaginacyon whiche they goo aboute euen now before I haue broughte them in to the londe which I sware And Moses wrote this songe the same season and taught it the childern of Israel And the Lorde gaue Iosua the sonne off Nun a charge and sayed be bolde and stronge for thou shalt brynge the childern of Israel in to the lond which I sware vnto them aÌ„d I will be with the. When Moses had made an ende of wrytynge out the wordes of this lawe in a boke vnto the ende of them he commaunded the Leuites which bare the arcke of the testameÌ„t of the Lorde sayenge take the boke off thys lawe and put it by the syde of the arcke of the testament of the Lorde youre God and let it be there for a witnesse vnto the. I For knowe thi stubernesse and thi stiffe necke beholde while I am yet a lyue with you this daye ye haue bene dishobedient vnto the Lorde aÌ„d how moch moare after my deeth Gather vnto me al the elders of youre trybes and youre officers that I maye speake these wordes in their eares and call heaueÌ„ aÌ„d erth to recorde agenst them For I am sure that after my deeth they will vtterly marre them selues and turne from the waye which I commaunded you and tribulacion will come vppon you in the later dayes when ye haue wrought welkednesse in the sight of the Lorde to prouoke him with the workes of youre handes And Moses spake in the eares of all the congregacion of Israel the wordes of this songe vnto the ende of them The .xxxij. Chapter HEare o heauen what I shall speake and heare o erth the wordes of my mouth My doctrine droppe as doeth the rayne aÌ„d my speach flowe as doeth the dewe as the mesellynge vpoÌ„ the herbes aÌ„d as the droppes vppoÌ„ the grasse For I wil call on the name of the Lorde Magnifie the might of oure God He is a rocke and perfecte are his deades for all his wayes are with discrecion God is faithfull and without wekednesse both rightuous and iuste is he The frowarde and ouerthwarte generacion hath marred them selues to him ward aÌ„d â—re not his sonnes for their deformities sake Doest thou so rewarde the Lorde O foolish nacyon aÌ„d vnwyse Is not he thy father aÌ„d thyne owner hath he not made the and ordeyned the Remembre the dayes that are past consydre the yeres from tyme to tyme. Axe thy father aÌ„d â—e will shewe the thyne elders and they wyll â—ell the. WheÌ„ the most hyghest gaue the nacyons an â—nheritaunce aÌ„d diuided the sonnes of Adam â—e put the borders of the nacions fast by the multitude of the childern of Israel For the Lordes parte is his folke aÌ„d Israel â—â— the porcion of his enheritaunce He founde him in a deserte londe in a voyde ground aÌ„d a rorynge wildernesse he led hiÌ„ aboute and gaue him vnderstondynge aÌ„d kepâ—â— him as the aple of his eye As an egle that stereth vpp hyr nest and â—â—otereth ouer hyr younge he stretched oute â—is wynges and toke hym vpp and bare hym on his shulders The Lorde alone was his guyde and there was no straunge God with him He sett him vpp apon an hye londe and he ate the encrease of the feldes And he gaue hâ— honye to sucke out of the rocke aÌ„d oyle out of the harde stone With butter of the kyne and mylke of the shepe with fatt of the lambes aÌ„d fatt rammeâ— and he gootes with fatt kydneyes and with whete And of the bloude of grapes thou drâ—kest wyne And Israel waxed fatt and kyked Thou wast fatt thicke and smothe And he let God goo that made hiÌ„ and despysed the rocke that saued him They angred him with strauÌ„ge goddes aÌ„d with abhominacions prouoked him They offered vnto feldedeuels and not to God aÌ„d to goddes which they knewe not aÌ„d to newe goddes that came newly vpp whiche their fathers feared not Of the rocke that begat the thou arte vnâ— myndefull and hast forgott God that made the. And when the Lorde sawe it he was angre because of the prouokynge of his sonnes and doughters And he sayed I will hyde my face from theÌ„ and will se what their ende shall be For they are a froward generacion aÌ„d childern in whoÌ„ is no fayth They haue angred me with that whiche is no god and prouoked me with their vanities And I agayne will angre them with theÌ„ whiche are no people and will prouoke theÌ„ with â— foelish nacion For fire is kyndled in my wrath aÌ„d shal burne vnto the botome of hee ll And shall consume the erth with her encrease and set a fire the botoms of the mountaynes I will hepe myscheues vpon the aÌ„d will speÌ„de all myne arowes at them Burnt with hungre aÌ„d consumed with heet and with bitter pestilence I will also sende the â—ethe of beestes vppon them and poyson serpentes Without forth the swerde shall robbe theÌ„ off theire childern and wythin in the chamber feare both younge men and younge wemen and the suckelynges with the meÌ„ of gray â—eedes I haue determened to scater theÌ„ therowout â—e worlde aÌ„d to make awaye the remeÌ„braunce of them from amonge men Were it not that I feared the raylynge off their enemyes lest theire aduersaries woâ—de be prowde and saye oure hye hande hath done aâ— these workes and not the Lorde For it is a nacion that hath an vnhappye forcast and hath no vnderstonge in them â— wolde they ware wyse and vnderstode this aÌ„d wolde consider their later ende Howe it cometh that one shall chace â— thousande and two putt ten thousande ofâ— them to flyghte excepte theire rocke had solde them and because the Lorde had delyuered them For oure rocke is not as their rocke no though oure enemyes be iudge But their vynes are of the vynes of Sodom and of the feldes of Gomorra Their grapes are grapes of gall and theire clusters be bytter Their wyne is the poyson of dragons aÌ„d the cruell gall of aspes Are not soch thinges layed in store with me â–ª aÌ„d seeled vpp amonge my treasures Vengeaunce is myne and I will rewarde their fete shall slyde when the tyme cometh For the tyme of their destruction is at honde and the tyme that shall come vppon them maketh hast For the Lorde will doo iustice vnto hys people and haue compassion on his servauntes For it shal be sene that theire power shall fayle and at the last they shal be presoned and forsaken And it shal be sayed where are their goddes aÌ„d their rocke wherein they trusted The fatt of whose sacrifices they ate and drancke the wyne of their drynckofferynges let them ryse vpp and helpe you and be youre protection Se now
haue not wherewith And for a like conclusyon because we also with all that we haue be christes therfore is the preast heyre with vs also of all that we haue receaued of god wherfore in as moch as yâ— preast wayteth on yâ— worde of god aÌ„d is oureseruaunte therin therfore of right we are his dettars owe him a sufficyent lyuinge of oure goodes aÌ„d euen therto a wiffe of oure doughters owe we vnto him if he requyre her And now when we haue appoynted him a sufficieÌ„t liuinge whether in tythes rentes or in yerelye wages he ought to be coÌ„tent to require no more nor yet to receaue any more but to be an ensample of sobernesse of dispysinge worldly thinges vnto the ensample of his parysheonars Wilt thou vowe to offre vnto yâ— poore people that is pleasaunte in yâ— sight of god for they be lefte here to do oure almes apoÌ„ in christes stead they be yâ— right heyres of all oure abundauÌ„ce ouerplus Moreouer we must haue a scole to teach goddes worde iÌ„ though it neded not to be so costely therfore it is law full to vowe vnto the buyldinge or mayntenauÌ„ce therof vnto helpinge of all good werkes And we ought to vowe to paye custome tolle rent all maner dutyes and what soeuer we owe for that is gods commaundmeÌ„t Yf thou wilt vowe pilgrimage thou must put salt therto in like maner if it shal be accepted if thou vowe to go aÌ„d viset the poore or to here gods worde or what soeuer edifieth thy soule vnto loue good worke after knowlege or what soeuer god coÌ„mauÌ„deth it is well done and a sacrifyce that sauoreth well ye will happlye saye that ye will go to this or yâ— place because god hath chosen one place more then another and will heare youre peticyen more in one place then another As for youre prayer it must be accordiÌ„ge to goddes worde Ye may not desyer god to take veÌ„geaunce on him whoÌ„ goddes worde â—eacheth you to pytye to praye for And as for yâ— other glose yâ— god will heare you more iÌ„ one place theÌ„ in another I suppose it sal infatuâ—tâ—m salt vnsauerye for if it were wisdome how coude we excuse the deeth of steueÌ„ Actes .vij. which dyed for that article that god dwelleth not in teÌ„ples made with haÌ„des we that beleue in god are yâ— temple of god sayth paule if a man loue god kepe his worde he is the teÌ„ple of god hath god presently dwellinge in him as witnesseth christ Johan .xiiij. sayeÌ„ge If a maÌ„ loue me he will kepe my worde theÌ„ my father will loue him we will come vnto him and dwell with him And in the .xv. he sayth if ye abyde in me and my wordes also abyde in you then axe what ye will ye shall haue it If thou beleue in christ hast the promyses which god hath made the in thyne harte theÌ„ go on pilgrymage vnto thyne awne haite aÌ„d there praye god will heare yâ— for his mercy and truthes sake and for his sonne christes sake and not for a few stones sakes What careth god for the temple The very beestes in that they haue liffe in them be moch better then an hepe of stonnes couched to gether To speake of chastite it is a gif e not geuen vnto all persones testifyeth both christ and also his apostle Paule wherfore all persones maye not vowe it Moreouer there be causes wherfore many persones maye better lyue chast at one tyme then at another Many maye lyue chast at twentye and thirtye for certayne colde diseases folowinge them which at .xl. when their helth is come cannot do so Many be occupyed with wylde phantasyes in their youth that they care not for mariage which same when they be wareÌ„ sad shal be greatly desyrouse yt is a daungerous thynge to make synne where none is aÌ„d to for swere yâ— benefyte of god to bynde thy self vnder payne of daÌ„nacyon of thy soule that thou woldest not vse the remeadye that god hath created if nead requyred ¶ Another thinge is this beware that thou geâ—t the not a false fayned chastite made with the vngodly perswasions of saynte Hâ—eroÌ„ or of Ouide in his fylthye boke of the remedye agenst loue lest when thorow soch imaginacyons thou hast vtterlye despysed defyed aÌ„d abhorred all voman kynde thou come in to soch case thorow the firce wrath of god that thou canst nether lyue chast nor fynde in thy harte to marye aÌ„d so be coÌ„pelled to faule into the abhominacion of the pope agenst nature and kynde Moreouer god is a wyse father knoweth all yâ— infirmityes of his children also mercy full aÌ„d therfore hath created a remedye without synne aÌ„d geuen therto his fauoure and blessinge Let vs not be wyser then god with oure ymaginacyoÌ„s nor teÌ„pte him for as godly chastite is not euery maÌ„s gyfre euen so he yâ— hath it to daye hath not power to continue it at his awne pleasure nether hath god â—romy sed to geue it him still to cure his infirmytyes with out his naturall remeadye no more then he hath promysed to slake his hongre with out meate or thirst with out drinke Wherfore other let all thinges byde fre as wise god hath created them nother vowe that which god requyreth not nor for swere that which god permitteth the with his fauoure and blessinge also or els if thou wilt neades vowe then vowe godly vnder a coÌ„dityon yâ— thou wilt contynue chast so longe as god geueth the that gyfte aÌ„d as longe as nether thyne awne necessyte nether cheryte toward thy neighboure nor yâ— authorite of theÌ„ vnder whose power thou arte dryue the vnto the contrarye The purposse of thy vowe must be salted also with the wisdom of god Thou mayest noâ— vowe to be iustefyed therbye or to make satisfaction for thy synnes or towynne heaueÌ„ nor an hyer place for then didest thou wroÌ„ge vnto the bloude of christ thy vowe were playne Idolatrye abhominable in yâ— sight of god Thy vowe must be only vnto the furtheraunce of the commauÌ„dmeÌ„tes of god which are as I haue sayde nothinge but yâ— taminge of thy meÌ„bres the seruice of thy neyghboure that is if thou thyncke thy backe to weake for the burthen of wedlocke yâ— thou canst not rule thy wiff children seruauÌ„tes and make prouision for theÌ„ godlye with out ouermoch busyenge and vnquyetyngethy self aÌ„d drounynge thy self in worldly busynesse vnchristenlye or that thou canst serue thy neyghboure in some office better beynge chast then maryed And then thy vowe is good lawfull And euâ— so must thou vowe abstineÌ„ce of meates â— ynkes so far forth as it is profitable vnto thy neyghbours vnto yâ— tamiÌ„ge of thy flesh But thou mayst vowe nether of them vnto yâ— sleynge of thy bodye As Paule coÌ„mauÌ„deth tymothe to drincke wyne no moare water because of his diseases Thou wilt saye
vnto the Lorde thi God aÌ„d herken vnto his voyce acordinge to all that I coÌ„maunde the this daye both thou and thi childern with all thine hert and all thi soule Then the Lorde thi God wil turne thi captiuite aÌ„d haue coÌ„ppassion vpoÌ„ the aÌ„d goo aÌ„d fett the agayne from all the nacions amoÌ„ge which the Lorde thi God shall haue scatered the. Though thou wast cast vnto the extreme partes of heauen euen from thence will the Lorde thi God gather the and from thence fett the and brynge the in to the lande which thi fathers possessed and thou shalt enioye it And he will shewe the kyndnesse and multiplye the aboue thi fathers And the Lorde thi God will circumcyse thine hert and the hert of thi seed for to loue the Lorde thi God with all thine hert and all thi soule that thou mayst lyue And the Lorde thi God will put al these curses vpoÌ„ thine enemyes and on theÌ„ that hate the and persecute the. But thou shalt turne and herken vnto the voyce of the Lorde and doo all his commaundmentes which I commaunde the this daye And the Lorde thi God will make the plenteous in all the workes of thine hande and in the frute of thi bodye in the frute of thi catell and frute of thi lande and in riches For the Lorde will turne agayne and reioyse ouer the to doo the good as he reioysed ouer thi fathers Yf thou herken vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God to kepe his commaundmentes and ordynaunces which are written in the boke of this lawe yf thou turne vnto the Lord thi God with all thine hert and all thi soule For the commaundment which I commaunde the this daye is not separated from the nether ferre of It is not in heauen that thou neadest to saye who shall goo vpp for us in to heauen and fett it us that we maye heare it aÌ„d doo it Nether is it beyonde the see that thou shuldest saye who shall goo ouer see for us and fett â—t us that we maye heare it and doo it But the worde is very nye vnto the euen in thi mouth and in thine hert that thou doo it Beholde I haue sett before you this daye lyfe and good deeth and cuell in that I commaunde the this daye to loue the Lorde thi God and to walke in his wayes and to kepe his commaundementes his ordynaunces and his lawes that thou mayst lyue and multipye and that the Lorde thy God man blesse the in the londe whother thou goest to possesse it But and yf thyne hert turne awaye so that thou wilt not heare but shalt goo astraye and worshepe straunge goddes and serue them I pronounce vnto you this daye that ye shal surely peresh and that ye shall not prolonge youre dayes vppon the londe whother thou passest ouer Iordayne to goo and possesse it I call to recorde this daye vnto you heauen and erth that I haue sett before you lyfe and deeth blessynge and cursynge but chose lyfe that thou and thi seed maye lyue in that thou louest the Lorde thi God herkenest vnto his voyce and cleauest vnto him For he is thi life and the lengthe of thi dayes that thou mayst dwell vppon the erth which the Lorde sware vnto thi fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob to geue them The .xxxi. Chapter ANd Moses went and spake these wordes vnto all Israel and sayed vnto them I am an hundred aÌ„d .xx. yere olde this daye aÌ„d can nomoare goo out and in Also the Lorde hath sayed vnto me thou shalt not go ouer this Iordayne The Lord youre God he will go ouer before the aÌ„d he will destroye these nacions before the aÌ„d thou shalt coÌ„quere theÌ„ And Iosua he shall goo ouer before the as the Lorde hath sayed And the Lorde shall doo vnto them as he dyd to Sihon aÌ„d Og kynges of the Amorites aÌ„d vnto their landes which kinges he destroyed And when the Lorde hath delyuered them to the se that ye doo vnto them acordynge vnto all the coÌ„maundmentes which I haue coÌ„maunded you Plucke vpp youre hartes and be stronge dreade not nor be aferde of them for the Lorde thi God him selfe will goo with the and wil nether let the goo nor forsake the And Moses called vnto Iosua and sayed vnto him in the sighte of all Israel Be stroÌ„ge and bolde for thou must goo with this people vnto the londe which the Lorde hath sworne vnto their fathers to geue them and thou shalt geue it them to enheret And the Lorde he shall goo before the aÌ„d he shall be with the and wil not let the goo nor forsake the feare not therfore nor be discomforted And Moses wrote this lawe and delyuered it vnto the preastes the sonnes of Leui which bare the arke of the testament of the Lorde and vnto all the elders of Israel and commaunded them sayenge At the ende of .vij. yere in the tyme of the fre yere in the fest of the tabernacles when all Israel is come to appere before the Lorde thi God in the place which he hath chosen se that thou reade this lawe before all Israel in their eares Gather the people together both men wemen and childern and the straungers that are in thi cities that they maye heare lerne and feare the Lorde youre God and be diligent to kepe all the wordes of this lawe and that theyr childern which knowe nothinge maye heare and lerne to feare the Lorde youre God as longe as ye lyue in the londe whother ye goo ouer Iordayne to possesse it And the Lorde sayed vnto Moses Beholde thy dayes are come that thou must dye Call Iosua and come and stonde in the tabernacle of witnesse that I maye geue him a charge And Moses and Iosua went and stode in the tabernacle off witnesse And the Lorde apeared in the tabernacle euen in the pyler off the cloude And the piler of the cloude stode ouer the dore of the tabernacle And the Lorde sayed vnto Moses beholde thou must slepe with thi fathers and this people will goo a whorynge after straunge goddes off the londe whother they goo and will forsake me and breake the appoyntement which I haue made with them And then my wrath will waxe whote agenst them and I will forsake them and will hyde my face from them and they shal be consumed And when moch aduersyte and tribulacion is come vppon them then they will saye because oure God is not amonge us these tribulacions are come vppon us But I wil hyde my face that same tyme for all the euels sake which they shall haue wrought in that they are turned vnto straunge goddes Now therfore write ye this songe and teach it the childern of Israel and put it in their mouthes that this songe maye be my witnesse vnto the childern of Israel For when I haue brought them in to the londe whiche I sware vnto their fathers that runneth with mylke aÌ„d honye then they will eate and fyll them selues and waxe