shall not be forgeuen vnto men 32 And whosoeuer speaketh a worde agaynst the sonne of man it shal be forgeuen hym But whosoeuer speaketh agaynst the holy ghost it shall not be forgeuen hym neither in this worlde neither in the worlde to come 33 Either make the tree good and his fruite good or els make the tree euyll and his fruite euyll For the tree is knowen by his fruite 34 O generation of vipers howe can ye speake good thynges when ye your selues are euyll For out of the aboundaūce of the heart the mouth speaketh 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bryngeth foorth good thynges And an euyll man out of euyll treasure bryngeth foorth euyll thynges 36 But I say vnto you of euery idell worde that men shall speake they shall geue accompt therof in the day of iudgment 37 For of thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and of thy wordes thou shalt be condemned ☜ 38 ☞ Then certayne of the Scribes and of the Pharisees aunswered hym saying Maister we wyl see a signe of thee 39 But he aunswered and sayde to them The euyll and adulterous generation seketh a signe and there shall no signe be geuen to it but the signe of the prophete Ionas 40 For as Ionas was three dayes and three nyghtes in the Whales belly so shall the sonne of man be three dayes and three nyghtes in the heart of the earth 41 The men of Niniue shall ryse in the iudgement with this nanon and condemne it because they repented at the preachyng of Ionas and beholde here is one greater then Ionas 42 The Queene of the south shall ryse in the iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it for she came from the vtmost partes of the earth to heare the wisdome of Solomon And beholde in this place is one greater then Solomon 43 When the vncleane spirite is gone out of a man he walketh throughout drye places sekyng rest and fyndeth none 44 Then he sayeth I wyll returne into my house from whence I came out And when he is come he fyndeth it emptie swept and garnyshed 45 Then goeth he and taketh vnto hym seuen other spirites worse then hym selfe and they enter in and dwell there And the ende of that man is worse then the begynnyng Euen so shall it be also vnto this frowarde generation 46 Whyle he yet talked to the people beholde his mother and his brethren stoode without desyryng to speake with hym 47 Then one sayde vnto hym beholde thy mother and thy brethren stande without desyryng to speake with thee 48 But he aunswered and sayde vnto hym that had tolde hym Who is my mother or who are my brethren 49 And he stretched foorth his hande towarde his disciples sayde beholde my mother and my brethren 50 For whosoeuer shall do the wyll of my father which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother ☜ ¶ The .xiij. Chapter ¶ 3 The parable of the seede 24 of the tares 31 of the mustarde seede 33 of the leuen 44 of the treasure hyd in the fielde 45 of the pearles 47 and of the nette 1 THE same day went Iesus out of the house sate by the sea syde 2 And great multitudes were gathered together vnto hym so greatly that he went and sate in a shippe and the whole multitude stoode on the shore 3 And he spake many thynges to them in parables saying Beholde the sower went foorth to sowe 4 And when he sowed some seedes fell by the wayes side and the fowles came and deuoured them vp 5 Some fell vpon stony places where they had not much earth and anone they sprong vp because they had no depenesse of earth 6 And when the sonne was vp they caught heate and because they had not roote they wythered away 7 Agayne some fell among thornes and the thornes sprong vp and choked them 8 But some fell into good grounde and brought foorth fruite some an hundred folde some sixtie folde some thirtie folde 9 Who hath eares to heare let hym heare 10 And the disciples came and sayde vnto hym Why speakest thou to them by parables 11 He aunswered and sayde vnto them because it is geuen vnto you to knowe the secretes of the kyngdome of heauen but to them it is not geuen 12 For whosoeuer hath to hym shal be geuen and he shall haue more aboundaunce But whosoeuer hath not from hym shal be taken away euen that he hath 13 Therfore speake I to them in parables because they seeyng see not and hearyng they heare not neither do they vnderstande 14 And in them is fulfylled the prophesie of Esaias saying by hearyng ye shall heare and shall not vnderstande and seeyng ye shall see shall not perceaue 15 For this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their eares are dull of hearyng and their eyes haue they closed lest at any tyme they shoulde see with their eyes and heare with their eares and shoulde vnderstande with their heart shoulde conuert that I myght heale them 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare 17 Veryly I say vnto you that many prophetes and ryghteous men haue desired to see those thynges which ye see and haue not seene and to heare those thynges which ye heare and haue not hearde 18 Heare ye therfore the similitude of the sower 19 When one heareth the worde of the kyngdome and vnderstandeth it not then commeth that euyll and catcheth away that which was sowen in his heart this is he which receaued seede by the way syde 20 But he that receaued the seede into stony places the same is he that heareth the worde and anone with ioy receaueth it 21 Yet hath he not roote in hym selfe but dureth for a season for when tribulation or persecution aryseth because of the worde by and by he is offended 22 He also that receaued seede into the thornes is he that heareth the worde and the care of this worlde and the disceiptfulnes of ryches choke vp the worde and so is he made vnfruitfull 23 But he that receaued seede into the good grounde is he that heareth the worde and vnderstandeth it which also beareth fruite and bryngeth foorth some an hundred folde some sixtie folde some thirtie folde 24 Another parable put he foorth vnto them saying ☞ The kyngdome of heauen is likened vnto a man which sowed good seede in his fielde 25 But whyle men slept his enemye came sowed tares among the wheate and went his way 26 But when the blade was sprong vp and had brought foorth fruite then appeared the tares also 27 So the seruauntes of the housholder came and sayde vnto hym Sir diddest not thou sowe good seede in thy fielde from whence then hath it tares 28 He sayde vnto them the malicious man hath done this The seruauntes sayde vnto hym wylt
thou then that we go and gather them vp 29 But he sayde nay lest whyle ye gather vp the tares ye rote vp also the wheate with them 30 Let both growe together vntyll the haruest in tyme of haruest I wyl say to the reapers gather ye together first the tares and bynde them in bundels to burne them but carrie the wheate into my barne ☜ 31 ☞ Another parable put he foorth vnto them saying The kyngdome of heauen is like to a grayne of mustard seede which a man toke sowed in his fielde 32 Which in dede is the least of all seedes But when it is growen it is the greatest among hearbes and is a tree so that the byrdes of the ayre come make their nestes in the braunches therof 33 Another parable spake he vnto them The kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto leuen which a woman taketh hydeth in three peckes of meale tyll all be leuened 34 All these thynges spake Iesus vnto the people in parables and without a parable spake he not vnto them 35 That it myght be fulfylled which was spoken by the prophete that sayth I wyll open my mouth in parables I wyll speake foorth thynges which haue ben kept secrete from the foundation of the worlde ☜ 36 Then Iesus sent the people away went into the house And his disciples came vnto hym saying Declare vnto vs the parable of the tares of the fielde 37 He aunswered and sayde vnto them He that soweth the good seede is the sonne of man 38 The fielde is the worlde the good seede they are the childrē of y e kingdom the tares are the chyldren of y e wicked 39 The enemie that foweth them is the deuyll the haruest is the ende of the worlde the reapers be the Angels 40 Euen as the tares therfore are gathered and brent in the fyre so shall it be in the ende of this worlde 41 The sonne of man shall sende foorth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kyngdome all thynges that offende and them which do iniquitie 42 And shall cast them into a furnesse of fyre There shal be waylyng and gnasshyng of teeth 43 Then shall the ryghteous shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their father Who hath eares to heare let hym heare ☜ 44 ☞ Agayne the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto treasure hyd in the fielde the which a man hath founde and hyd and for ioy therof goeth and selleth all that he hath and byeth the fielde 45 Agayne the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto a marchaunt man seekyng goodly pearles 46 Which when he founde one precious pearle went and solde all that he had and bought it 47 Agayne the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of all kynde 48 Which when it was full men drewe to lande and sat downe and gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away 49 So shall it be at the ende of the world The Angels shall come foorth and seuer the bad from among the iuste 50 And shall cast them into a furnesse of fyre there shal be waylyng and gnasshyng of teeth 51 Iesus sayth vnto them haue ye vnderstande all these thynges They say vnto hym yea Lorde 52 Then sayde he vnto them Therfore euery Scribe which is taught vnto the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto a man that is an householder whiche bryngeth foorth out of his treasure thynges newe and olde ☜ 53 And it came to passe that when Iesus had finished these parables he departed thence 54 And when he came into his owne countrey he taught them in their synagogues in so much that they were astonyed and sayde whence commeth this wysdome and powers vnto hym 55 Is not this the carpenters sonne Is not his mother called Marie and his brethren Iames and Ioses and Simon and Iudas 56 And are not all his sisters with vs whence hath he then all these thynges 57 And they were offended in hym Iesus sayde vnto them A prophete is not without honour saue in his owne countrey and in his owne house 58 And he did not many mightie workes there because of their vnbeliefe ⧠The .xiiij. Chapter ¶ 10 Iohn is taken and beheaded 19 Christe feedeth fyue thousande men with fyue loaues two fysshes 25 and appeareth by nyght vnto his disciples vpon the sea 1 AT that tyme Herode the Tetrarch hearde of the fame of Iesu 2 And sayde vnto his seruauntes this is Iohn the Baptist he is risen from the dead and therfore great workes do shewe foorth them selues in hym 3 For Herode had taken Iohn and bounde hym and put hym in prison for Herodias sake his brother Philips wyfe 4 For Iohn sayde vnto hym it is not lawfull for thee to haue her 5 And when he woulde haue put hym to death he feared the people because they counted hym as a prophete 6 But when Herodes birth day was kept the daughter of Herodias daunsed before them and pleased Herode 7 Wherefore he promised with an othe that he woulde geue her whatsoeuer she woulde aske 8 And she beyng instruct of her mother before sayde geue me here Iohn Baptistes head in a platter 9 And the kyng was sory Neuerthelesse for the othes sake and them which sate also at the table he commaunded it to be geuen her 10 And sent and beheaded Iohn in the pryson 11 And his head was brought in a platter and geuen to the damsell and she brought it to her mother 12 And his disciples came and toke vp his body and buryed it and went and tolde Iesus 13 When Iesus hearde of it he departed thence in a shyp vnto a desert place out of the way And when the people had hearde therof they folowed hym on foote out of the cities 14 And Iesus went foorth and sawe much people and was moued with mercye towarde them and he healed their sicke 15 And when the euen drewe on his disciples came to hym saying this is a desert place and the hour is nowe past let the people depart that they may go into the townes and bye them vittels 16 But Iesus sayde vnto them They haue no nede to go away geue ye them to eate 17 They saye vnto hym we haue here but fyue loaues and two fisshes 18 He sayde bryng them hyther to me 19 And he commaunded the people to sit downe on the grasse and he toke the fyue loaues and the two fisshes and lift vp his eyes towarde heauen blessed And when he had broken them he gaue the loaues to his disciples and his disciples to the people 20 And they dyd all eate and were suffised And they gathered vp of the fragmentes that remayned twelue baskets full 21 And they that had eaten were about fyue thousande men besyde women and chyldren 22 And strayghtway Iesus constrayned his disciples to get vp
forsaken me 21 The Lorde shall make the pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntyll he haue consumed thee from of the lande whyther thou goest to enioy it 22 The Lorde shall smyte thee with swelling with feuers heate burnyng and with the sworde with blasting and mildeawe and they shall folowe thee vntyll thou perishe 23 And the heauen that is ouer thy head shal be brasse and the earth that is vnder thee iron 24 The Lorde shall turne the rayne of the lande vnto powder and dust euen from heauē shal they come downe vpon thee vntill thou be brought to naught 25 And the Lorde shall cause thee to fall before thine enemies Thou shalt come out one way agaynst them and flee seuen wayes before them shal be scattered among al the kingdomes of y e earth 26 And thy carkasse shal be meate vnto all maner foules of the ayre and vnto the beastes of the earth and no man shall fray them away 27 The Lorde wyll smyte thee with the botch of Egypt and the emarodes scab and itche that thou mayest not be healed therof 28 And the Lorde shall smyte thee with madnesse and blyndnesse and dasing of heart 29 Thou shalt grope at noone dayes as the blinde gropeth in darknesse shal not prosper in thy wayes Thou shalt be oppressed with wrong be poulled euermore no man shall succour thee 30 Thou shalt be betrouthed vnto a wyfe and another man shall lye with her Thou shalt buylde an house and not dwell therein thou shalt also plant a vineyarde and shalt not gather the grapes 31 Thine oxe shal be slayne before thine eyes and thou shalt not eate thereof Thyne asse shal be violently taken away euen before thy face and shall not be restored to thee agayne Thy sheepe shal be geuen vnto thyne enemies and no man shall rescue them 32 Thy sonnes and thy daughters shall be geuen vnto another nation and thine eyes shall see it and dase vpon them all the day long and there shal be no might in thyne hande 33 The fruite of thy lande and all thy labours shall a nation whiche thou knowest not eate and thou shalt continuallye suffer violence and be oppressed alway 34 So that thou shalt be cleane beside thy self for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 35 The Lorde shall smyte thee in the knees and legges with a mischeuous botch that can not be healed euen from the sole of thy foote vnto the top of thy head 36 The Lord shall bryng thee and thy kyng whiche thou shalt set ouer thee vnto a nation whiche neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen that there thou mayest serue straunge gods euen wood and stone 37 And thou shalt be wondred at spoken of and iested at among al nations whyther the Lorde shall carry thee 38 Thou shalt carry muche seede out into the fielde and shalt gather but litle in for the grashoppers shall destroy it 39 Thou shalt plant a vineyarde and dresse it but shalt neither drinke of the wine neither gather the grapes for the wormes shall eate it 40 Thou shalt haue oliue trees throughout al thy coastes but shalt not annoynt thy selfe with the oyle for thine oliues shall fall downe 41 Thou shalt beget sonnes and daughters but shalt not haue them for they shal be carryed away captiue 42 All the trees and fruite of thy lande shall wormes consume 43 The straunger that is among you shall clyme aboue thee vp on hye and thou shalt come downe beneath alowe 44 He shall lende thee and thou shalt not lende him he shal be the head and thou shalt be the tayle 45 Moreouer all these curses shall come vpon thee and shall folowe thee and ouertake thee tyll thou be destroyed because thou hearkenedst not vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God to kepe his commaundementes and his ordinaunces whiche he commaunded thee 46 And they shal be vpon thee for signes and wonders vpon thy seede for euer 47 Because thou seruedst not the Lorde thy God with ioyfulnesse and with a good heart when thou haddest aboundaunce of all thinges 48 Therfore shalt thou serue thyne enemie whiche the Lorde shall sende vpon thee in hunger and thirst in nakednes and in neede of all thyng and he shall put a yoke of iron vpon thy necke vntyll he haue brought thee to naught 49 And the Lorde shall bryng a nation vpon thee from a farre and from the ende of the worlde as swyft as an eagle fleeth a nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstande 50 A nation of a shamelesse and cruell countenaunce whiche shall not regarde the person of the olde nor haue compassion on the young 51 The same shall eate the fruite of thy cattell and the fruite of thy lande vntill he haue destroyed thee and shall leaue thee neither corne wyne nor oyle neither the encrease of thy kine nor the flockes of thy sheepe vntyll he haue brought thee to naught 52 And he shall kepe thee in in all the cities vntyll he haue cast downe thy hye walles and strong holdes wherin thou trustedst throughout all the lande And he shall besiege thee in al thy cities thorowout all the lande whiche the Lorde thy God hath geuen thee 53 And thou shalt eate the fruite of thine owne body the fleshe of thy sonnes and of thy daughters which the Lord thy God hath geuen thee in that straitnesse and siege wherewith thyne enemie shall inclose thee 54 So that it shall greeue the man that is tender and exceeding delicate among you to loke on his brother and vpon his wyfe that lieth in his bosome and on the remnaunt of his chyldren which he hath yet left 55 For feare of geuyng vnto any of them of the fleshe of his chyldren whom he shall eate because he hath nothyng left hym in that straitnesse and siege wherwith thine enemie shall besiege thee in all thy cities 56 Yea and the woman that is so tender and delicate that she dare not aduenture to set the sole of her foote vpon the grounde for softnesse and tendernesse shal be greeued to loke on her husbande that lieth in her bosome on her sonne and on her daughter 57 And on her afterbyrth that is come out from betweene her feete and her chyldren whiche she shall beare For when all thinges lacke she shall eate them secretly duryng the siege straitnesse wherewith thyne enemies shall besiege thee in thy cities 58 If thou wylt not kepe and do all the wordes of this lawe that are written in this booke and feare this glorious and fearefull name The Lorde thy God 59 The Lord wyll sende vnto thee and thy seede great plagues and of long continuaunce euyll sicknesses and of long duraunce 60 Moreouer he will bryng vpon thee all the diseases of Egypt and those whiche thou wast afrayde of shall cleaue vnto thee 61 And all maner
hande or to the left 33 But walke in all the wayes which the Lorde your God hath cōmaunded you that ye may lyue and that it may go well with you and that ye may prolong your dayes in the lande which ye shall possesse The .vj. Chapter 1 An exhortation to feare God and kepe his commaundementes 5 Which is to loue hym with all thine heart 7 The same must be taught to the posteritie 16 Not to tempt God 25 Righteousnesse is conteyned in the lawe 1 THese are the cōmaundemētes ordinaunces and lawes which the Lorde your God commaunded me to teache you that ye might do them in the lande whither ye go to possesse it 2 Namely that thou mightest feare the Lord thy God kepe all his ordinaunces and his commaundementes which I commaunde thee thou thy sonne thy sonnes sonne all the dayes of thy lyfe that thy dayes may be prolonged 3 Heare therfore O Israel and take heede that thou do it that it may go well with thee that ye may encrease mightily euen as the Lorde God of thy fathers hath promised thee a lande that floweth with mylke and honie 4 Heare O Israel the Lorde our God is Lorde only 5 And thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy myght 6 And these wordes which I commaunde thee this day shal be in thine heart 7 And thou shalt shewe them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine house and as thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp 8 And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hande and they shal be as frontlettes betweene thine eyes 9 And thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thy house vpon thy gates 10 And when the Lorde thy God hath brought thee into the lande which he sware vnto thy fathers Abraham Isahac and Iacob and shall geue to thee great goodly cities which thou buildedst not 11 Houses full of all maner of goodes which thou filledst not welles digged which thou diggedst not vineyardes and oliue trees which thou plantedst not and when thou hast eaten art full 12 Then beware lest thou forget y e Lorde which brought thee out of the lande of Egypt from the house of bondage 13 Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God and serue hym and shalt sweare by his name 14 See that ye walke not after straunge gods the gods of the nations which are about you 15 For the Lorde thy God is a ielous God among you lest the countenaunce of the Lorde thy God be moued to wrath agaynst thee and destroy thee from the face of the earth 16 Ye shall not tempt the Lorde your God as ye dyd in the place of temptation 17 But you shall diligently kepe the commaundementes of the Lord your God his testimonies and his ordinaunces which he hath commaunded thee 18 And thou shalt do that which is right good in the sight of the Lorde that thou mayst prosper and that thou mayst go in possesse that good lande which the Lorde sware vnto thy fathers 19 To cast out all thine enemies before thee as the Lorde hath sayde 20 And when thy sonne asketh thee in tyme to come saying What meaneth these testimonies ordinaunces and lawes which the Lorde our God hath commaunded you 21 Then thou shalt say vnto thy sonne We were Pharaos bondmen in Egypt and the Lorde brought vs out of Egypt with a mightie hande 22 And the Lorde shewed signes and wonders great and euyll vpon Egypt vpon Pharao and vpon all his householde before our eyes 23 And brought vs out from thence to bryng vs in and to geue vs the lande which he sware vnto our fathers 24 And he hath commaunded vs to do all these ordinaunces to feare the Lorde our God for our wealth all the dayes of our lyfe as it is come to passe this day 25 Moreouer this shal be our righteousnesse before the Lorde our God if we take heede kepe all these commaundementes as he hath commaunded vs. The .vij. Chapter 1 The Israelites may make no couenaunt with the Gentiles 5 They must destroy their idols 8 The election dependeth on the free loue of God 19 The experience of the power of God ought to confirme vs. 25 To auoyde all occasion of idolatrie 1 WHen the Lord thy God shall bryng thee into y e lande whither thou goest to possesse it and hath cast out many nations before thee Namely the Hethites the Gergesites the Amorites the Chanaanites the Pherezites the Heuites the Iebusites seuen nations greater and mightier then thou 2 And when the Lorde thy God hath set them before thee thou shalt smyte them and vtterly destroy them make no couenaunt with them nor haue compassion on them 3 Thou shalt make no mariages with them neither geue thy daughter vnto his sonne nor take his daughter vnto thy sonne 4 For they wyll deceaue thy sonne that he shoulde not folowe me and they shal serue straunge gods and then wyll the wrath of the Lorde waxe hot agaynst thee and destroy thee sodenly 5 But thus ye shall deale with them Ye shall ouerthrowe their aulters breake downe their pillers cut downe their groues and burne their grauen images with fire 6 For thou art an holy people vnto the Lorde thy God the Lorde thy God hath chosen thee to be a speciall people vnto hym selfe aboue all nations that are vpon the earth 7 The Lorde dyd not set his loue vpon you nor chose you because ye were mo in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people 8 But because the Lorde loued you and because he would kepe the othe which he had sworne vnto your fathers therfore hath the Lorde brought you out through a mightie hande and deliuered you out of the house of bondage euen from the hande of Pharao kyng of Egypt 9 Vnderstande therfore that the Lorde thy God he is God and that a true God which kepeth appoyntment and mercie vnto them that loue hym and kepe his commaundementes euen throughout a thousande generations 10 And rewardeth them that hate hym to their face so that he bryngeth them to naught and doth not deferre the tyme but rewardeth hym that hateth hym before his face 11 Kepe thou therfore the commaundementes and ordinaunces and lawes which I commaunde thee this day that thou do them 12 If ye hearken vnto these lawes and obserue do them the Lord thy God also shall kepe vnto thee the appoyntment and the mercie which he sware vnto thy fathers 13 He wyll loue thee and blesse thee and multiplie thee he wyll also blesse the fruite of thy wombe and the fruite of thy lande thy corne thy wine and thine oyle and the increase of thy kine and the
beastes vpon them with the furiousnesse of serpentes in the dust 25 Withoutforth shall the sworde robbe them of their children and within in the chamber feare both young men young women and the suckelynges with the men of gray heades 26 I haue sayde I wyll scatter them abrode and make the remembraunce of them to ceasse from among men 27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemie lest their aduersaries should vtterly withdrawe thē selues and lest they shoulde say our hye hande hath done all this and not the Lorde 28 For it is a nation voyde of counsayle neither is there any vnderstandyng in them 29 O that they were wyse and vnderstoode this that they woulde consider their latter ende 30 Howe shoulde one chase a thousande two put ten thousand to flyght except their maker had solde them and except the Lorde had shut them vp 31 For their god is not as our God our enemies also them selues are iudges 32 For their vine is of the vineyarde of Sodome of the fieldes of Gomorra their grapes are grapes of gall and their clusters be bitter 33 Their vine is the poyson of dragons and the cruell gall of aspes 34 Is not this layde in store with me and sealed vp among my treasures 35 Vengeaunce is myne and I wyll rewarde their feete shall slyde in due tyme For the day of their destruction is at hande and the thynges that shall come vpon them make haste 36 For the Lord shal iudge his people and haue compassion on his seruaūtes when he seeth that their power is gone and that they be in a maner shut vp or brought to naught and forsaken 37 And he shall say Where are their gods their god in whom they trusted 38 The fat of whose sacrifices they dyd eate dranke the wine of their drinke offerynges let them ryse vp and helpe you and be your protection 39 See nowe howe that I I am God and there is none but I I kyll and wyll make alyue I wounde and wyll heale neither is there any that can delyuer out of my hande 40 For I wyll lift vp myne hande to heauen and wyll say I lyue euer 41 If I whet the edge of my sworde and mine hande take holde to do iustice I wyl recompence vengeaunce on mine enemies and wyll rewarde them that hate me 42 I wyll make myne arrowes drunke with blood and my sworde shal deuour fleshe that for the blood of the slayne and for their captiuitie sence the begynnyng of the wrath of the enemie 43 Prayse ye heathen his people for he wyll auenge the blood of his seruaūtes and will auenge him of his aduersaries and wyll be mercifull vnto his lande and to his people 44 And Moyses came and spake all the wordes of this song in the eares of the people he Iosuah the sonne of Nun. 45 And Moyses spake all these wordes vnto the ende to al the people of Israel 46 And sayde vnto them Set your heartes vnto all the wordes which I testifie vnto you this day and ye shall commaunde them vnto your children that they may obserue and do all the wordes of this lawe 47 And let it not be a vayne worde vnto you for in it is your lyfe and through this worde ye shall prolong your dayes in the lande whyther ye go ouer Iordane to possesse it 48 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses the same day saying 49 Get thee vp into this mountayne Abarim vnto mount Nebo which is in the lande of Moab ouer agaynst Iericho and beholde the lande of Chanaan which I geue vnto the children of Israel to possesse 50 And dye in the mount whiche thou goest vnto and thou shalt be gathered vnto thy people as Aaron thy brother dyed in mount Hor and was gathered vnto his people 51 Because ye trespassed agaynst me among the children of Israel at the waters of stryfe at Cades in the wildernesse of Zin for ye sanctified me not among the children of Israel 52 Thou shalt therfore see the lande before thee and shalt not go thyther vnto the lande which I geue the children of Israel ¶ The .xxxiij. Chapter 1 Moyses before his death blesseth all the tribes of Israel 26 There is no God lyke to the God of Israel 29 Nor any people lyke vnto his 1 THis is the blessyng wherwith Moyses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death and sayde 2 The Lorde came from Sinai and rose vp from Seir vnto them and appeared from mount Pharan he came with ten thousande of saintes and in his ryght hand a lawe of fire for them 3 And he loued the people all his saintes also are in thy handes They were smitten to go after thy feete and to receaue of thy wordes 4 Moyses gaue vs a lawe for an inheritaunce of the congregation of Iacob 5 And he was in Israel king when the heades of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together 6 Let Ruben lyue and not dye and be fewe in number 7 This same also happen to Iuda And he sayde Heare Lorde the voyce of Iuda bryng him vnto his people his handes shal be good enough for hym yf thou helpe hym agaynst his enemies 8 And vnto Leui he sayde Thumim and Vrim shal be with thee and with euery one that is godly in thee Thou dyddest proue hym also in the temptation striuedst with hym at the waters of stryfe 9 He that hath sayde vnto his father to his mother I haue not seene hym and he that knewe not his brethren nor knewe his owne children those are they that haue obserued thy worde and shall kepe thy couenaunt 10 They shall teache Iacob thy iudgementes and Israel thy lawe They shall put incense before thy nose and the burnt sacrifice vpon thine aulter 11 Blesse Lorde his first fruites and accept the worke of his handes smyte the loynes of thē that rise agaynst him and of them that hate hym that they ryse not agayne 12 And of Beniamin he sayde The beloued of the Lorde shall dwell in safetie vpon hym and the Lorde shall couer hym all the day long and he shall dwell betweene his shoulders 13 And of Ioseph he sayde Blessed of the Lorde is his lande for the fruites of heauen through the deawe springes that lye beneath 14 And for the sweete fruites of the increase of the sunne and rype fruites of the moone 15 For the first fruites of the principall mountaynes and for the fruites that the hylles bryng foorth for euer 16 And for the fuites of the earth and fulnesse therof and for the good wyll of hym that dwelt in the bushe shall the blessing come vpon the head of Ioseph and vpon the toppe of the head of hym that was seperated from among his brethren 17 His first borne oxe
blowers and the singers so agreed that it seemed but one voyce in praysing thanking the Lorde And when they lift vp their voyce with the trumpets cymbales and other instrumentes of musicke and when they praysed the Lord How that he is good and that his mercie lasteth euer the house of God was filled with a cloude 14 So that the priestes coulde not endure to minister by the reason of the cloude For the maiestie of the Lorde had filled the house of God The .vi. Chapter 3 Solomon blesseth the people 4 He prayseth the Lorde 14 He prayeth vnto God for those that shall pray in the temple 1 THen Solomon sayde The Lord hath spoken howe that he wil dwell in the darcke cloude 2 And I haue buylt thee an house of habitation for thee and a place for thy dwelling for euer 3 And the king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation of Israel all the congregation of Israel stoode 4 And he sayde Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath with his handes fulfilled it that he spake with his mouth to my father Dauid saying 5 Since the day that I brought my people out of the lande of Egypt I chose no citie among all the tribes of Israel to buylde an house in that my name might be there neither chose I any man to be a ruler ouer my people Israel 6 Sauing that I haue chosen Hierusalem that my name might be there and haue chosen Dauid to be ouer my people Israel 7 And when it was in the heart of Dauid my father to buylde an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israel 8 The Lorde sayde to Dauid my father Forasmuch as it was in thyne heart to buylde an house for my name thou diddest well that thou thoughtest in thyne heart 9 Notwithstanding thou shalt not buyld the house but thy sonne which is proceeded out of thy loynes he shall buylde an house for my name 10 The Lorde therefore hath made good his saying that he hath spoken and I am rysen vp in the roome of Dauid my father and am set on the seate of Israel as the Lorde promised and haue buylt an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel 11 And in it haue I put the arke wherein is the couenaunt of the Lorde that he made with the children of Israel 12 And the king stoode before the aulter of the Lorde in the presence of all the congregation of Israel and stretched out his handes 13 For now Solomon had made a brasen scaffold of fyue cubites long and fyue cubites brode and three of heyght and had set it in the middes of the great courte and vpon it he stoode and kneeled downe vpon his knees before al the congregation of Israel and stretched out his handes towarde heauen 14 And sayde O Lorde God of Israel there is no god like thee in heauen and earth which kepest couenaunt shewest mercie vnto thy seruauntes that walke before thee with al their heartes 15 Thou whiche hast kept with thy seruaunt Dauid my father the thinges that thou promisedst him thou saydest it with thy mouth hast fulfilled it with thyne handes as it is to see this day 16 And nowe Lorde God of Israel kepe with thy seruaunt Dauid my father the thinges that thou promisedst him saying Thou shalt in my sight not be without a man that shall sit vpon the seate of Israel so that thy children take heede to their wayes to walke in my lawe as thou hast walked before me 17 And nowe Lord God of Israel let thy saying be true whiche thou spakest vnto thy seruaunt Dauid 18 And wil God in verie deede dwel with men on earth Beholde heauen and heauen aboue all heauens do not contayne thee howe much lesse the house which I haue buylded 19 Let it be thy pleasure therfore to turne to the prayer of thy seruaunt and to his supplication O Lorde my God to hearken vnto the voyce and prayer whiche thy seruaunt prayeth before thee 20 And let thyne eyes be open towarde this house day night ouer this place wherof thou hast sayde that thou wouldest put thy name there to hearken vnto the prayer whiche thy seruaunt prayeth in this place 21 Hearken vnto the prayers of thy seruaunt and of thy people Israel which they pray in this place heare thou I say out of thy dwelling place euen out of heauen heare and be mercifull 22 If a man sinne against his neyghbour and take an oth agaynst hym and make him to sweare and they both come before thyne aulter in this house 23 Then heare thou from heauen and do and iudge thy seruauntes that thou rewarde the vngodly recompence hym his way vpon his head and iustifie the righteous and geue him according to his righteousnes 24 And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemie because they haue sinned against thee Yet if they turne geue thankes vnto thy name and make intercession and pray before thee in this house 25 Then heare thou from heauen and be merciful vnto the sinne of thy people Israel and bryng them againe vnto the lande which thou gauest to them and to their fathers 26 When heauen is shut vp and there be no rayne because they haue sinned against thee yet if they pray in this place and confesse thy name and repent from their sinne for the which thou chastenest them 27 Then heare thou in heauen and be merciful vnto the sinne of thy seruauntes of thy people Israel and guyde thou them into the good way to walke in and send rayne vpon thy lande whiche thou hast geuen vnto thy people for an inheritaunce 28 And if ther be dearth in the land or pestilence corruption or blasting of corne grashoppers or caterpillers or that their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land or whatsoeuer plage or sickenesse it be 29 Then what supplications and prayers soeuer shal be made of any man and of all thy people Israel which shall know euery man his owne sore and his owne griefe shall stretche out their handes towarde this house 30 Thou shalt heare from heauen euen from thy dwelling place and shalt be mercifull and geue euery man according vnto all his wayes euen as thou doest know euery mans heart for thou only knowest the heartes of the children of men 31 That they may feare thee walke in thy wayes as long as they liue in y e land which thou gauest vnto our fathers 32 Moreouer the straunger whiche is not of thy people Israel if he come from a farre lande for thy great names sake and thy mightie hande and thy stretched out arme If they come I say and pray in this house 33 Thou shalt heare from heauen euen from thy dwelling place and shalt do according to all that the straunger calleth to thee for That all people of the earth
Zebadia the sonne of Ismael a ruler of the house of Iuda for all the kinges matters There be officers of the Leuites also before you Take courage to you therfore and be doyng manfully and the Lorde shal be with such as be good The .xx. Chapter 3 Iehosaphat and the people pray vnto the Lorde 22 The marueylous victorie that the Lorde gaue him against his enemies 30 His raigne and actes 1 AFter this also it fortuned that the children of Moab and the children Ammon with them other of the Ammonites came against Iehosaphat to battell 2 And there came some that told Iehosaphat saying There commeth a great multitude against thee from the other side of the sea and out of Syria and behold they be in Hasason Thamar which is Engadi 3 And Iehosaphat feared set him selfe to seke the Lorde and proclaymed fasting throughout all Iuda 4 And they that were in Iuda gathered thē selues together to aske counsel of the Lord And they came out of al the cities of Iuda to make intercession to y e lord 5 And Iehosaphat stoode betweene the congregation of Iuda Hierusalem in the house of y e Lord before the new court 6 And sayd O Lord God of our fathers art not thou God in heauen and raignest not thou on all the kingdomes of the Heathen and in thyne hande is power and might and there is no man that is able to withstande thee 7 Art not thou our God whiche diddest cast out the inhabiters of this lande before thy people Israel gauest it to the seede of Abraham thy louer for euer 8 And they dwelt therin and haue buylt thee a tēple therin for thy name saying 9 If euyll come vpon vs as the sword of iudgement pestilence or hunger then if we stande before this house in thy presence for thy name is in this house and crye vnto thee in our tribulation heare thou and helpe 10 And nowe beholde the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir by whom thou wouldest not let them of Israel go when they came out of the lande of Egypt but they departed from them and destroyed them not 11 See howe they rewarde vs to come for to cast vs out of thy possession whiche thou hast geuen vs to inherite 12 O our God wilt thou not iudge them for we haue no might against this great companie that commeth against vs neither wote we what to do but our eyes be vnto thee 13 And all Iuda stoode before the Lorde with their young ones their wiues and their children 14 And there was Iahaziel the sonne of Zacharia the sonne of Banaia the sonne of Iehiel the sonne of Matthania a Leuite of the sonnes of Asaph vpon hym came the spirite of the Lorde euen in the middes of the congregation 15 And he sayd Hearken all Iuda and ye inhabiters of Hierusalem and thou king Iehosaphat thus sayth the Lorde vnto you Be not afrayd nor faynt hearted by reason of this great multitude for the battell is not yours but Gods 16 To morow go ye downe against them behold they come vp by the clift of Ziz and ye shall finde them at the ende of the brooke before the wildernesse of Ieruel 17 Ye shall not neede to fight in this battell but steppe foorth and stand and beholde the helpe of the Lorde whiche is with you feare not nor let your heartes fayle you O ye of Iuda and of Hierusalem To morowe go out against them for the Lord wil be with you 18 And Iehosaphat bowed his face to the earth and all Iuda and the inhabibiters of Hierusalem fel before the Lord worshipping the Lorde 19 And the Leuites of the children of the Caathites of the children of the Corahites stoode vp to prayse the Lorde God of Israel with a loud voyce on hie 20 And when they arose early in the morning they gat them out vnto the wildernesse of Thekoa and as they went out Iehosaphat stoode and sayd Heare me O Iuda and ye inhabiters of Hierusalem Put your trust in the Lorde your God that ye may be founde faythfull Geue credence to his prophetes and so shall ye prosper 21 When he had consulted with the people and set some to sing vnto the Lorde and to prayse him in the beautie of holinesse and to go out before the armie and to say Prayse the Lorde for his mercie lasteth euer 22 And when they began to shout and to prayse the Lord layde ambushementes against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir whiche were come against Iuda And they were ouerthrowen with strokes among thēselues 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabiters of mount Seir and they slue and destroyed them And when they had made an end of the inhabiters of Seir euery one helped to destroy another among them selues 24 And when Iuda came towarde Mispah in the wildernesse they loked vnto the multitude and beholde they were dead carcasses fallen to the earth and none escaped 25 And when Iehosaphat and his people came to take away the spoyle of them they founde among them aboundaunce of goods rayment pleasaunt iewels which they toke for them selues more then they could cary away so that they were three dayes in gathering of the spoyle it was so much 26 And the fourth day they assembled in the valley of blessing for there they blessed the Lord And therfore they called the name of the same place the valley of blessing vnto this day 27 And so all the men of Iuda and Hierusalē returned with Iehosaphat their head for to go againe to Hierusalem with gladnesse for the Lord had made them to reioyce ouer their enemies 28 And they came to Hierusalem with psalters and harpes shawmes euen vnto the house of the Lorde 29 And the feare of God fell on the kingdomes of all landes when they had heard that the Lorde fought against the enemies of Israel 30 And so the realme of Iehosaphat was in tranquillitie and his God gaue him rest on euery side 31 And Iehosaphat raigned vpon Iuda and was thirtie fiue yeres olde when he began to raigne he raigned twentie and fiue yeres in Hierusalem And his mothers name was Azuba the daughter of Silhi 32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father and bowed not therfrom doyng that which was right in the sight of the Lorde 33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away for the people had not yet prepared their heartes vnto the God of their fathers 34 The rest of the actes of Iehosaphat first and last behold they are written among the sayinges of Iehu the sonne of Hanani which noted them in the booke of the kinges of Israel 35 After this did Iehosaphat king of Iuda ioyne himselfe with Ahaziahu king of Israel whose mind was to do wickedly 36 He coupled him selfe with him to make shippes to go to Tharsis And they made the shippes in Ezion Gaber
Iuda 17 They which buylded on the wall and they that bare burthens and those that laded them with one hande did euery one his worke and with the other helde his weapon 18 For euery one that buylded had his sword girded by his thingh and so buylded they And he that blewe the trumpet was beside me 19 And I saide vnto the principall men to the rulers and to the other people The worke is great and large we are seperated vpon the wall one farre from another 20 Loke in what place therefore ye heare the noyse of the trumpet resort ye thither vnto vs and our God shall fight for vs 21 And we wil be labouring in the worke And the halfe part of them helde their speares from the morning spring tyll the starres came foorth 22 And at the same time saide I vnto the people Let euery one with his seruaūt lodge within Hierusalem that in the night season we may watch and labour on the day time 23 As for me and my brethren my seruauntes and the men of the watch which folowed me we put neuer of our clothes saue onely because of the wasshing ¶ The .v. Chapter 1 The people are oppressed and in necessitie 7 Nehemia remedieth it 15 He tooke not the portion of others that had ruled before lest he shoulde greeue the people 1 ANd there arose a great complaynt of the people and their wyues against their brethrē the Iewes 2 For there were some that saide Our sonnes and daughters and we are very many therefore wyll we take corne for them that we may eate and liue 3 Some also there were that saide Let vs set our landes vineyardes and houses to pledge and take vp corne in the dearth 4 But some there were that saide We haue borowed money for the kinges tribute and that vpon our landes vineyardes 5 And now our fleshe is as the fleshe of our brethren and our children as their children and loe we bring into subiection our sonnes and our daughters as seruauntes and some of our daughters are subdued vnto bondage alredie and no strength is there in our handes to redeeme them and other men haue our landes and vineyardes 6 And when I heard their complaynt and such wordes it displeased me sore 7 And I aduised so in my minde that I rebuked the counsellers and the rulers and saide vnto them Euery one of you layeth great burdens vpon his brother And I brought a great congregation against them 8 And saide vnto them We after our habilitie haue redeemed our brethren the Iewes which were solde vnto the heathen And wyll you sell your brethrē againe and shall they be solde vnto vs Then held they their peace and coulde finde nothing to aunswere 9 And Nehemia saide It is not good that ye do Ought ye not to walke in the feare of our God because of the rebuke of the heathen that are our enemies 10 I and my brethren and my seruauntes do lende them money and corne I pray you let vs leaue of this burden 11 Therefore this same day I pray you see that ye restore them their landes againe their vineyardes olyue gardens and their houses and remit the hundred parte of the money of the corne wine and oyle that ye haue exacted of them 12 Then saide they We wyll restore them againe wyll require nothing of them and wyll do as thou hast spoken And I called the priestes and tooke an oth of them that they should do so 13 And I shooke my lappe and saide God shake out euery man after the same maner from his house laboure that maintaineth not this worde euen thus be he shaken out and voyde And all the congregation saide Amen and praysed the Lorde And the people did according to this promise 14 And from the time foorth that the king committed vnto me to be captayne of them that were in the lande of Iuda euen from the twentie yere vnto the thirtie two yere of king Artaxerxes that is twelue yeres I with my brethrē liued not of such sustinaunce as was geuen to a captayne 15 For the olde captaynes that were before me had ben chargeable vnto the people and had taken of them bread wine beside fouretie sicles of siluer yea and their seruauntes had oppressed the people But so did not I and that because of the feare of God 16 But I laboured also in the worke vpon the wall and we bought no lande and all my seruauntes came thither together vnto the worke 17 Moreouer there were at my table an hundred and fiftie of the Iewes and rulers which came vnto me from among the heathen that are about vs. 18 And there was prepared for me dayly an oxe and sixe chosen sheepe and birdes were prepared for me and euer once in ten dayes wine for all in aboundance Yet required not I the liuing of a captayne for the bondage was greeuous vnto the people 19 Thinke vpon me my God vnto the best according to all that I haue done for this people The .vj. Chapter 8 Nehemia aunswereth with great wysdome and zeale to his aduersarie 11 He is not discouraged by the false prophetes 1 AND when Sanaballat Tobia and Gesem the Arabian and the other of our enemies heard that I had builded the wall and that there were no mo gappes therein howebeit at the same time had I not hanged the doores vpon the gates 2 Sanaballat and Gesem sent vnto me saying Come that we may meete take counsel together in the villages that are in the playne of the citie Ono. Neuerthelesse they thought to do me euill 3 And I sent messengers vnto them saying I haue a great businesse to do and I can not come downe Why should the worke ceasse whilest I leaue it and come downe to you 4 Howbeit they sent vnto me as good as foure times after the same maner And I gaue them the same aunswere 5 Then sent Sanaballat his seruaunt againe vnto me the fift time with an open letter in his hande 6 Wherein was written It is tolde the heathen and Gesem hath saide it that thou and the Iewes thinke to rebel for the which cause thou buildest the wall that thou mayst be their king according to these wordes 7 And hast ordayned the prophetes to preache of thee at Hierusalem and to say He is king of Iuda And now shall this come to the kinges eares come now therefore and let vs take our counsell together 8 And I sent vnto him saying There is no such thing done as thou sayest for thou fainest them out of thyne owne heart 9 For they were all minded to make vs afrayde saying They shall withdrawe their handes from their worke that it shall not be finished Nowe therefore strengthen thou my hande 10 And I came vnto the house of Semaia the sonne of Delaia the sonne of Mehetabeel he had shut him selfe within and saide Let vs come together in the house of
6 Neuerthelesse lo thou requirest trueth in the inwarde partes of me therfore thou wylt make me learne wisdome in the secrete part of myne heart 7 Purge thou me with hyssop and I shal be cleane washe thou me and I shal be whyter then snowe 8 Make thou me to heare some ioy and gladnesse let the bones reioyce which thou hast broken 9 Turne thy face from my sinnes and wype out all my misdeedes 10 Make thou vnto me a cleane heart O Lorde and renue thou a ryght spirite within me 11 Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirite from me 12 Geue me agayne the comfort of thy saluation and confirme me with a free wyllyng spirite 13 Then wyll I teache thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shal be conuerted vnto thee 14 Deliuer me from blood O Lorde the Lorde of my saluation and my tongue shall sing with a ioyfull noyse of thy iustice 15 O Lorde open thou my lippes and my mouth shall set foorth thy prayse 16 For thou desirest no sacrifice els I would geue it thee thou delightest not in a burnt offering 17 Sacrifices for God is a mortified spirite O Lorde thou wylt not despise a mortified and an humble heart 18 Be thou beneficiall vnto Sion according to thy gracious good wyll buylde thou the walles of Hierusalem 19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousnes with burnt offeringes and oblations then wyll they offer young bullockes vpon thyne aulter The argument of the .lij. psalme ¶ Dauid inueyeth against Doeg and describeth his and all other mischeuous mens natures and doynges which the godly perusing be more incited to put their whole confidence in God and to prayse God ¶ To the chiefe musition a wyse instruction of Dauid when Doeg the Edomite came to Saul and tolde him saying Dauid is come to the house of Achimelek 1. Sam. 21. 1 WHy boastest thy self thou tiraunt of mischiefe the goodnes of God dayly endureth 2 Thy tongue imagineth wickednes and deceaueth like a sharpe raser 3 Thou hast loued vngratiousnes more then goodnes and to talke of falshood more then of righteousnes Selah 4 Thou hast loued to speake all wordes that may do hurt O thou deceiptfull tongue 5 Therfore the Lord wyll destroy thee for euer he wyll take thee and plucke thee out of thy dwelling and roote thee out of the lande of the liuing Selah 6 The righteous also shall see this and they wyll be afraide and laugh hym to scorne 7 Saying lo this is the man that put not the Lorde to be his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches and strengthed him selfe in his wickednesse 8 As for me I am lyke a greene oliue tree in the house of the Lorde my trust is in the tender mercy of the Lorde for euer and euer 9 I will alway confesse it vnto thee for that thou hast done it and I wyll hope in thy name for it is good in the sight of thy saintes The argument of the .liii. psalme ¶ Dauid declareth the originall roote with the fruites and punishment of the wicked how they oppresse cruelly the people of God whom neuerthelesse God by his prouidence defendeth and wyll deliuer from the bloodie handes of the wicked whose vngodlynes he detesteth alwayes ¶ To the chiefe musition vpon Mahalah a wise instruction of Dauid 1 THe foole hath sayde in his heart there is no God they haue corrupted them selues haue made their wickednes abhominable he is not that doeth good 2 The Lorde looked downe from heauen vpon the chyldren of men to see if there were any that did vnderstand and seeke after the Lorde 3 But they dyd all go out of the way they dyd altogether become abhomible there was also none that would do good no not one 4 Wyll not the workers of iniquitie vnderstande eating vp my people as if they eated bread that they do not call vpon God 5 They shal be greatly there afraide where no cause of feare is for the Lord wyll breake the bones of hym that besiegeth thee thou wylt put them to shame because the Lorde hath despised them 6 Who is he that wyll geue saluation vnto Israel out of Sion when the Lord wyll reduce his people out of captiuitie Iacob wyll reioyce and Israel wyll be glad The argument of the .liiii. psalme ¶ Dauid brought into marueylous daunger through the treason of Ziphims who were counterfayted Israelites calleth earnestly vpon God from whom receauing succour he thanketh him with a free heart acknowledging the benefite ¶ To the chiefe musition vpon Neginoth a wyse instruction of Dauid when the Zaphims came and sayd vnto Saul hath not Dauid hyd him selfe amongst vs 1. Sam. 23. .26 1 SAue me O Lorde for thy name sake iudge me accordyng to thy mightie power 2 Heare my prayer O Lord and hearken vnto the wordes of my mouth 3 For straungers are rysen vp against me and tirauntes whiche haue not the Lorde before their eyes seeke after my soule Selah 4 Behold God is an ayde vnto me the Lorde is with them that vpholde my soule 5 He wyll rewarde euyll vnto mine enemies destroy thou them according to thy trueth 6 I wyll sacrifice vnto thee with a true wyllyng heart I wyll confesse thy name O God because it is good 7 For he hath deliuered me out of all my trouble and mine eye hath seene auengaunce vpon mine enemies The argument of the .lv. psalme ¶ Dauid desireth God to heare his prayers he declareth his griefes and afflictions he wisheth auengment of his enemies who pretending frendship and familiaritie craftyly seeketh his dishonour Finally he sheweth what comfort he hath taken in that God wyll helpe him and destroy his aduersaries ¶ To the chiefe musition vpon Neginoth a wise instruction of Dauid 1 O Lorde geue eare vnto my prayer and hide not thy selfe from my petition 2 Take heede vnto me and heare me I can not choose but mourne in my prayer and make a noyse 3 Deliuer me from the voyce of the enemie and from the present affliction of the wicked for they are minded to do me mischiefe and are set malitiously against me 4 My heart trembleth within me and the feare of death is fallen vpon me 5 Fearefulnes and trembling are come vpon me and an horrible dread hath ouerwhelmed me 6 And I sayde O that I had wynges like a doue for then woulde I flee away and be at rest 7 Lo then woulde I fleeing get me away farre of and remayne in the wyldernesse Selah 8 Then woulde I make hast to escape from the stormie wynde and from the tempest 9 Destroy their tongues O Lorde and deuide them for I haue seene oppression and strife in the citie 10 They do compasse it day and night within the walles mischiefe also and labour are in the midst of it 11 Malice is in the midst of it disceipt and guyle go
out of course 6 I haue sayde ye are gods and ye all are chyldren of the most highest 7 But ye shall dye lyke as a man doth and princes them selues shall fall away lyke as other do 8 Arise O God and iudge thou the earth for thou shalt take all Heathen to thine inheritaunce The argument of the .lxxxiij. psalme ¶ The prophete in the name of the Churche moueth God not to suffer any longer the outragiousnes of a great number of enemies whose endeuours be onlye for to destroy the Churche and the name of the chyldren of God Wherefore he wisheth iust punishment for them ¶ A song the psalme of Asaph 1 HOlde not thy tongue O Lorde kepe not styll scilence refraine not thy selfe O Lorde 2 For beholde thyne enemies make an vprore and they that hate thee haue lifted vp their head 3 They haue deuised shrewde counsell against thy people and they haue consulted against thyne whom thou defendest 4 They haue said come and let vs roote them out that they be no more a people and that the name of Israel may be no more in remembraunce 5 For they haue conspired all in one minde are confederate against thee 6 The pauilions of Edom and the Ismaelites of Moab and Hagerites 7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalec the Philistines with the inhabitauntes of Tyre 8 Assur also is ioyned vnto them they were a great ayde to the chyldren of Lot Selah 9 But do thou vnto them as vnto Midian as vnto Sisera as vnto Iabin at the brooke Kishon 10 Whiche perished at Ein Dor and became as the doung of the earth 11 Make them their princes and al their captaynes lyke Oreb and lyke Zeeb and lyke Salmunna 12 Whiche sayd let vs take to our selues the houses of God in possession 13 O my Lorde make them lyke vnto a wheele and as chaffe before the winde 14 Lyke as a fire that burneth vp the wood and as the flambe that consumeth the mountaynes 15 Persecute them euen so with thy tempest and make them afrayde with thy storme 16 Make shame to appeare in their faces that they may seeke thy name O God 17 Let them be confounded and astonied with feare euer more more let them be put to shame and perishe 18 And let them knowe that thou in thy name God eternall art only O thou the most highest ouer all the earth ¶ The argument of the .lxxxiiij. psalme ¶ The prophete like a vertuous prince openeth the singuler affection of his heart towarde the house of God beyng sory that he can not come thyther through the trouble that he was oppressed He affirmeth them to be most happy who may be at the publique seruice in the Churche for to prayse God He requireth Gods mercy and fauour that he may be restored to Hierusalem for to set foorth his prayse for he that putteth his trust in God is happy ¶ To the chiefe musition vpon Gittith a psalme of the sonnes of Corach 1 O How amiable are thy dwellinges thou God of hoastes 2 My soule hath a desire and a longing to enter into the courtes of God my heart and my flesh leapeth with ioy for to go to the liuing Lorde 3 Yea the sparowe hath founde her an house and the swallowe a nest where she may lay her young euen thy aulters O God of hoastes my king my Lord. 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they wyll be alway praysyng thee Selah 5 Blessed is that man whose strength is in thee thy wayes are in their heart 6 They iourneying through the vale * of teares yea when euery cesterne at their name is filled with water do accept it for a fayre pleasaunt well 7 They wyl set forward frō a stoute courage to a stoute courage that the God of Gods may be seene of them in Sion 8 O God Lorde of hoastes heare my prayer geue eare O God of Iacob Selah 9 Beholde O Lorde our shielde and loke vpon the face of thyne annointed 10 For one day in thy courtes is better then a thousande els where I had rather be a doore keper in the house of my God then to dwell in large tabernacles of vngodlynes 11 For God the Lorde is a sunne and a shielde God geueth grace and worship he withholdeth no good thyng from them that liue in any perfection 12 O God of hoastes blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee The argument of the .lxxxv. psalme ¶ The prophete maketh a publique prayer vnto God thanking hym and praysing him for that he hath forgeuen the people their sinnes He prophesieth of the comming of Christe by whom iustice peace glory prosperitie and saluation commeth the fruites of them that be iustified by Christe ¶ To the chiefe musition a psalme of the sonnes of Corach 1 O God thou art become gracious vnto thy land thou hast brought Iacob agayne home out of captiuitie 2 Thou hast forgeuen the wickednes of thy people and couered all their sinnes Selah 3 Thou hast taken away al thy displeasure and turned thy selfe from thy wrathfull indignation 4 Turne vs O God of our saluation and let thyne anger ceasse from vs. 5 Wilt thou be displeased at vs for euer and wylt thou stretche out thy wrath from one generation to another 6 Wylt thou not turne agayne and reuiue vs that thy people may reioyce in thee 7 Shew vs thy louing kindnes O God and graunt vs thy saluation 8 I wyll hearken what God the Lord saith for he speaketh peace vnto his people to his saintes that they turne not agayne to folly 9 For truely his saluation is nye them that feare him insomuch that glory dwelleth in our earth 10 Mercy and trueth are met together righteousnes and peace haue kissed eche other 11 Trueth shall bud out of the earth and ryghteousnes shall looke downe from heauen 12 Yea God shall geue all that is good and our earth shall geue her encrease 13 Euery man shall cause righteousnes to go before him and he shall direct his steppes in the way The argument of the .lxxxvj. psalme ¶ Dauid beyng sore afflicted calleth earnestly to God for helpe complayning of the mischeuous dealinges of his enemies He praiseth God for his manifold goodnes and power aboue all gods of the Heathen prophesiyng that all nations shall worship hym He desireth that he may be taught of God and deliuered from his enemies that he may glorifie God ¶ A prayer of Dauid 1 BOw downe thine eare O God and heare me for I am poore and in miserie 2 Preserue thou my soule for I am holy my God saue thy seruaunt that putteth his trust in thee 3 Be mercifull vnto me O God for I do call dayly vpon thee 4 Comfort the soule of thy seruaunt for vnto thee O Lord do I lift vp my soule 5 For thou Lorde art good and gracious and of great mercy vnto all them
soule vnto thee 10 Delyuer me O God from myne enemies I hyde my selfe with thee 11 Teache me to do the thyng that pleaseth thee for thou art my Lorde let thy good spirite leade me foorth vnto the lande of ryghteousnesse 12 For thy names sake O God thou wilt cause me to lyue and for thy righteousnesse sake thou wilt bryng my soule out of trouble 13 And of thy goodnesse thou wylt restrayne myne enemies and destroy all them that be aduersaries to my soule for I am thy seruaunt ¶ The argument of the .cxliiij. Psalme ¶ Dauid acknowledgeth it to proceede only of God that he hath ouercome his enemies and hath his subiectes obedient vnto hym He marueyleth that God is so beneficiall vnto hym a man to be esteemed of no valure He desireth God vtterly to vanquishe his aduersaries and that his people may florishe with all kynde of felicitie ¶ Of Dauid 1 BLessed be God my rocke who teacheth my handes to warre and my fingers to fyght 2 My holynesse and my fortresse my refuge and my only deliuerer my buckler in hym I haue put my trust who subdueth my people vnder me 3 O God what is man that thou doest knowe hym what is the sonne of man that thou doest thynke of hym 4 Man is lyke a thyng of naught his dayes be lyke a shadowe that passeth away 5 Bowe thy heauens O God and come downe touche the mountaynes and they shall smoke 6 Cast out terrible lightninges and feare them shoote out thyne arrowes and consume them 7 Sende downe thine hand from aboue deliuer me and take me out of the great waters from the hande of the children of an other deuotion then I am 8 Whose mouth vttereth vanitie and their ryght hande is a ryght hande of falshood 9 O Lorde I wyll syng a newe song vnto thee and I wyll syng psalmes vnto thee vpon a Lute and vpon an instrument of ten strynges 10 Who geueth victorie vnto kynges who redeemeth Dauid his seruaunt from peryll of the sworde 11 Redeeme me and deliuer me from the hande of the children of an other deuotion then I am whose mouth vttereth vanitie and their ryght hande is a ryght hande of falshood 12 That our sonnes may growe vp in their youth as young plantes that our daughters may be as corners stones grauen after the fashion as a palace is 13 That the corners of our houses may be fylled yeeldyng foorth all maner of stoore that our cattell may bring foorth thousandes yea ten thousandes in our streates 14 That our oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decay no leadyng into captiuitie and no complaynyng in our streates 15 Happy are the people that be in such a case blessed is the people who haue God for their Lorde ⧠The argument of the cxlv psalme ¶ Dauid setteth foorth to be talked and song of all ages the wonderous workes of God wherin is declared his goodnesse mercifulnesse power and prouidence God raigneth for euer he aydeth the oppressed and afflicted He feedeth all creatures He is iust and mercifull in all his workes He is present with those that call vpon him and feare him such he heareth and saueth wheras he destroyeth the wicked ¶ The prayse of Dauid 1 I Will magnifie thee O Lord my king and I wyll blesse thy name for euer and euer 2 I wyll blesse thee euery day and I wyll prayse thy name for euer and euer 3 Great is God and most worthy to be praysed and his greatnesse can not be searched out 4 One generation shal praise thy workes vnto another and they shall declare thy mightie power 5 I wyll set foorth in wordes the glorious maiestie of thy excellentnesse and thy wonderous workes 6 I wyll also declare thy greatnesse so that men shall speake of the force of thy terrible actes 7 They shall vtter out of their mouth a memoriall of thyne aboundaunt kyndnesse and they shall syng of thy ryghteousnesse 8 God is gratious and mercifull loth to be angry and great in louing kindnesse 9 God is good vnto euery man and his mercie is ouer all his workes 10 All thy workes shall confesse it vnto thee O God and thy saintes shall blesse thee 11 They shal shewe the glorie of thy kingdome and talke of thy power 12 That they may make knowen to the children of men his manifolde power the glorious maiestie of his kingdome 13 Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages 14 God vpholdeth all such as fall and lyfteth vp all those that be bowyng downewarde 15 The eyes of all wayte vpon thee and thou geuest them their meate in due season 16 Thou openest thyne hande and thou satisfiest the desire of euery thing liuing 17 God is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes 18 God is nye vnto all them that call vpon hym vnto all such as call vpon hym in trueth 19 He wyll fulfyll the desire of them that feare hym he will also heare their crye and he wyll saue them 20 God preserueth all those that loue him but he wyll bring to nothyng such as be vngodly 21 My mouth shall speake the prayse of God and all fleshe shall blesse his holy name for euer and euer The argument of the .cxlvi. psalme ¶ The prophete vttereth his great desire to prayse God he withdraweth men from puttyng their trust in princes pronouncyng that man to be happy who trusteth in God the creatour of all thinges the geuer of ryght to those that suffer wrong the feeder of the hungry the deliuerer of prisoners out of captiuitie and the defendour of straungers fatherlesse and widdowes 1 PRayse ye the Lord prayse thou God O my soule whylest I lyue I wyll prayse God I wyll syng psalmes vnto my Lorde so long as I shal be 2 Put not your trust in princes nor in the sonne of man in whom there is no saluation 3 His spirite shall depart out of hym he shall turne agayne to his earth at that day all his thoughtes shall perishe 4 Blessed is he vnto whom the God of Iacob is an ayde his trust is in God his Lorde 5 Who made heauen and earth the sea and all that therin is who mainteyneth the trueth for euer 6 Who executeth iudgement for those that are oppressed with wrong who geueth foode to the hungry 7 God looseth those that be bounde God geueth syght to the blynde 8 God rayseth them vp that are falling God loueth the ryghteous 9 God taketh strangers into his custodie he releeueth the fatherlesse and the widdowe as for the way of the vngodlye he turneth it vpsyde downe 10 God thy Lorde shall raigne O Sion to the worldes ende throughout all generations Prayse ye the Lorde The argument of the cxlvij. psalme ¶ The prophete exhorteth the children of Israel to prayse God for that by hym they were brought home out of captiuitie He declareth Gods great
in youth and not to deferre tyll age 7 The soule returneth to God 12 Wisdome is the gyft of God and consisteth in fearing hym and keping his commaundementes 1 PVt away displeasure out of thine heart and remoue euill from thy body for chyldhood and youth is but vanitie 2 Remember thy maker the sooner in thy youth or euer the dayes of aduersitie come and or the yeres drawe nye when thou shalt say I haue not pleasure in them 3 Before the sunne the light the moone and starres be darkened and or the cloudes turne agayne after the rayne 4 When the kepers of the house shall tremble and when the strong men shall bowe them selues when the milners stand styll because they be so fewe and when the sight of the windowes shall waxe dimme 5 When the doores in the streetes shal be shut and when the voyce of the milner shal be layde downe when men shall ryse vp at the voyce of the byrde and when all the daughters of musicke shal be brought lowe 6 When men shall feare in hye places and be afraide in the streetes when the Almonde tree shall florishe and be laden with the grashopper and when all lust shal passe because man goeth to his long home and the mourners go about the streetes 7 Or euer the siluer lace be taken away and or the golden well be broken Or the pot be broken at the well and the wheele broken vpon the cesterne 8 Then shall the dust be turned agayne vnto earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God who gaue it 9 All is but vanitie saith the preacher all is but playne vanitie 10 The preacher was yet more wyse and taught the people knowledge he gaue good heede sought out the ground and set foorth many parables His diligence was to finde out acceptable wordes right scripture the wordes of trueth 11 For the wordes of the wyse are like prickes and nayles that go thorowe of the auctoures of gatheringes which are geuen of one shephearde 21 Therefore beware my sonne of that doctrine that is beside this for to make many bookes it is an endlesse worke and to muche studie weerieth the body 13 Let vs heare the conclusion of all thinges Feare God and kepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men For God shall iudge all workes and secrete thinges whether they be good or euyll ¶ The ende of the booke of the preacher otherwise called Ecclesiastes ⧠The Ballet of Ballettes of Solomon called in Latin Canticum Canticorum The first Chapter 1 The familier talke and misticall communication of the spirituall loue betweene Iesus Christe and his Churche 6 The domesticall enemies that persecute the Churche 1 O That he would kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy loue is more pleasaunt then wine and that because of the good and pleasaunt sauour of thy most precious baulmes 2 Thy name is a sweet smelling oyntment when it is shed foorth therfore do the maydens loue thee 3 Drawe thou me vnto thee we wyll runne after thee The kyng hath brought me into his priuie chaumbers We wylbe glad and reioyce in thee we thinke more of thy loue then of wine they that be righteous loue thee 4 I am blacke O ye daughters of Hierusalem but yet fayre and well fauoured like as the tentes of the Cedarenes and as the hanginges of Solomon 5 Marueyle not at me that I am so blacke for why the sunne hath shined vpon me my mothers chyldren haue euyll wyll at me they made me the keper of the vineyardes but mine owne vineyarde haue I not kept 6 Tell me O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest the sheepe where thou makest them rest at the noone day for why shall I be like hym that goeth wrong about the flockes of thy companions 7 If thou knowe not thy selfe O thou fayrest among women then go thy way foorth after the footesteppes of the sheepe and feede thy goates besyde the shepheardes tentes 8 Vnto the hoast of Pharaos charets haue I compared thee O my loue 9 Thy cheekes and thy necke is beautifull as the turtles and hanged with spanges and goodly iewels a neckband of golde wyll we make thee with siluer buttons 10 When the king sitteth at the table he shall smell my Nardus a bundell of myrre is my loue vnto me he wyll lye betwixt my brestes a cluster of Camphire in the vineyardes of Engaddi is my loue vnto me 11 Oh howe fayre art thou my loue Oh howe fayre art thou thou hast doues eyes O howe fayre art thou my beloued howe well fauoured art thou 12 Our bed is dect with flowres the seelinges of our house are of Cedar tree and our crosse ioyntes of Cipresse The .ij. Chapter 3 The Churche desireth to rest vnder the shadowe of Christe 8 She heareth his voyce 14 She is compared to the doue 15 And the enemies to the foxes 1 I Am the rose of the fielde and lillie of the valleys 2 As the lillie among the thornes so is my loue among the daughters 3 Like as the apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloued among the sonnes 4 My delight is to sit vnder his shadowe for his fruite is sweete vnto my throte 5 He bringeth me into his wine seller his banner spread ouer me whiche is his loue 6 Set about me cuppes of wine comfort me with apples for I am sicke of loue 7 His left hande lyeth vnder my head and his right hande shall imbrace me 8 I charge you O ye daughters of Hierusalem by the roes and hindes of the fiede that ye wake not vp my loue nor touche her tyll she be content her selfe 9 Me thinke I heare the voyce of my beloued lo there commeth he hopping vpon the mountaines and leaping ouer the litle hilles 10 My beloued is lyke a roe or a young hart beholde he standeth behinde our wall he looketh in at the windowe and peepeth thorowe the grate 11 My beloued aunswered and sayd vnto me O stande vp my loue my beautifull and go to thyne owne for lo the winter is nowe past the rayne is away and gone 12 The flowres are come vp in the field the tyme of the byrdes singing is come and the voyce of the turtle doue is hearde in our lande 13 The figge tree bryngeth foorth her figges and the vines beare blossomes and haue a good smell 14 O stande vp then and come my loue my beautifull and come I say O my doue out of the caues of the rockes out of the holes of the wall O let me see thy countenaunce and heare thy voyce for sweete is thy voyce and fayre is thy face 15 Get vs the foxes yea the litle foxes that hurt
the Lorde spoken to the king that sitteth in the throne of Dauid and to all the people that dwell in this citie your brethren that are gone with you into captiuitie 17 Thus I say speaketh the Lorde of hoastes Beholde I wyll sende a sworde hunger and pestilence vpon them and wyll make them lyke vntymely figges that may not be eaten for bitternesse 18 And I wyll persecute them with the sworde with hunger and pestilence I wyll deliuer them vp to be vexed of all kyngdomes to be cursed abhorred laughed to scorne and put to confusion of all the people among whom I haue scattered them 19 And that because they haue not ben obedient vnto my commaundementes saith the Lord which I sent vnto them by my seruauntes the prophetes I stoode vp early and sent vnto them but they woulde not heare saith the Lorde 20 Heare therfore the worde of the Lord all ye prisoners whom I sent from Hierusalem to Babylon 21 Thus hath the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel spoken of Ahab the sonne of Colaiah and of Zedekiah the sonne of Maasiah which prophecie lyes vnto you in my name Beholde I wyll deliuer them into the hande of Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon that he may slay them before your eyes 22 And all the prisoners of Iuda that are in Babylon shall take this tearme of cursyng and say Nowe God do vnto thee as he did vnto Zedekiah Ahab whom the kyng of Babylon rosted in the fire 23 Because they sinned shamefully in Israel for they haue not only defiled their neighbours wiues but also preached lying wordes in my name which I haue not commaunded them This I testifie and assure saith the Lorde 24 But as for Semeiah the Nehelamite thou shalt speake vnto hym 25 Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel Because thou hast sent letters in thine owne name vnto all the people that is at Hierusalem and to Sophoniah the sonne of Maasiah the priest yea sent them to all the priestes wherin thou writest thus vnto hym 26 The Lorde hath ordeyned thee to be priest in the steade of Iehoiada the priest that thou shouldest be chiefe in the house of the Lorde aboue all prophetes and preachers and that thou mightest set them vpon the pyllory or in the stockes 27 Howe happeneth it then that thou hast not reproued Hieremie of Anathoth which neuer leaueth of his propheciyng 28 And beside all this he hath sent vs worde vnto Babylon and tolde vs playnely that our captiuitie shall long endure that we should builde vs houses to dwel therin and to plant vs gardens that we may enioy the fruites therof 29 Which letter Sophonias the priest read and let Ieremie the prophete heare it 30 Then came the worde of the Lorde vnto Ieremie saying 31 Sende worde to all them that be in captiuitie on this maner Thus hath the Lorde spoken concerning Semeiah the Nehelamite Because that Semeiah hath prophecied vnto you without my commission and brought you into a false hope 32 Therfore thus the Lorde doth certifie you Beholde I wyll visite Semeiah the Nehelamite and his seede so that none of his shall remayne among this people and none of them shall see the good that I wyll do for my people saith the Lorde for he hath preached falsely of the Lorde ¶ The .xxx. Chapter 1 The returne of the people from Babylon 8 God by his chastenyng sheweth that the people is sinnefull 16 The destruction of the enemies of Israel 1 THese are the wordes that the Lord sheweth vnto Ieremie saying 2 Thus saith the Lorde God of Israel Write vp diligently all the wordes that I haue spoken vnto thee in a booke 3 For lo the tyme commeth saith the Lorde that I wyll bryng agayne the prisoners of my people of Israel and Iuda saith the Lorde for I wyll restore them vnto the lande that I gaue to their fathers and they shall haue it in possession 4 Agayne these wordes spake the Lord concernyng Israel and Iuda 5 Thus saith the Lorde We haue heard a terrible crye feare and disquietnesse 6 For what els doth this signifie that I see Namely that all strong men smite euery man his hande vpon his loynes as a woman in the payne of her trauayle Who euer sawe a man trauayle with childe Enquire therafter and see yea all their faces are marueylous pale 7 Alas for this day which is so dreadfull that none may be likened vnto it and alas for the tyme of Iacobs trouble from the which he shal yet be deliuered 8 For in that day saith the Lorde of hoastes I wyll take his yoke from of thy necke and breake thy bondes and straungers shall no more haue dominion ouer them 9 But they shall do seruice vnto God their Lorde and to Dauid their kyng whom I wyll rayse vp vnto them 10 And as for thee O my seruaunt Iacob feare not saith the Lorde and be not afrayde O Israel For lo I wyll helpe thee also from farre and thy seede from the lande of their captiuitie And Iacob shall turne agayne he shal be in rest and haue a prosperous lyfe and no man shall make hym afrayde 11 For I am with thee to helpe thee saith the Lorde And though I shall destroy all the people among whom I haue scattered thee yet wyll I not destroy thee but correct thee and that with descretion for I wyll not vtterly destroy thee 12 Therfore thus saith the Lorde ▪ Thy brosinges are perilous thy woundes redy to cast thee into sicknesse 13 There is no man to meddle with thy cause or to lay plaster vpon thee or to bynde vp thy woundes to heale thee 14 All thy louers haue forgotten thee and care nothyng for thee for I haue geuen thee a cruell stroke and chastened thee roughly and that for the multitude of thy misdeedes for thy sinnes haue had the ouer hande 15 Why makest thou mone for thy harme In deede thou art sore wounded and in ieopardie but for the multitude of thy misdeedes and sinnes I haue done this vnto thee 16 And therfore all they that deuour thee shal be deuoured and all thine enemies shal be led into captiuitie all they that make thee waste shal be wasted them selues and all those that rob thee wyll I make also to be robbed 17 For I wyll geue thee thy health agayne and make thy woundes whole saith the Lorde because they reuiled thee as one cast away and dispised Sion sayde they is she whom no man regardeth 18 For thus saith the Lorde Beholde I wyll bryng agayne the captiuitie of Iacobs tentes and defende his dwellyng place the citie shal be builded in her olde estate and the houses shall haue their ryght foundation 19 And out of them shal go thankesgeuing and the voyce of ioy I wyll multiplie them and they shal not be fewe I shall endue them with honour and no man
in possession 3 Prophecie therefore and speake thus saith the Lorde God For because that they haue made you desolate and swalowed you vp on euery side that ye might be a possession vnto the residue of the gentiles and ye are taken vp in the lippes and tongues of men and to the reproche of the people 4 Therefore heare the worde of the Lorde God O ye mountaines of Israel thus saith the Lorde God to the mountaines and hils to the riuers and valleys to the waste and desolate places and to the cities that are forsaken which are spoyled and had in derision on euery side among the residue of the heathen 5 Therefore thus saith the Lorde God Surely in the fire of my gelousie haue I spoken against the residue of the gentiles and against all Edom which haue appoynted my lande for their possession which also reioyced from their whole heart with a dispitefull stomake to cast it out for a pray 6 Prophecie therefore vpon the lande of Israel and speake vnto the mountaines and hils to the riuers and dales thus saith the Lorde God Behold this haue I spoken in my gelousie and terrible wrath because ye haue borne the shame of the heathen 7 Therefore thus saith the Lorde God I haue lyft vp my hande surely the heathen that are about you shall beare their shame 8 But you O mountaynes of Israel ye shall shoote out your braunches and bring foorth your fruite to my people of Israel for they are at hande to come 9 Beholde I come vnto you and vnto you wyll I turne my face that ye may be tilled and sowen 10 I wyll multiplie men vpon you euen al the house of Israel wholly the cities shal be inhabited and the decayed places shal be repaired againe 11 And I wyll multiplie vpon you man and beast which shal encrease and bring fruite and I wyll cause you to dwell after your olde estate be better vnto you then at the beginning and ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde 12 Yea I wyll cause men to walke vpon you euen my people Israel they shall possesse thee and thou shalt be their inheritaunce thou shalt no more hencefoorth depriue them of men 13 Thus saith the lorde God Forsomuch as they say vnto you thou art an eater vp of men and a waster of thy people 14 Therefore thou shalt eate no more men neither destroy thy people any more saith the Lorde God 15 Neither wyll I cause men to heare in thee the shame of the heathē any more neither shalt thou beare the reproche of the people any more nor cause thy folke to fall any more saith the Lorde God 16 Moreouer the word of the Lord came vnto me saying 17 O thou sonne of man when the house of Israel dwelt vpon their owne grounde they defiled them selues with their owne wayes and imaginations so that in my sight their way was lyke the vncleannes of a remoued woman 18 Wherfore I powred my wrathful displeasure vpon them because of the blood that they had shed in the lande and because of their idols where with they had defiled it 19 I scattered them also among the heathen so that they were strawed about in the landes according to their wayes after their owne inuentions so did I iudge them 20 And when they entred vnto the heathen whyther they went they polluted my holy name when they saide of them These are the people of God are gone out of his lande 21 Then spared I my holy name which the house of Israel had dishonoured among the gentiles where they came 22 Therfore tel the house of Israel thus saith the Lorde God I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for my holy names sake which ye dishonoured among the heathen where ye came 23 Therefore I wyll halowe my great name againe which among the gentiles is polluted for ye your selues haue dishonoured it among them the gentiles shall know that I am the Lorde saith the Lorde God when I shal be sanctifified in you before your eyes 24 As for you I wyll take you from among the heathen and gather you together out of all countreys and bring you againe into your owne lande 25 Then wyll I sprinckle cleane water vpon you and ye shal be cleane yea from all your vncleannes and from all your idols shall I cleanse you 26 A newe heart also wyll I geue you and a newe spirite wyll I put into you as for that stony heart I wyll take it out of your fleshe and geue you a fleshy heart 27 I wyll geue my spirite among you and cause you to walke in my cōmaundementes and ye shall kepe my iudgementes and do them 28 And so ye shall dwell in the lande that I gaue to your fathers ye shal be my people and I wil be your God 29 I wyll deliuer you from all your vncleannes I wyl call for the corne and wyll encrease it and lay no famine vpon you 30 I wil multiplie the fruites of the trees and the encrease of the fielde so that ye shal receaue no more reproche of hunger among the heathen 31 Then shall ye remember your owne wicked wayes and your imaginations which were not good so that ye shal be irksum in your owne eyes for your sinnes and abhominations 32 But I wyl not do this for your sakes saith the Lorde God be ye sure of it therefore O ye house of Israel be ashamed and confounded of your owne wayes 33 Moreouer thus saith the Lorde God what time as I shal cleanse you from al your iniquities then wil I make the cities to be inhabited againe and the places that be decayed shal be repaired 34 The desolate lande shal be tilled againe which afore time lay waste in the sight of al them that went by 35 And they shal say this waste lande was like the garden of Eden and these waste and desolate and ruinous cities were strong and inhabited 36 Then the residue of the heathen that lye rounde about you shall knowe that I the Lord repaire that was broken downe and plant againe that that was made waste euen I the Lord haue spoken it and wyl do it in deede 37 Thus saith the Lorde God I wyll yet for this be sought of the house of Israel to do it for them I wyll multiplie them as a flocke of men 38 Like as the holy flocke and the flocke of Hierusalem are in the hie solempne feastes so shall also the wasted cities be filled with flockes of men and they shal knowe that I am the Lorde ¶ The .xxxvij. Chapter He prophecieth the bringing againe of the people being in captiuitie 16 He sheweth the vnion of the ten tribes with the two 1 THe hande of the Lorde was vpon me and caried me out in the spirite of the Lorde and set me downe in the
farre from the Lord and I haue ben a rebuker of them all 3 I knowe Ephraim well inough and Israel is not hid fro me for nowe O Ephraim thou art become an harlot and Israel is defiled 4 They wyll not geue their myndes to turne vnto their God for the spirite of fornication is in the middest of them and they haue not knowen the Lorde 5 And the pryde of Israel doth testifie to his face therefore both Israel and Ephraim shal fal for their wickednesse and Iuda with them also 6 They shall come with their sheepe and bullockes to seeke the Lorde but they shall not finde hym for he is gone from them 7 They haue transgressed against the Lorde and brought vp bastarde chyldren a moneth therefore shall deuour them with their portions 8 Blowe with the shawmes at Gibea and with the trumpet in Ramah crye out at Bethauen after thee O Beniamin 9 In the tyme of the plague shall Ephraim be layde waste in the tribes of Israel haue I shewed the trueth 10 The princes of Iuda haue ben lyke them that remoue the lande markes therefore wyll I powre out my wrath vpon them like water 11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in iudgement because he wyllyngly folowed the commaundement 12 Therefore wyll I be vnto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Iuda as a caterpiller 13 When Ephraim sawe his sicknesse and Iuda his disease Ephraim went vnto Assur and sent vnto kyng Iareb yet coulde not he helpe you nor ease you of your payne 14 I wyll be vnto Ephraim as a lion and as a lions whelpe to the house of Iuda I euen I wyll spoyle and go my away I wyll take away and no man shall rescue 15 I wyll go and returne to my place tyll they knowledge that they haue sinned and seeke me In their aduersitie they shall early seeke me The .vi. Chapter 1 Affliction causeth a man to turne to God 9 The wickednesse of the priestes 1 COme let vs turne agayne to the Lorde for he hath smitten vs and he shall heale vs he hath wounded vs and he shall binde vs vp agayne 2 After two dayes shall he quicken vs in the thirde day he shall rayse vs vp so that we shall liue in his sight 3 Then shall we haue vnderstanding and endeuour our selues to knowe the Lord he shal go foorth as the spring of the day come vnto vs as the rayne and as the latter rayne vnto the earth 4 O Ephraim what shall I do vnto thee O Iuda howe shall I intreate thee for your goodnesse is lyke a morning cloude like a deawe that goeth early away 5 Therfore haue I cut downe the prophetes and let them be slayne for my wordes sake so that thy punishment shall come to light 6 For I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offeringes 7 But euen like as Adam did so haue they broken my couenaunt and set me at naught 8 Gilead is a citie of wicked doers and is polluted with blood 9 And as theeues armed wayte for him that passeth by the way suche is the counsell of the priestes which with one agreed counsell murther cruelly suche as kepe the way yea they dare do all vnspeakable mischiefe 10 Horrible thinges haue I seene in the house of Israel there is the fornication of Ephraim and Israel is defiled 11 Yea and thou Iuda kepest an haruest for thy selfe when I returne the captiuitie of my people The .vij. Chapter 1 Of the vices and wantonnesse of the people 12 Of their punishment 1 WHen I vndertoke to make Israel whole then the vngraciousnesse of Ephraim and the wickednes of Samaria came to light for thei go about with lyes therfore the theefe robbeth within and the spoyler destroyeth without 2 They consider not in their heartes that I remember al their wickednesse Nowe their owne inuentions haue beset them whiche I see well inough 3 They make the kyng glad with their wickednesse and the princes with their lyes 4 All these burne in adulterie as it were an ouen that the baker heateth when he hath left kneading tyll the dowe be leauened 5 This is the day of our kyng the princes haue made hym sicke with bottels of wine he hath stretched out his hande to scorners 6 For whyles they lye in wayte they haue made redye their heart lyke an ouen their baker sleepeth all night in the morning it burneth as a flambe of fire 7 They are altogether as hotte as an ouen and haue deuoured their owne iudges all their kinges are fallen yet is there none of them that calleth vpon me 8 Ephraim hath mixt him selfe among heathen people Ephraim is become like a cake that no man turneth 9 Straungers haue deuoured his strength and he regardeth it not he waxeth full of gray heere 's yet wyll he not knowe it 10 And the pryde of Israel testifieth to his face yet wyll they not turne to the Lorde their God nor seeke hym for all this 11 Ephraim is like a doue that is begyled and hath no heart nowe call they vpon the Egyptians now go they to the Assyrians 12 But whyle they be goyng here and there I shal spreade my net ouer them and drawe them downe as the foules of the ayre and according as they haue ben warned so wyll I punishe them 13 Wo be vnto them for they haue forsaken me they must be destroyed for they haue set me at naught I am he that hath redeemed them yet haue they spoken lyes agaynst me 14 They call not vpon me with their heartes but lye howlyng vpon their beddes they wyll assemble them selues for corne and wine but rebel against me 15 I haue bounde vp and strengthened their arme yet do they imagine mischiefe agaynst me 16 They turne them selues but not to the most hyest and are become as a broken bowe their princes shal be slayne with the sworde for the malice of their tongues this shal be their derision in the lande of Egypt The .viij. Chapter 1 The destruction of Iuda and Israel because of their idolatrie 1 SEt the trumpet to thy mouth swiftly as an Egle shall the enemie come agaynst the house of the Lorde for they haue broken my couenaunt and transgressed my lawe 2 Israel shoulde haue sayde vnto me Thou art my God we knowe thee 3 But he hath refused the thyng that is good therfore shall the enemie pursue him 4 They haue ordeyned kinges but not through me they haue made princes and I knewe it not of their siluer and golde haue they made them idols therfore shall they be destroyed 5 Thy Calfe O Samaria hath cast thee of for my wrathfull indignation is gone foorth agaynst them howe long wyll they be without innocencie 6 For the calfe came from Israel the workman made it therfore can it be no God but euen in peeces
repentaunce and turne from his fierce wrath that we perishe not 10 And God sawe their workes that they turned from their euil wayes and he repented of the euill that he saide he woulde do vnto them and did it not ¶ The .iiij. Chapter The great goodnesse of God toward his creatures 1 AND this displeased Ionas greatly and he was angrye within him selfe 2 And he prayed vnto the Lorde and saide I pray thee O Lorde was not this my saying when I was yet in my countrey therfore I hasted to flee into Tharsis For I knewe that thou art a gratious God and mercifull long suffering and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of euill 3 And nowe O Lorde take I beseche thee my lyfe from me for it is better for me to dye then to lyue 4 Then saide the Lord Doest thou wel to be angry 5 And Ionas went out of the citie and sate him downe on the east side thereof and there made him a boothe and sate vnder it in the shadowe till he might see what should be done in the citie 6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd and made it spring vp ouer Ionas that it might be a shadowe ouer his head to deliuer him from his griefe So Ionas was exceeding glad of the gourde 7 But God prepared a worme when the morning rose the next day which smote the gourde that it withered 8 And when the sunne rose God prepared a feruent east winde and the sunne beat vpon the head of Ionas that he fainted and wished vnto his soule that he might dye and saide It is better for me to dye then to lyue 9 And the Lord saide vnto Ionas Doest thou well to be so angry within thy selfe for the gourde And he saide I do well to be angry euen vnto death 10 Then saide the Lorde Thou hast had compassion on the gourde about the which thou bestowedst no labour neither madest it growe which came vp in a night and perished in a night 11 And shall not I spare Niniue that great citie in the which are more then sixscore thousand persons that knowe not their right hand and their left and also much cattaile ⧠The booke of the prophete Micheas The first Chapter Of the destruction of Samaria because of their idolatrie 1 THE worde of the Lorde came vnto Micheas the Morasthite in the dayes of Iotham Ahas Hezekiah kinges of Iuda which he sawe concerning Samaria and Hierusalem 2 Heare all ye people marke this well O earth and all that therein is yea let the Lorde God him selfe be witnesse against you euen the Lorde from his holy temple 3 For beholde the Lorde shall come out of his holy place and come downe and treade vpon the hie thinges of y e earth 4 The mountaines shal melt vnder him and the valleyes shall cleaue a sunder lyke as wax melteth before the fire and as the waters runne downeward 5 And all this shal be for the wickednes of Iacob and the sinnes of the house of Israel but what is the wickednesse of Iacob is not Samaria which are the hie places of Iuda is not * Hierusalem 6 Therefore I wyll make Samaria an heape of the fielde meete for the planting of a vineyarde her stones wyll I tumble downe into the valley and discouer her foundations 7 All her images shal be broken downe and all her garmentes shal be brent in the fire yea al her idols wyl I destroy for they are gathered out of the hyre of an harlot and into an harlots hyre shall they be turned againe 8 Wherefore I wyll mourne and make lamentation bare and naked wyl I go I wyll mourne lyke the Dragons and take sorowe as the Ostriches 9 For their wounde is past remedie it is come into Iuda and hath touched the gate of my people at Hierusalem alredie 10 Declare it not at Gath neither weepe ye for the house of Aphra roule thy selfe in the dust 11 Thou that dwellest at Saphir gette thee hence naked with shame she that dwelleth at Zaanan shall not come foorth in the mourning of Bethezel the enemie shal receaue of you for his standing 12 For the inhabitauÌ„tes of Maroth wayled for good but the plague shall come from the Lorde euen vnto the gates of Hierusalem 13 O thou inhabitaunt of Lachis binde the charette to the swiftest beast she is the beginning of the sinne of the daughter of Sion for the transgressions of Israel were founde in thee 14 Therfore shalt thou bring presentes to Moresheth Gath y e houses of Achzib shal be as a lye to the kinges of Israel 15 And as for thee O thou that dwellest at Maresa I shall bring a possessioner vpon thee he shal come to Adullam the glory of Israel 16 Make thee baulde and shaue thee because of thy tender children make thee cleane baulde as an Egle for they shal be caried away captiue from thee The .ii. Chapter Threatninges against the sinfull people 6 They would teache the prophetes to preache 1 WO vnto them that imagine iniquitie and worke wickednesse vpon their beddes when the morning is light they practise it because their hande hath power 2 And they couet fieldes and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house euen man and his heritage 3 Therefore thus saith the Lorde Beholde against this housholde haue I deuised a plague whereout ye shall not plucke your neckes ye shall no more go so proudly for it wyl be a perilous time 4 In that day shal this parable be vsed and a mourning shal be made ouer you on this maner We be vtterly desolate the portion of my people is translated how wyll he parte vnto vs the lande that he hath taken from vs 5 Therefore there shal be no man to deuide thee thy portion in the congregation of the Lorde 6 Ye shal not prophecie say they to them that prophecie they shal not prophecie to them neither shall they take shame 7 O thou that art named the house of Iacob is the spirite of the Lorde shortened are these his workes are not my words good vnto him that walketh vprightly 8 But he that was yesterday my people is rysen vp on the other side as against an enemie they spoyle the beawtifull garment from them that passe by peaceably as though they returned from the warre 9 The women of my people haue ye shut out from their pleasaunt houses and taken away myne excellent giftes from their children 10 Vp get you hence for here shall ye haue no rest because the lande is defiled it shall destroy you which vtter destruction 11 If a man walke in the spirite and would lye falsely saying I wyl propâ—cie to thee of wine and strong drinke that were a prophete for this people 12 I wyll surely gather thee wholly O Iacob I wyll surely gather the remnaunt of Israel
Moli the sonne of Leui the sonne of Israel Seredia and his sonnes and his brethren whiche were eyghteene 49 And Asebia and Amon and Osaian his brethrē of the sonnes of Canaineus their sonnes were twentie men 50 And of them that serued in the temple whom Dauid had ordayned and the principall men to the worke of the Leuites that were ministers in the temple two hundred twentie whose names are all signed vp in writing 51 And then commaunded I a fasting vnto the young men before the Lorde that I might desire of him a prosperous iourney and a good way both for vs and them that were with vs for our chyldren and for the cattell 52 For I feared to desire of the king men of horse and of foote to conuey vs safely against our enemies 53 For we had sayde vnto the kyng that the power of the Lord our God should be with them that seeke hym to direct them in all thinges 54 And therfore we besought our Lorde agayne as touching these thinges and founde him fauourable vnto vs. 55 Then I separated from among the chiefe of the tribes and from the priestes xij men to wit Esebrias and Assanias ten men of their brethren with them 56 And I wayed them the golde and the siluer and the holy vessels of the house of our Lorde whiche the kyng and his counsell and his princes and whole Israel had geuen 57 And when I had wayed it I deliuered it vnto them sixe hundred and fiftie talentes of siluer and an hundred talentes in siluer vessels and an hundred talentes of golde 58 And twentie golden basens twelue vessels of brasse euen fine brasse like shining golde 59 And I sayde vnto them Ye are holy vnto the Lord and the vessels are holy and the golde and the siluer is promised vnto the Lord God of our fathers 60 Be diligent nowe and kepe it vntyll the tyme that ye deliuer it to the chiefe of the priestes and leuites and to the principall men of the families of Israel in Hierusalem in the chaumbers of the house of our God 61 So the priestes and the leuites which receaued of me the golde the siluer and the vessels brought it vnto Hierusalem vnto the temple 62 And from the riuer Thia we brake vp the twelfth day of the first moneth according to the mightie hande of our Lorde whiche was with vs and from the beginning of our iourney the Lord deliuered vs from euery enemie so that we came vnto Hierusalem 63 And when the thirde day was past there the wayed golde and siluer was deliuered in the house of the Lorde on the fourth day vnto Marimoth the priest and sonne of Iori 64 And with him was Eleazar the sonne of Phinees and with them were Iosabdus the sonne of Iesu and Moeth the sonne of Sabbanus Leuites all was deliuered them by number and wayght 65 And all the wayght of them was written vp the same houre 66 After that they that were come out of captiuitie offred sacrifice vnto the Lord God of Israel euen twelue oxen for all Israel fourescore sixteene rammes 67 Threescore and twelue sheepe twelue goates for saluation all in sacrifice to the Lorde 68 And the kinges commission deliuered they vnto the kinges stewardes and to the gouernours of Coclosyria and Phenice who honoured the people and the temple of God 69 Now when these thinges were done the rulers came vnto me and sayde 70 The nation of Israel the princes the priestes and leuites haue not put away from them the straunge people of the lande nor the vncleannes of the Gentiles to wit of the Chanaanites Hethites Pheresites Iebusites and the Moabites Egyptians and Edomites 71 For both they and theyr sonnes haue mingled them selues with the daughters of them and the holy seede is mixt with the straunge people of the lande and since the beginning of the affaires the rulers and head men haue ben partakers of this wickednesse 72 And assoone as I had hearde these things immediatly I rent my clothes and the holy garment and pulled out the heere of my head my bearde and sat me downe forowfull and heauie 73 So all they that were moued thorow the worde of the Lorde God of Israel came vnto me whyles I wept for the iniquitie but I sate styll full of heauinesse vntyll the euening sacrifice 74 Then stoode I vp from fasting hauing rent clothes the holy garment and kneeled downe vpon my knees helde out my handes vnto the Lorde 75 And sayde O Lorde I am confounded and ashamed before thy face 76 For our sinnes are become many euen aboue our heades and our ignoraunces are lifted vp euen vnto heauen 77 For since the tyme of our fathers we are in great sinne vnto this day 78 And for the sinnes of vs and our fathers we with our brethren and with our kinges and with our priestes haue ben geuen vp vnto the kynges of the earth into the sworde and into captiuitie and became a spoyle with confusion and shame vnto this day 79 And nowe O Lord God howe great is the mercy that we haue gotten of thee in that thou hast lefte vs a roote and a name in the place of thy sanctuarie 80 And that thou hast discouered to vs a light in the house of the Lord our God and hast geuen vs meate in the tyme of our seruitude 81 And when we were in captiuitie we were not forsaken of the Lord our god but he made the kynges of Persia gratious and fauourable vnto vs so that they gaue vs victuals and meate 82 Yea and honoured the temple of our Lorde and repayred the wasted places of Sion and gaue vs assuraunce in Iurie and Hierusalem 83 And nowe O Lorde what shall we say hauing all these things in possession For we haue broken thy commaundementes whiche thou gauest vnto vs by the handes of thy seruauntes the prophetes saying 84 Because the lande whiche ye go to possesse as an heritage is a lande defiled with the vncleannes and filthynes of the straungers of the land and with their abhomination they haue polluted it altogether 85 Therfore now shall ye not ioyne their daughters vnto your sonnes neither marry your daughters to their sonnes 86 Moreouer ye shall neuer seeke to make peace with them that ye may increase and eate the best in the lande and that ye may leaue the inheritaunce of the lande vnto your chyldren for euermore 87 As for the thinges that are come to passe they come all for our wicked workes and great sinnes for thou O Lorde hast made our sinnes light 88 And geuen vs suche a roote but we haue turned backe agayne so that we haue broken thy lawe and mingled our selues with the vncleannes of the out landishe heathen 89 Mightest not thou be angry with vs to destroy vs so that thou shouldest leaue vs neither roote seede nor name 90 O Lord God of Israel thou art true for our
saide vnto him Feare not to geue him thy daughter for vnto this man that feareth God belongeth thy daughter to wyfe therefore might none other haue her 13 Then saide Raguel I doubt not but God hath accepted my prayers teares in his sight 14 And I beleue he caused you to come vnto me for the same intent that this daughter of myne might be maryed in her owne kindred according to the law of Moyses And nowe doubt thou not but I wyll geue her vnto thee 15 So he toke the right hande of his daughter and gaue her into the right hande of Tobias and saide The God of Abraham the God of Isahac the God of Iacob be with you ioyne you together and fulfill his blessing in you 16 And they toke a letter made a writing of the mariage 17 And then made they mery and praysed God 18 And Raguel called Anna his wyfe vnto him and bade her prepare another chamber 19 And thither he brought Sara his daughter and she wept 20 Then saide he vnto her Be of good cheare my daughter the Lorde of heauen geue thee ioy for the heauinesse that thou hast suffered The .viii. Chapter 2 Tobias driueth away the euill spirite 4 He prayeth to God with his wyfe 11 Raguel prepareth a graue for his sonne in lawe 16 Raguel blesseth the Lorde 1 NOW after that they had supped they brought the young man in to her 2 Then thought Tobias vpon the wordes of the angel and toke out of his bagge a peece of the lyuer of the fishe and layed it vpon the hotte coales 3 So the angell Raphael tooke holde of the deuil and sent him away bound him in the wildernesse of the hygher Egypt 4 Then spake Tobias vnto the virgin and saide Vp Sara let vs make our prayer vnto God to day to morow and ouermorow For these three nightes wyl we reconcile our selues with God and when the third holy night is past we shall ioyne together in the duetie of mariage 5 For we are the children of holy men and we may not come together as the heathen that know not God 6 Then stoode they vp both together and besought God earnestly that he would preserue them 7 And Tobias saide O Lorde God of our fathers praysed be thou of heauen and earth of the sea welles fluddes and of al thy creatures that be therein 8 Thou madest Adam of the moulde of the earth and gauest him Eua for an helper 9 And now Lorde thou knowest that it is not because of voluptuousnes that I take this sister of myne to wyfe but onely for the loue of children in whom thy name may be blessed for euer 10 And Sara saide Haue mercie vpon vs O Lorde haue mercy vpon vs and let vs both come whole and sounde together to a good age 11 And about the cocke crowing it came to passe that Raguel called his seruaūtes 12 And they went with him to make a graue 13 For he saide It is chaunced nowe vnto him peraduenture as it did vnto the other seuen men that went in vnto her 14 Now when they had made the graue Raguel came againe to his wyfe and saide vnto her Send one of thy maydens to loke if he be dead that I may bury him afore it be light day 15 So she sent a mayden to see which when she came into the chamber found them whole and founde sleeping together 16 And so she came againe and brought good tidinges Then Raguel and Anna his wyfe praysed the Lorde 17 And saide Praysed be thou O Lorde God of Israel that it is not happened vnto vs as we thought 18 For thou hast dealt mercifully with vs and put away from vs the enemie that persecuted vs 19 And hast shewed mercy vnto yonder two the onely borne children of their parentes O Lorde cause them to magnifie thee more perfectly and to offer the sacrifice of thy prayse of their health that all people may knowe that thou onely art God in all the earth 20 And immediatly Raguel commaunded his seruauntes to fyll the graue that they had made with earth afore it was light 21 And bade his wyfe prepare a feaste to make redie all thinges that were necessary for meate to such as went by the way 22 He caused two fat kine also and foure weathers to be slaine and meates to be prepared for all his neighbours and freindes 23 And Raguel charged Tobias to remayne with him two weekes 24 As for all the good that he had he gaue Tobias the halfe of it and made this writing that the halfe which remayned should fall vnto Tobias after their death ¶ The .ix. Chapter The angell goeth to Gabelus at the desire of Tobias which delyuereth the letter and receaueth the money 1 THen Tobias called vnto him the angell whō he thought to haue ben a man and saide vnto him Brother Azarias I pray thee hearken vnto my wordes 2 If I shoulde geue my selfe to be thy seruaunt I shall not deserue thy prouidence 3 Neuerthelesse I beseche thee that thou wilt take the beastes and the seruauntes go vnto Gabelus in Rages the citie of the Medes and delyuer him his hand writing and receaue the money of him and pray him to come to my mariage 4 For thou knowest thy selfe that my father doth number the dayes and if I tary one day to long he wyll be sory in his minde 5 Now seest thou how earnestly Raguel hath required me so that I can not say him nay 6 Then toke Raphael foure of Raguels seruauntes and two Camels and went vnto Rages the citie of the Medes And when he had founde Gabelus he gaue him his hand writing and receaued all the money 7 He tolde him also of Tobias the sonne of Tobi how al thinges had happened and caused him to come with him to the mariage 8 Now when he came into the house of Raguel he founde Tobias sittyng at the table and he leaped vp they kissed one another and Gabelus wept and praysed God 9 And saide The blessing of the God of Israel haue thou for thou art the sonne of a right vertuous and iust man and of one that feareth God geueth great almes 10 And blessing haue thy wyfe and your elders 11 That ye may see your children and your childrens children vnto the third fourth generation and your seede be blessed of the God of Israel which raigneth worlde without end 12 And when they all had sayde Amen they went to the feast but with the feare of the Lorde held they the feast of the mariage The .x. Chapter 1 Tobias and his wyfe thinke long for their sonne 10 Raguel sendeth away Tobias and Sara 1 NOw whyle young Tobias made long tarying by reason of the mariage his father was full of care heauinesse saying Canst thou thinke what shoulde be the cause that my sonne tarieth so long or why he should be kept so long there
that all they that are appointed in wrytyng and shewed vnto you by Aman whiche is ordayned and set ouer all our landes and the most principall next vnto the kyng and in maner as a father shall with their wiues and chyldren be destroyed rooted out with the sworde of their enemies and aduersaries and that there shal be no mercy shewed and no man spared And this shal be done the fourteenth day of the moneth called Adad of this yere 7 That they whiche of olde and nowe also haue euer ben rebellious may in one day with violence be thrust downe into the hell to the intent that after this maner our empire may haue peace and tranquilitie 8 But Mardocheus thought vpon all the workes noble actes of the Lorde and made his prayer vnto him 9 Saying O Lorde Lorde thou valiaunt and almightie king for all thinges are in thy power and if thou wilt helpe and deliuer Israel there is no man that can withstande nor let thee 10 For thou hast made heauen and earth and what wonderous thing soeuer is vnder the heauen 11 Thou art Lorde of all thinges and there is no man that can resist thy maiestie O Lorde 12 Thou knowest all thinges thou wotest Lorde that it was neither of malice nor presumption nor for any desire of glory that I would not bow downe my selfe nor worship yonder proude presumptious Aman 13 For I woulde haue ben content and that with good wyll if it might haue done Israel any good to haue kist euen his footesteppes 14 But that I did it because I woulde not set the honour of a man in the steede of the glory of God because I would worship none but only thee my Lorde and this haue I done in no pryde nor presumption 15 And therfore O Lord thou God and kyng haue mercy vpon thy people for they imagine howe they may bring vs to naught yea their minde and desire is to destroy and to ouerthrowe thy people that hath euer ben thyne inheritaunce of olde 16 O despise not thy portion which thou hast deliuered brought out of Egypt for thyne owne selfe 17 Heare my prayer and be mercifull vnto thy people whom thou hast chosen for an heritage vnto thy selfe Turne our complaynt and sorow into ioy that we may liue O Lorde and prayse thy name O Lord suffer not the mouthes of them that praise thee to be destroyed 18 All the people of Israel in like maner cryed as earnestly as they coulde vnto the Lorde for their death and destruction stoode before their eyes ¶ The .xiiij. Chapter ¶ The prayer of Hester for the deliueraunce of her and her people 1 QVeene Hester also beyng in the battayle of death resorted vnto the Lorde 2 Layde away her glorious apparell and put on the garmentes that serued for sighing and mourning In the steede of precious oyntment she scattered ashes and dounge vpon her head and as for her body she humbled it with fasting and brought it very low All the places where she was wont to haue ioy afore those filled she with her owne heere that she pluckt of 3 She prayed also vnto the Lorde God of Israel with these wordes O my Lorde thou only art our kyng helpe me desolate woman whiche haue no helper but thee 4 For my miserie and destruction is harde at my hande 5 Fro my youth vp I haue hearde out of the kinred of my father that thou tokest Israel from among all people and so haue our fathers of their fore elders that they shoulde be thy perpetuall inheritaunce and looke what thou didst promise them thou hast made it good vnto them 6 Nowe Lorde we haue sinned before thee therefore hast thou geuen vs into the handes of our enemies 7 Because we worshipped their gods Lorde thou art righteous 8 Neuerthelesse it satisfieth them not that we are in bitter and heauie captiuitie and oppressed among them but thou hast layde their handes vpon the handes of their gods 9 So that they begin to take away the thing that thou with thy mouth hast ordayned and appoynted to destroy thine inheritaunce to shut and to stop the mouthes of them that prayse thee to quench the glory and worship of thy house and thyne aulter 10 And to open the mouthes of the heathen that they may prayse the power and vertue of the gods and to magnifie the fleshly kyng for euer 11 O Lorde geue not thy scepter vnto them that be nothing lest they laugh vs to scorne in our miserie and fall but turne their deuice vpon them selues and punishe hym that hath begun the same ouer vs and set hym to an example 12 Thinke vpon vs O Lord and shewe thy selfe vnto vs in the tyme of our distresse and of our trouble strength me O thou kyng of Gods thou Lorde of all power 13 Geue me an eloquent and pleasaunt speache in my mouth before the lion Turne his heart into the hate of our enemies to destroy him and all such as consent vnto him 14 But deliuer vs with thy hande and helpe me thy handmayde which haue no defence nor helper but onlye the Lorde 15 Thou knowest all thinges thou wotest that I loue not the glory and worship of the vnrighteous and that I hate and abhorre the bed of the vncircumcised and of all heathen 16 Thou knowest my necessitie that I hate the token of my preeminence and worship which I beare vpon my head what tyme as I must shewe my selfe and be seene and that I abhorre it as an vncleane cloth and that I weare it not when I am quiet and alone by my selfe 17 Thou knowest also that I thy handmayden haue not eaten at Amans table and that I haue had no pleasure nor delight in the kinges feast that I haue not drunke the wine of the drinke offeringes 18 And that I thy handmayden haue no ioy since the day that I was brought hyther vnto this day but only in thee O Lorde O thou God of Abraham 19 O thou mightie God aboue all heare the voyce of them that haue no other hope and deliuer vs out of the hande of the wicked and deliuer me out of my feare The .xv. Chapter 1 Mardocheus moueth Hester to go in vnto the kyng and make intercession for her people 9 And she perfourmed his request 1 MArdocheus also bade Hester go in vnto the kyng and pray for her people and for her countrey 2 Remember saith he the dayes of thy lowe estate how thou wast nourished vnder my hande For Aman whiche is next vnto the kyng hath geuen sentence of death against vs 3 Call thou therefore vpon the Lorde and speake for vs vnto the king and deliuer vs from death 4 And vpon the thirde day it happened that Hester layde away the mourning garmentes and put on her glorious apparell 5 And deckt her selfe goodly after that she had called vpon God whiche is the beholder and sauiour of all thinges and toke two maydens with her
myght any thyng endure yf it were not thy wyll or howe coulde any thyng be preserued except it were called of thee 26 But thou sparest all for they are thine O Lorde thou louer of soules ¶ The .xij. Chapter 2 The mercy of God towarde sinners 14 The workes of God are vnreprouable 19 God geueth leasure to repent 1 FOr thy vncorruptible spirite O Lorde is in all thinges 2 Therfore chastenest thou them measurably that go wrong and warnest them by putting them in remembraunce in what thinges they haue offended that leauing their wickednesse they may beleue on thee O Lorde 3 As for those olde inhabiters of thy holy lande thou mightest not away with them 4 For they committed abhominable workes against thee as witchcraft sorcerie and wicked sacrifices 5 They slue their owne chyldren without mercy they dyd eate vp the bowels of mens fleshe and deuoured the blood in abhominable bankets and had their mad fanaticall priestes 6 And the fathers were the chiefe murderers of the soules destitute of helpe these doers thou wouldest destroy by the handes of our fathers 7 That the lande whiche thou louest aboue all other might be a meete dwelling for the chyldren of God 8 Neuerthelesse thou sparedst them also as men and sendedst the forerunners of thyne hoast euen hornettes to destroy them out by litle and litle 9 Not that thou wast vnable to subdue the vngodly vnto the righteous in battayle or with cruell beastes or with one rough worde to destroy them together 10 But thy mynde was in punishing them by litle litle to geue them place for amendement knowing well that it was an vnrighteous nation and wicked of nature and that their thought might neuer be altered 11 For it was a cursed seede from the beginning yet hast thou not pardoned their sinnes wherein they offended for that thou fearest any man 12 For who will stand against thy iudgement or who wyll blame thee for the nations that perishe whom thou hast made or who wyll come before thy face to be reuenged for the vnrighteous men 13 For there is none other God but thou that carest for all thinges that thou mayest declare howe that thy iudgement is not vnright 14 There dare neither king nor tiraunt in thy sight require accomptes of them whom thou hast destroyed 15 Forsomuche then as thou art righteous thy selfe thou ordrest all thinges righteously thinking it vnseemely for thy power to condempne hym that hath not deserued to be punished 16 For thy power is the beginning of righteousnesse and because thou art Lorde of all thinges it maketh thee to be gracious vnto all 17 For when men thinke thee not to be of a full strength thou declarest thy power and reprouest the boldnesse of the wyse 18 But thou mastring thy power doest iudge with equitie and ordrest vs with great fauour for thou mayest vse power when thou wylt 19 By suche workes nowe hast thou taught thy people that the iust man shoulde be louing and hast made thy chyldren to be of a good hope because thou geuest roome to repentaunce for sinnes 20 For insomuche as thou hast punished and with such deliberation and obtestation the enemies of thy seruauntes whiche were worthy to dye where through thou gauest them tyme and place of amendement that they might turne from their wickednesse 21 With howe great circumspection then punishest thou thyne owne chyldren vnto whose fathers thou hast sworne made couenauntes of good promises 22 So where as thou doest chasten vs thou punishest our enemies a thousande tymes more to the intent that when we punishe we should diligently thinke of thy goodnesse and when we our selues are punished we shoulde hope for mercy 23 Wherefore where as men haue liued dissolutely and vnrighteously thou hast punished them sore with their owne abhominations 24 For they went astray very long in the wayes of errour held the beastes whiche euen their enemies despised for gods deceaued as chyldren of no vnderstanding 25 Therefore hast thou sent them thy iudgement in scorne as to chyldren voyde of reason 26 As for such as wyll not be refourmed by those scornes and rebukes they shall feele the worthy punishment of God 27 For looke in what thinges they disdayned when they suffred for their sakes whom they counted gods seyng them selues punished in the same they perceaued that he was in deede the true God whom before they had denyed to knowe and therefore came extreme dampnation vpon them ¶ The .xiij. Chapter 1 All thinges be vayne except the knowledge of God 10 Idolaters and idols are mocked 1 SVrely vayne are all men by nature which were ignoraunt of God and coulde not out of the good things that are seene knowe hym that of hym selfe is euerlasting neither toke so muche regarde of the workes that are made as therby to knowe who was the craftesman of them 2 But some toke the fire some the winde or swift ayre some the course of the starres some the running water some toke sunne and moone or the lightes of heauen for gods that rule the worlde 3 But though they had such pleasure in their beautie that they thought them to haue ben gods yet should they haue knowen howe muche more fayrer he is that made them For the maker of beautie hath ordayned al these thinges 4 Or if they marueyled at the power and worke of them they shoulde haue perceaued therby how much he which made these thinges is mightier then they 5 For by the greatnesse of the beautie and of the creatures the maker therof compared with them may playnely be knowen 6 Notwithstanding they are the lesse to be blamed that seeke God and woulde finde him yet peraduenture misse 7 For they being occupied in his works do seeke hym diligently and are perswaded by the sight because the things are beautifull that are seene 8 Howebeit yet neither are they to be excused 9 For if their vnderstanding and knowledge be so great that they can discerne the world and the creatures why do they not rather finde out the Lorde therof 10 But miserable are they and among the dead is their hope that call them gods whiche are but the workes of mens handes golde siluer and the thing that is founde out by cunning the similitude of beastes or any vayne stone that hath ben made by hande of olde 11 Or as whē a carpenter cutteth downe a tree meete for the purpose and pareth of al the barke cunningly and so by arte comely maketh a vessell profitable to the vse of life 12 And with that whiche is cut of from his worke doth dresse his meate to fyll his belly 13 And as for the other part that is left whiche is profitable for nothing for it is a crooked peece of wood and full of knobbes he carueth it diligently by leasure and according to the knowledge of his
men might knowe that thankes ought to be geuen vnto thee before the sunne ryse and that thou oughtest to be worshipped before the day spring 29 For the hope of the vnthankfull shall melt away as the winter yse and flowe away as vnprofitable water ¶ The .xvij. Chapter ¶ The iudgementes of God against the wicked 1 FOr great are thy iudgmentes O Lorde and can not be expressed therefore men do erre that wyll not be refourmed by thy wysdome 2 For when the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subiection they were bounde with the bandes of darknesse and long night shut vp vnder roofes and lay there to escape the eternall prouidence 3 And whyle they thought to be hyd in the darknesse of their sinnes they were scattered abrode in the very middest of the darke couering of forgetfulnesse put to horrible feare and wonderouslye vexed 4 For the corner where they lay hyd might not kepe them from feare because the soundes came rounde about them and vexed them yea many terrible and straunge visions appeared vnto them 5 No power of the fire might geue them light neither might the cleare flambes of the starres lightē the horrible night 6 But there appeared vnto them a sodayne fire only very dreadfull At the which sight wherin they sawe nothing throughly they were so afrayde that they thought the thing whiche they sawe to be the more fearefull 7 As for the illusions of the magicall art they came to naught and it was a most shamefull reproche of the pryde that they had of their owne wysdome 8 For they that promised to driue away the feares and troubles from the sicke soule were sicke them selues with feare worthy to be laughed at 9 For though no terrible thing did feare them yet were they afrayde at the beastes whiche passed by them and at the hissing of the serpentes 10 Insomuch that with trembling they sowned and sayde they sawe not the ayre whiche no man yet may escape 11 For malice is a dreadfull thing that is condempned by his owne witnesse and beyng pressed with conscience it euer suspecteth cruel thinges 12 For feare is nothing els but a betraying of the succours whiche reason offereth 13 And looke howe muche the lesse his hope is within the greater doth he recount his ignoraunce of that cause that bryngeth the torment 14 But they that dyd indure the night that in deede was intollerable and that came from the dungeons of intollerable hell sleping the same sleepe 15 Were somtimes chased with monsterous apparitions and sometymes they sowned as their owne soules had betrayed them for an hastie feare that was not looked for came vpon them 16 And thus whosoeuer was there fallen he was in pryson but without chaines 17 For whether a man had occupied husbandrie or had ben an heardman or labourer in the woods if he were taken he suffred intollerable necessitie 18 For they were all bounde with one chayne of darknesse whether it were a blasing winde or a sweete song of the byrdes among the thicke braunches of the trees or the vehemencie of hastie running water 19 Or great noyse of the falling downe of stones or the runnyng of playing beastes whiche they sawe not or the mightie noyse of roaring wilde beastes or the sounde that aunswered agayne in the holonesse of mountaynes these terrible thinges made them sowne for very feare 20 For all the earth shined with cleare light and no man was hindered in his labour 21 Onlye vpon them there fell a heauie night an image of darknesse that was to come vpon them Yea they were vnto them selues more heauie then darknesse ¶ The .xviij. Chapter 3 The firie piller that the Israelites had in Egypt 8 The deliueraunce of the faythfull 10 The Lorde smote the Egyptians 20 The sinne of the people in the wyldernesse 21 Aaron stoode betweene the liuing and the dead with his censure 1 NEuerthelesse thy saintes had a very great light whose voyce they hearing and not seeing their figure for that they suffred not the same thinges they thought them blessed 2 And for that they dyd not hurt them nowe of whom they had ben wronged before they thanked them besought them pardon of that they had ben enemies 3 Therfore thou gauest them a burning piller of fire to leade them in the vnknowen way and the sunne not to hurt them in their honourable iourney 4 But reason it was that they shoulde leese the light and be put in the pryson of darknesse whiche had kept thy chyldren shut vp by whom the vncorrupt light of the lawe was to be geuen vnto the worlde 5 After when they thought to slay the babes of the saintes one chylde beyng cast out and preserued to reproue them thou tokest away the whole multitude of their chyldren and destroyedst them altogether in a mightie water 6 Of that night were our fathers certified afore that they knowing vnto what othes they had geuen credence might be of good cheare 7 Thus thy people receaued the health of the righteous but the vngodly were destroyed 8 For like as thou hast reuenged our enemies so hast thou promoted vs whom thou hast called 9 For the righteous chyldren of the good men offred secretely and made a godly lawe with one consent that the saintes should in like maner receaue together both good and euil and that the fathers nowe should first sing prayses 10 But there was hearde a disagreing voyce of the enemies and there was a miserable lamentation for children that were bewayled 11 The maister and the seruaunt were punished after one maner and lyke as the king so suffred the common people 12 So they had innumerable that dyed with one kinde of death altogether neither were the liuing sufficient to bury the dead for in the twinckling of an eye the noblest ofspring of them was destroyed 13 For whereas they woulde discredite all thinges by reason of the inchauntmentes in the destruction of the first borne they acknowledged that this people was the chyldren of God 14 For whyle all thinges were styl in scilence and when the night was in the middest of her course thy almightie worde O Lorde lept downe from heauen out of thy royall trone 15 As a rough man of warre in the middest of the land that was destroyed 16 And brought thyne vnfayned commaundement as a sharpe sworde and standing vp filled all thinges with death yea it stoode vpon the earth and reached vnto the heauen 17 Then the sightes of the euyl dreames vexed them sodainly and fearefulnesse came vpon them vnawares 18 Then lay there one here another there halfe dead halfe quicke and shewed the cause of his death 19 For the visions that vexed them shewed them these thinges afore that they might not be ignoraunt wherefore they perished 20 Yea the temptation of death touched the righteous also and among the
the commaundementes of the Lorde shal be shamed 21 He that is the ruler among brethren is holden in honour among them and he that regardeth such as feare the Lorde is acceptable in his sight 22 The feare of the Lord causeth that the kingdome faileth not but the kingdome is lost by crueltie and pryde 23 The glorie of the riche of the honorable and of the poore is the feare of God 24 Despyse not thou the iust poore man that hath vnderstanding and magnifie not the riche vngodly 25 Great is the iudge and mightie in honour yet is there none greater then he that feareth God 26 Vnto the seruaunt that is discrete shal the free do seruice He that is wyse and well nurtured will not grudge when he is refourmed and an ignoraunt body shall not come to honour 27 Be not proude to do thy worke and dispayre not in the time of aduersitie 28 Better is he that laboureth and hath plenteousnes of al thinges then he that is gorgious and wanteth bread 29 My sonne get thy soule honour by mekenesse geue her her due honour 30 Who shall iustifie him that sinneth against him selfe Who will honour hym that dishonoureth his owne soule 31 The poore is honoured for his faythfulnesse and trueth but the riche is had in reputation because of his goodes 32 He that ordereth hym selfe honestly in pouertie howe much more shal he behaue hym selfe honestly in riches And who so ordreth hym selfe vnhonestly in riches how much more shall he behaue him selfe vnhonestly in pouertie The .xi. Chapter 1 The prayse of humilitie 2 After the outward appearaunce ought we not to iudge 7 Of rash iudgement 14 Al things come of God 29 Al men are not to be brought into thine house 1 THe wysdome of hym that is brought lowe shall lift vp his head and shall make hym to sit among great men 2 Commende not thou a man in his beautie neither despise a man in his vtter appeeraunce 3 The Bee is but a smal beast among the foules yet is her fruite exceeding sweet 4 Be not proude of thy rayment exalt not thy selfe in the day of thy honour for the workes of the hiest onely are wonderfull yea glorious secrete and vnknowen are his workes 5 Many tyrauntes haue ben fayne to sit downe vpon the earth and the vnlikely hath worne the crowne 6 Many mightie men haue ben brought low the honorable haue ben deliuered into other mens handes 7 Condemne no man before thou haue tryed out the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then refourme righteously 8 Geue no sentence before thou hast hearde the cause but first let men tel out their tales 9 Stryue not for a matter that toucheth not thy selfe and stande not in the iudgement of sinners 10 My sonne meddle not with many matters and if thou gaine much thou shalt not be blamelesse if thou folow after it thou shalt not attayne it and though thou runnest thy way afore yet shalt thou not escape 11 There is some man that laboureth and taketh payne and the more he weerieth him selfe the lesse he hath 12 Againe some man is slouthfull hath neede of helpe wanteth strength and hath great pouertie 13 And gods eye loketh vpon him to good setteth him vp from his lowe state and lifteth vp his head so that many men maruel at hym and geue honour vnto God 14 Prosperitie and aduersitie lyfe and death pouertie and richesse come all of the Lorde 15 Wysedome nurture and knowledge of the lawe are with God loue and the wayes of good are with him 16 Errour and darkenesse are made for sinners and they that exalt them selues in euyll waxe olde in euyll 17 The gift of God remayneth for the righteous and his good will shall geue prosperitie for euer 18 Some man is riche by his care and â—gardship and that is the portion of his rewarde 19 In that he sayth Now haue I gotten rest and nowe will I eate and drinke of my goodes my selfe alone and yet he considereth not that the time draweth nye and death approcheth that he must leaue all these thinges vnto other men and dye him selfe 20 Stand thou fast in thy couenaunt and exercise thy selfe therin and remayne in the worke vnto thy age 21 Maruell not at the workes of sinners but put thy trust in God and byde in thy labour for it is but an easie thing in the sight of God to make a poore man riche and that sodenly 22 The blessing of God hasteth to the rewarde of the righteous and maketh his fruites soone to florishe and prosper 23 Say not what helpeth it me and what good thing shall I haue hereafter 24 Againe say not I haue enough how can I want 25 When thou art in welfare forget not aduersitie and when it goeth not well with thee haue a good hope that it shal be better 26 For it is but a small thing vnto God in the day of death to rewarde euery man according to his wayes 27 The aduersitie of an houre maketh one to forget al pleasure when a man dieth his workes are discouered 28 Iudge no man blessed before his death for a man shal be knowen in his children 29 Bring not euery man into thyne house for the disceytfull layeth wayte diuersly are like stomackes that belche filthyly 30 Like as a partrych in a maunde so is the heart of the proude and like as a spie that loketh vpon the fall of his neyghbour 31 For he turneth good vnto euyll and slaundreth the chosen 32 Of one sparke is made a great fire and of one disceytfull man is blood increased and an vngodly man layeth wayte for blood 33 Beware of the disceytfull for he imagineth wicked thinges to bring thee into a perpetuall shame 34 If thou takest an aliaunt vnto thee he shall destroy thee in vnquietnesse and dryue thee from thyne owne wayes The .xii. Chapter 1 Vnto whom we ought to do good 10 Enemies ought not to be trusted 1 WHen thou wilt do good knowe to whom thou doest it and so shalt thou be greatly thanked for thy benefites 2 Do good vnto the righteous and thou shalt finde great reward though not of him yet no doubt the Lorde him selfe shall rewarde thee 3 He standeth not in a good case that is alway occupied in euil geueth no almes for the hyghest hateth the sinners and hath mercie vpon them that shewe the workes of repentaunce 4 Geue thou vnto such as feare God and receaue not a sinner 5 As for the vngodly and sinners he shall recompence vengeaunce vnto them and kepe them to the day of wrath 6 Geue thou vnto the good and receaue not the sinner do well vnto hym that is lowly but geue not to the vngodly Let not the bread be geuen him that he be not mightier then thy selfe therin for so shalt thou receaue twyse as much euyll in all
that good that thou doest vnto him 7 And why the highest hateth sinners and shall reward vengeaunce to the vngodly 8 In prosperitie a friende shal be knowen in aduersitie an enemie shal not be hid 9 For when a man is in wealth it greeueth his enemies but in heauinesse and trouble a mans very friend will depart from him 10 Trust neuer thyne enemie for like as an yron rusteth so doth his wickednesse 11 And though he make much crouching and kneeling yet kepe well thy mind beware of him and thou shalt be to him as he that wypeth a glasse thou shalt knowe that al his rust hath not ben wel wyped away 12 Set him not by thee neither let him sit at thy right hand lest he turne him get into thy place take thy roome and seke thy seate and so thou at the last remember my wordes and be pricked at my sayinges 13 Binde not two sinnes together for there shall not one be vnpunished 14 Who wil haue pitie of the charmer that is stinged of the serpent or of all such as come nye the beastes 15 Euen so is it with him that kepeth companie with a wicked man and lappeth him selfe in his sinnes 16 For a season wil he bide with thee but if thou stumble he tarieth not 17 An enemie is sweet in his lippes he can make many wordes and speake many good thinges Yea he can wepe with his eyes but in his heart he imagineth howe to throwe thee into the pit and if he may fynde oportunitie he will not be satisfied with blood 18 If aduersitie come vpon thee thou shalt find him there first and though he pretende to do thee helpe yet shal he vndermine thee 19 He shall shake his head and clap his handes ouer thee for very gladnesse â–ª and whyle he maketh many wordes he shall disguyse his countenaunce The .xiii. Chapter 1 The companies of the proude and of the riche are to be eschewed 15 The loue of God 17 Like do companie with their like 1 WHo so toucheth pytch shal be defiled withall and he that is familier with the proude shall cloth him selfe with pryde 2 He taketh a burthen vpon him that accompanieth a more honorable man then him selfe therfore kepe no familiaritie with one that is richer then thy selfe Howe agree the kettel and the pot together for if the one be smitten against the other it shal be broken 3 The riche dealeth vnrighteously and threatneth withal but the poore beyng oppressed and wrongfully dealt withall suffereth scarcenesse and geueth fayre wordes If the riche haue done wrong yet must he be entreated but if the poore haue done it he shall straight wayes be threatned 4 If thou be for his profite he vseth thee but if thou haue nothing he shal forsake thee 5 As long as thou hast any thing of thyne owne he shal be a good felow with thee yea he shall make thee a bare man and not be sory for thee 6 If he haue neede of thee he shall defraude thee and with a priuie mocke shall he put thee in an hope geue thee all good wordes and say What wantest thou 7 Thus shal he shame thee in his meate vntill he haue supt thee cleane vp twyse or thryse at the last shall he laugh thee to scorne Afterwarde when he seeth that thou hast nothing he shall forsake thee and shake his head at thee 8 Submit thy selfe vnto God and wayte vpon his hande 9 Beware that thou be not disceaued and brought downe in thy simplenesse Be not to humble in thy wysedome lest when thou art brought lowe thou be disceaued through foolishnesse 10 If thou be called of a mightie man absent thy selfe so shall he call thee to him the more oft 11 Preasse not thou vnto him that thou be not shut out but go not thou farre of lest he forget thee 12 Withdraw not thy selfe from his speach but beleue not his many wordes For with much communication shall he tempt thee and with a priuie mocke shal he question with thee of thy secretes 13 The vnmercifull mynde of his shall marke thy wordes he shall not spare to do thee hurt and to put thee in prison 14 Beware and take good heede to thy selfe for thou walkest in peryll of thy ouerthrowing Now when thou hearest his wordes make thee as though thou wast in a dreame and wake vp 15 Loue God all thy lyfe long and call vpon him in thy neede 16 Euery beast loueth his like euen so let euery man loue his neyghbour 17 All fleshe will resort to their like and euery man wil kepe companie with such as he is him selfe 18 But as the woolfe agreeth with the lambe so doth the vngodly with the righteous 19 What peace is there betweene Hyena and a dogge Howe can the riche and the poore agree together 20 The wilde asse is the lions pray in the wildernesse euen so are poore men the meate of the riche 21 Like as the proude may not away with lowlinesse euen so doth the riche abhorre the poore 22 If a riche man fal his friendes set him vp againe but when the poore falleth his acquayntaunce forsake him 23 If a riche man fall into an errour he hath many helpers he speaketh proude wordes and yet men iustifie him but if a poore man go wrong he is punished yea though he speake wysely yet can it haue no place 24 When the riche man speaketh euery body holdeth his tongue and loke what he sayth they prayse it vnto the cloudes But if the poore man speake they say What felow in this and if he do amisse they shall destroy hym 25 Riches are good vnto hym that hath no sinne in his conscience and pouertie is a wicked thing in the mouth of the vngodly 26 The heart of man chaungeth his countenaunce whether it be in good or euyll 27 A chearfull countenaunce is a token of a good heart for els it is an harde thing to knowe the thought The .xiiii. Chapter 1 The offence of the tongue 17 Man is but a vayne thing 21 Happy is he that continueth in wysdome 1 BLessed is the man that hath not fallen with the worde of his mouth is not pricked with the conscience of sinne 2 Happy is he that hath no heauinesse in his minde and is not fallen from his hope in the Lorde 3 It becommeth not a couetous man and a nygarde to be riche and what should an enuious man do with money 4 He that with all his carefulnesse heapeth together vnrighteously gathereth for other folkes and another man shall make good cheare with his goodes 5 He that is wicked vnto him selfe howe should he be good vnto other men how can such one haue any pleasure of his goodes 6 There is nothing worse then when one disfauoureth him selfe and this is a rewarde of his wickednesse 7 If he do any good he doth it not knowing therof and against his will and
heareth the prayer of the oppressed 14 He despiseth not the desire of the fatherlesse nor the wydowe when she powreth out her prayer before him 15 Doth not God see the teares that runne downe the cheekes of the wydowe or heareth he not the complaint ouer such as make her to weepe For from her cheekes do the teares go vp vnto heauen and the Lord which heareth them doth accept them 16 Who so serueth God after his pleasure shal be accepted and his prayer reacheth vnto the cloudes 17 The prayer of him that humbleth him selfe goeth through the cloudes tell she come nye she wyll not be comforted nor go her way tyll the highest God haue respect vnto her geue true sentēce and perfourme the iudgement 18 And the Lorde wyll not be slacke in comming nor tary long tyll he haue smitten in sunder the backes of the vnmercifull and auenged him selfe of the heathen tyll he haue taken away the multitude of the cruell and broken the scepter of the vnrighteous tyll he geue euery man after his workes and rewarde them after their doinges tyll he haue delyuered his people maintayned their cause and reioyced them in his mercie 19 O how faire a thing is mercie in the time of anguishe and trouble it is lyke a cloude of rayne that commeth in the time of drouth ¶ The .xxxvi. Chapter 1 A prayer to God in the person of all faithfull men 22 The prayse of a good woman 1 HAue mercie vpon vs O Lorde thou God of all thinges haue respect vnto vs shewe vs the light of thy mercies 2 And sende thy feare among the heathen and straungers which seeke not after thee that they may knowe that there is no God but thou and that they may shew thy wonderous workes 3 Lyft vp thyne hande ouer the outlandishe heathen that they may learne to knowe thy might and power 4 Lyke as thou art halowed in vs before them so bring to passe that thou mayst be magnified also in them before vs. 5 That they may know thee lyke as we know thee for there is none other God but onely thou O Lorde 6 Renue the tokens and chaunge the wonderous workes shew thyne hand and thy right arme gloriouslie 7 Rayse vp thyne indignation and poure out thy wrath take away the aduersarie and smite the enemie 8 Make the time shorte remember thy couenaunt that thy wōderous workes may be praysed 9 Let the wrath of the fyre consume them that lyue so carelesse and let them perishe that do thy people hurt 10 Smyte in sunder the head of the princes that be our enemies and say there is none other but we 11 Gather all the tribes of Iacob together againe that they may knowe how that there is none other God but onely thou that they may shewe thy wonderous workes and be thou thy peoples heritage lyke as from the beginning 12 O Lorde haue mercie vpon the people that hath thy name and vpon Israel whom thou hast lykened to a first borne sonne 13 O be mercifull vnto Hierusalem the citie of thy sanctuarie the citie of thy rest 14 Fill Sion with thyne vnspeakable vertues and thy people with thy glorie 15 Geue witnesse vnto thy creature whō thou madest from the beginning and rayse vp the prophesies that haue ben shewed in thy name 16 Rewarde them that wayte for thee that thy prophetes may be founde faithfull 17 O Lorde heare the prayer of thy seruauntes according to the blessing of Aaron ouer thy people and guide thou vs in the way of righteousnes that al they which dwell vpon the earth may know that thou art the Lorde the eternall God which is from euerlasting 18 The belly deuoureth all meates yet is one meate better then another 19 Lyke as the tongue tasteth venison so doth an heart of vnderstandyng marke false wordes 20 A froward heart geueth heauines but a man of experience lyfteth him vp againe 21 The woman receaueth euery man yet is one daughter better then another 22 A faire wyfe reioyceth her husband and a man loueth nothing better 23 If there be in her tongue gentlenes meekenes and holsome talke then is not her husband lyke other men 24 He that hath gotten a vertuous woman hath a goodlie possession she is vnto him a helpe and piller wherevpon he resteth 25 Where no hedge is there the goodes are spoyled and where no huswyfe is there the frendles mourneth 26 Lyke as there is no credence geuen to a robber that goeth from one citie to another so is not the man beleued that hath no nest and must turne in where he may abide in the night The .xxxvii. Chapter 1 Howe a man should knowe friendes and counsellers 12 and searche the company of an holy man 1 EVery friende sayth I wyll be friendly vnto him also but there is some friend which is onely a frende in name 2 Remaineth not there heauines vnto death when a companion and friend is turned to an enemie 3 O most wicked presumption from whence art thou sprong vp to couer the earth with falshood and disceite 4 There is some companion which in prosperitie reioyceth with his friend but in the time of trouble he taketh part against him 5 There is some companion that mourneth with his friend for the bellies sake but when trouble commeth he taketh holde of the shielde 6 Forget not thy friend in thy minde thinke vpon him in thy riches 7 Seeke no counsell at thy kinsmen and hide thy counsel from such as beare thee no good wyll 8 Euery counseller prayseth his counsell neuerthelesse there is some that counselleth but for his owne profite 9 Beware of the counseller and be aduised afore whereto thou wylt vse him for he wyll counsaile for him selfe fest he cast the lot vpon thee 10 And say vnto thee Thy way and purpose is good and afterwarde he stande against thee and loke what shal become of thee 11 Aske no counsaile at him that suspecteth thee for an enemie hide thy counsaile from such as hate thee aske no counsell for religion of him that is without religion nor for iustice of him that hath no iustice aske no counsel at a woman touching her of whō she is ielous nor at a fearefull and faint harted body in matters of warre or at a marchaunt how deare he wyl cheape thy wares toward his or at a byer of selling or at an enuious man of thankesgeuing or at the vnmerciful of louing kindnesse or at an vnhonest man of honestie or at the slothfull of working or at an hyreling which hath no house of profit or wealth or at an idle body of much labour take no such folkes to counsell 12 But be diligent to seeke counsaile at a vertuous man that feareth God such a one as thou knowest to be a keper of the commaundementes which hath a minde after thyne owne minde and is sory for thee when thou stumblest 13 And holde thy
for euer The .xlvi. Chapter The prayse of Iosue 9 Caleb 13 Samuel 1 MAnly strong in battel was Iesus the sonne of Naue and was the successour of Moyses in prophesies was geuen to be captaine of the people which according vnto his name was a great sauiour vnto the elect of God to punishe the enemies that rose vp against Israel that Israel might optayne their inheritaunce 2 O how great noble and excellent was he when he lift vp his hande and drewe out his sworde against the cities 3 Who stoode so manly before him for the Lord him selfe brought in the enemies 4 Stoode not the sunne still at his commaundement and one day was as long as two 5 He called vpon the hyghest and most mightie when the enemies preassed vpon him on euery side and the mightie Lord heard him with the hayle stones 6 They smote the Heathenishe people mightyly and in falling downe they slue all the aduersaries so that the heathen knew his hoast and all his defence that the Lord him selfe fought against them for he folowed vpon the mightie men of them 7 In the time of Moyses also he and Caleb the sonne of Iephune dyed a good worke whiche stoode against the enemies with held the people from sinne and stilled the wicked murmuring 8 And of sixe hundreth thousande people of foote they two were preserued to bring them into the heritage namely a lande that floweth with mylke hony 9 The Lord gaue strength also vnto Caleb which remayned with him vnto his age so that he went vp into the hie places of the land and his seede conquered the same for an heritage 10 That al the children of Israel might see howe good a thing it is to be obedient vnto the Lorde 11 And the iudges or rulers euery one after his name whose heart went no◠a whoring nor departed from the Lorde and that forsooke not the Lord vnfaithfully whose remembraunce hath a good report 12 Yea their bones florishe out of their place and their names shall neuer be chaunged but honour remayneth still with the children of those holy men 13 Samuel the prophete beloued of the Lorde his God ordayned a king and annoynted the princes ouer the people 14 In the lawe of the Lord ruled he and iudged the congregation and the Lorde had respect vnto Iacob 15 The prophete was founde diligent in his faithfulnes yea he is knowen faithful in his workes because he sawe the God of light 16 〈◊〉 called vpon the Lorde almightie when the enemies preassed vpon him on euery side what time as he offered the sucking lambe 17 And the Lorde thundered from heauen made his voyce to be heard with a great noyse 18 He discomfited the princes of Tyre and all the rulers of the Philistines 19 Before his last ende he made protestation in the sight of the Lorde and his annoynted that he toke neither substaunce nor good of any man no not so much as a shoe and no man might accuse him 20 After this he tolde that his ende was at hand and shewed the king also his ende and death and from the earth lyft he vp his voyce in the prophecie that the vngodlie people should perishe The .xlvii. Chapter 1 The prayse of Nathan 2 Dauid 12 and Solomon 1 AFterward in the time of king Dauid there rose vp a prophet called Nathan 2 For lyke as the fat is taken away from the offering so was Dauid chosen out of the children of Israel 3 He played with the lions as with kiddes and with beares lyke as with lambes of sheepe 4 Slewe he not a giaunt when he was yet but young toke away the rebuke frō his people what time as he toke the stone in his hande and smote downe proude Goliath with the sling 5 For he called vpon the highest Lorde which gaue him strength in his right hande so that he ouerthrewe the mightie giaunt in the battaile that he might set vp the horne of his people againe 6 So he glorified him in ten thousand and made him to haue a good report in the prayse of the Lorde that he should weare a crowne of glorie 7 For he destroyed the enemies on euery side rooted out the Philistines his aduersaries and brake their horne in sunder lyke as it is broken yet this day 8 In all his workes he praysed the hyest and holiest and ascribed the honour vnto him with his whole heart did he prayse the Lorde and loued God that made him 9 He set singers also before the aulter in their tune he made sweete songes that they might geue prayses euery day to God with songes 10 He ordayned to kepe the holy dayes worshipfully that the solempe feastes through the whole yere should be honorably holden with praysing the name of the Lorde and with singing betimes in the morning in the sanctuary 11 The Lorde toke away his sinnes and exalted his horne for euer he gaue him the couenaunt of the kingdome and the throne of worship in Israel 12 After him there rose vp the wyse sonne called Solomon Who by him dwelt in a large possession and for his sake he droue the enemies away far of 13 This Solomon raigned with peace in his time and he obtayned glory For God gaue him rest from his enemies on euery side that he might builde him an house in his name and prepare the sanctuarie for euer 14 How wyse wast thou in thy youth and filled with wysdome and vnderstanding as it were with a water flood 15 Thou coueredst and filledst the whole lande with similitudes wyse prudent sentences 16 Thy name went abrode in the Iles because of thy peace thou wast beloued 17 All landes maruailed at thy songes prouerbes similitudes and at thy interpretations 18 And in the name of the Lorde God which is called the God of Israel thou gatheredst golde as tinne thou hadst as much siluer as leade 19 Thou wast moued in inordinate loue toward women and wast ouercome in affection 20 Thou staynedst thy honour worship yea thy posteritie defiledst thou also in bringing the wrath of the Lorde vpon thy children and hast felt sorowe for thy folly 21 So that thy kingdome was deuided and Ephraim became an vnfaithfull and a rebellious kingdome 22 Neuerthelesse God forsooke not his mercie neither was he vtterly destroyed because of his workes that he should leaue him no posteritie as for the seede that came vpon him which he loued he brought it not vtterly to naught but gaue yet a remmaunt vnto Iacob and a roote vnto Dauid out of him 23 Thus rested Solomon with his fathers and out of his seede he left behinde him a verie foolishnes of the people and such one as had no vnderstanding euen Roboam which turned away the people through his counsell and Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat which caused Israel to sinne and shewed Ephraim the way
ben seene at Theman 23 The Agarenes sought after wisdome but that whiche is earthly like as the marchauntes of the lande do they of Theman are cunning also they labour for wysdome vnderstanding but the way of true wysedome they knowe not neither do they thinke vpon the pathes therof 24 O Israel howe great is the house of God and howe large is the place of his possession 25 Great is he and hath none ende yea hye and vnmeasurable 26 What is become of those famous giauntes that were so great of bodies and so worthy men of warre 27 Those hath not the Lorde chosen neither haue they founde the way of reformation 28 Therfore were they destroyed and for so much as they had no wysdome they perished because of their foolishenesse 29 Who hath gone vp into heauen to take wisdome there and brought her downe from the cloudes 30 Who hath gone ouer the sea to fynde her and hath chosen her aboue golde and so brought her hyther 31 No man knoweth the wayes of wysedome neither is there any that can seke out her pathes 32 But he hath woteth all thinges knoweth her and hath founde her out with his foreknowledge this same is he whiche prepared the earth at the beginning and filled it with all maner of foules and beastes 33 When he sendeth out the light it goeth and when he calleth it againe it obeyeth him with feare 34 The starres kepe their watch and geue their light yea and that gladly When he calleth them they say Here we be and so with chearfulnesse they shewe light vnto him that made them 35 This is our God and there shal none other be compared vnto him 36 It is he that hath founde out all wysedome and hath geuen her vnto Iacob his seruaunt and to Israel his beloued 37 Afterwarde did he shewe hym selfe vpon earth and dwelt among men The .iiii. Chapter 1 The reward of them that kepe the lawe and the punishment of them that despise it 12 A comforting of the people beyng in captiuitie 19 A complaynt of Hierusalem and vnder the figure therof of the church 25 A consolation and comforting of the same 1 THis is the booke of the commaundementes of God and the law that endureth for euer all they that kepe it shall come to lyfe but such as forsake it shall come to death 2 Turne thee O Iacob and take holde of it walke by this way thorowe his brightnesse and shyne 3 Geue not thyne honour to another and thy worship to a straunge people 4 O Israel howe happy are we seyng that God hath shewed vs such thinges as are pleasaunt vnto hym 5 Be of good cheare thou people of God O thou auncient Israel 6 Now are ye solde among the heathen howbeit not for your vtter destruction but because ye prouoked God the Lorde to wrath and displeasure therfore were ye deliuered vnto your enemies 7 For ye displeased the euerlasting God that made you offering vnto deuils and not to God 8 Ye haue forgotten hym that brought you vp and ye haue greeued Hierusalem that nursed you 9 When she sawe that the wrath of God was comming vpon you she said Hearken O ye that dwell about Sion for God hath brought me into great heauinesse 10 And why I see the captiuitie of my people of my sonnes and daughters which the euerlasting God will bring vpon them 11 With ioy dyd I norishe them but nowe must I leaue them with weeping and sorowe 12 Let no man reioyce ouer me wyddowe and forsaken which for the sinnes of my children am defolate of euery man For why they departed from the lawe of God 13 They woulde not know his righteousnesse nor walke in the way of his commaundementes and as for the pathes of trueth and godlinesse they had no lust to go in them 14 O ye dwellers about Sion come and let vs call to remembraunce the captiuitie that the euerlasting God hath brought vpon my sonnes my daughters 15 He hath brought a people vpon them from farre an vncurteous people and of a straunge language whiche neither regarde the olde nor pitie the young 16 These haue caried away the deare beloued of my widdowes leauing me alone both desolate and childlesse 17 But alas what can I helpe you 18 Nowe he that brought these plagues vpon you deliuer you also from the handes of your enemies 19 Go your way O my children go your way for I am desolate and forsaken 20 I haue put of the clothing of peace put vpon me the sacke cloth of prayer and for my time I will call vpon the most hyghest 21 Be of good cheare O my children crye vnto the Lorde and he shall deliuer you from the power of the princes your enemies 22 For veryly I haue euer a good hope of your prosperous health yea a very gladnesse is come vpon me from the holy one because of the mercie that ye shal haue of our euerlasting sauiour 23 With mourning and weeping dyd I let you go fro me but with ioy and perpetuall gladnesse shall the Lorde bring you againe vnto me 24 Like as the neyghbours of Sion saw your captiuitie from God euen so shall they also see shortly your health in God which shall come on you with great honour and euerlasting worship 25 O my children suffer patiently the wrath that shal come vpon you for the enemie hath persecuted thee but shortly thou shalt see his destruction and shalt treade vpon his necke 26 My dearlinges haue gone rough hard wayes for they are led away as a flocke that is scattered abrode with the enemies 27 But be of good comfort O my children and crye vnto the Lorde for he that led you away hath you yet in remembraunce 28 And like as ye haue ben mynded to swarue from your God so shall ye now endeuour your selues ten times more to turne againe and to seke him 29 For he that hath brought these plagues vpon you shall bring you euerlasting ioy againe with your health 30 Take a good heart vnto thee O Hierusalem for he whiche gaue thee that name exhorteth thee so to do 31 The wicked doers that now put thee to trouble shall perishe such as haue reioyced at thy fall shal be punished 32 The cities whom thy children serue and that haue caryed away thy sonnes shal be corrected 33 For like as they be nowe glad of thy decay and reioyce at thy fal so shal they mourne in their owne destruction 34 The ioy of their multitude shal be taken away and their cheare shal be turned to sorowe 35 For a fire shall fall vpon them from the euerlasting God long to endure it shal be inhabited of deuyls for a great season 36 O Hierusalem loke about thee toward the east and beholde the ioy that commeth vnto thee from God 37 For lo thy sonnes whom thou hast forsaken and that were scattered abrode come gathered
Gaddis 3 Simon called Thasi 4 Iudas otherwyse called Machabeus 5 Eleazer otherwyse called Abaron and Ionathā whose sirname was Apphus 6 These sawe the euill that was done among the people of Iuda and Hierusalem 7 And Mathathias sayd wo is me alas that euer I was borne to see this miserie of my people the piteous destruction of the holy citie and thus to sit so still it beyng deliuered into the handes of the enemies 8 Her sanctuarie is come into the power of straungers her temple is as it were a man that hath lost his good name 9 Her pretious ornamentes are caried away captiue her olde men are slayne in the streetes and her young men are fallen thorowe the sworde of the enemies 10 What people is it that hath not some possession in her kingdome or who hath not gotten some of her spoyles 11 * All her glorie is taken away she was a free woman and nowe she is become an handemayde 12 Behold our sanctuarie our beautie and honour is wasted away and defiled by the gentiles 13 What helpeth it vs then to liue 14 And Mathathias rent his clothes he and his sonnes and put sackecloth vpon them and mourned very sore 15 Then came the men thyther whiche were sent of king Antiochus to compell such as were fled into the citie of Modin for to do sacrifice to burne incense vnto idoles and to forsake the lawe of God 16 So many of the people of Israel consented and enclined vnto them but Mathathias and his sonnes remayned stedfast 17 Then spake the commissioners of king Antiochus and sayd vnto Mathathias Thou art a noble man of hye reputation and great in this citie hauing many fayre children and brethren 18 Come thou therfore first and fulfill the kinges commaundement like as all the heathen haue done yea and the men of Iuda and such as remayne at Hierusalem so shalt thou and thy children be in the kinges fauour and enriched with golde siluer and great rewardes 19 Mathathias aunswered spake with a loude voyce Though all nations obey the king Antiochus and fall away euery man from keping the law of their fathers though they consent to his commaundementes 20 Yet will I and my sonnes and my brethren not fall from the lawes of our fathers 21 God forbid we shoulde that were not good for vs that we shoulde forsake the lawe and ordinaunces of God and to agree vnto the commaundement of king Antiochus 22 Therfore we will do no such sacrifice neither breake the statutes of our lawe to go another way 23 And when he had spoken these wordes there came one of the Iewes whiche openly in the sight of all did sacrifice vnto the idoles vpon the aulter in the citie of Modin according to the kinges commaundement 24 When Mathathias sawe this it greeued hym at the heart so that his reynes shoke withall and his wrath kindled for very zeale of the law With that he start vp and killed the Iewe beside the aulter 25 Yea and slue the kinges commissioner that compelled hym to do sacrifice destroyed the aulter at the same time 26 Such a zeale had he vnto the lawe of God like as Phinehes dyd vnto Zambrithe sonne of Salomi 27 And Mathathias cryed with a loude voyce thorow the citie saying Who so is feruent in the law and will kepe the couenaunt let him folowe me 28 So he and his sonnes fled into the mountaynes and left all that euer they had in the citie 29 Many other godly men also which lyued iustly and vprightly departed into the wildernesse with their children their wiues and their cattell and remayned there for the tiranny increased sore vpon them 30 Now when the kinges seruauntes and the hoast whiche was at Hierusalem in the citie of Dauid hearde that certayne men had broken the kinges commaundement and were gone their way to the wildernesse into secrete places 31 Then many pursued after them and after they had ouertaken them they camped them selues and set the battel in aray against them in the Sabbath day 32 And sayd vnto them Will ye yet rebell Get you hence and do the commaundement of king Antiochus and ye shall lyue 33 They aunswered We will not go for thee neither will we do the kinges commaundemēt to defile the Sabbath day 34 Then began they to fight against them 35 But the other gaue them none other aunswere neither cast they one stone at them nor made fast their priuie places 36 But sayde We will dye all in our innocentie heauen earth shall testifie with vs that ye put vs to death wrongfully 37 Thus they fought against them vpon the Sabbath and slue both men cattayle their wyues and their children to the number of a thousande people 38 When Mathathias and his friendes heard this they mourned for them right sore 39 And sayde one to another If so be that we al do as our brethren haue done and fight not for our lyues and for our lawes against the heathen then shall they the sooner roote vs out of the earth 40 So they concluded among them selues at the same time saying 41 Whatsoeuer he be that commeth to make battayle with vs vpon the Sabbath day we will fight against him and not dye all as our brethren that were murthered in the wildernesse 42 Vpon this came the assemblie of the Assideans vnto them whiche were of the strongest men in Israel and all such as were feruent in the lawe 43 And al they that were fled for persecution came to helpe them and to stand by them 44 Insomuch that they gathered an hoast of men and slue the wicked doers in their gelousie and the vngodly men in their wrath but the rest fled vnto the heathen and escaped 45 Then Mathathias and his friendes went about and destroyed the aulters 46 And circumcised the children that had not yet receaued circumcision as many as they found within the coastes of Israel 47 And folowed mightily vpon the proud men and this acte prospered in their handes 48 Insomuch that they kept the lawe against the power of the gentiles and the kinges and gaue not ouer their domimon vnto wicked doers 49 After this when the time drewe on fast that Mathathias shoulde dye he sayde vnto his sonne Now is pryde and persecution increased nowe is the time of destruction wrathfull displeasure 50 Wherefore O my sonnes be ye feruent in the lawe and ieoparde your liues for the testament of the fathers 51 Call to remembraunce what actes our fathers dyd in their time so shall ye receaue great honour and an euerlasting name 52 Remember Abraham was not he founde faythful in temptation it was reckened vnto him for righteousnesse 53 Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the commaundement was made a Lorde of Egypt 54 Phinehes our father was so feruent for the honour of God that he obtayned the couenaunt of an euerlasting priesthood 55
an hoast which gaue them battaile slue many of them led away their wynes and children captiue spoyled them toke possession of their lande and destroyed their strong holdes and subdued them to be their bondmen vnto this day 11 Moreouer how that as for other kingdomes and Iles which sometime with stoode them they destroyed them and brought them vnder their dominion 12 But kept amitie with their owne frendes and those that were confederate with them and conquered kingdomes both farre and nye that whosoeuer heard of their renowme was afrayde of thē 13 For whom they woulde helpe to their kingdomes those raigned and whom it lyked not them to raigne they put them downe And howe they were come to great preheminence 14 Hauing no king among them neither any man clothed in purple to be magnified therethrough 15 But had ordained them selues a parliament wherin there fat three hundred and twentie senatours dayly vpon the counsell to dispatch euer the busines of the people and to kepe good order 16 And howe that euery yere they chose a Maire to haue the gouernaunce of al their lande to whom euery man was obedient and there was neither euill wyll nor discention among them 17 Then Iudas chose Eupolemus the sonne of Iohn the sonne of Iacob and Iason the sonne of Eleazar and sent them to Rome for to make frendship and a bonde of loue with them 18 That they might take from them the bondage of the Grekes for the Iewes saw that the Grekes would subdue the kingdome of Israel 19 So they went vnto Rome a very great iourney came vnto the parliament and saide 20 Iudas Machabeus with his brethren and the people of the Iewes hath sent vs vnto you to make a bond of frendship and peace with you and ye to note vs as your louers and friendes 21 And that matter pleased the Romanes right well 22 Wherefore it was written vp of the which the Romanes made a writing in tables of brasse and sent it to Hierusalem that they might haue by them a memoriall of the same peace and bonde of frendship after this maner 23 God saue the Romanes and the people of the Iewes both by sea by lande and kepe the sworde and enemie from them for euermore 24 If there come first any warre vpon the Romanes or any of their friendes throughout all their dominion 25 The people of the Iewes shall helpe them as the time requireth and that with all their heartes 26 Also they shall neither geue nor send vnto their enemies vitailes weapons money nor shippes but fulfil their couenauntes at the Romanes pleasure taking nothing of them therefore 27 Againe if the people of the Iewes happen first to haue warre the Romanes shal stand by them with a good wyl according as the time wyll suffer 28 Neither shall they geue vnto the Iewes enemies vitailes weapons money or shippes Thus are the Romanes content to do and shall fulfill their charge without any disceite 29 According to these articles the Romanes made y e bond with the Iewes 30 Now after these articles saide they if any of the parties wyll put to them or take any thing from them they shall do it with the consent of both and whatsoeuer they adde vnto them or take from them it shall stande fast 31 And as touching the euill that Demetrius hath done vnto the Iewes we haue writtē vnto him saying Wherfore layest thou thy heauie yoke vpon the Iewes our friendes and louers 32 If they make any complaint of thee againe vnto vs we shall defende them and fight with thee by sea and by lande according to iustice The .ix. Chapter 1 After the death of Nicanor Demetrius sendeth his armie against Iudas 18 Iudas is slaine 34 Ionathas ▪ is put in the steade of his brother 47 The strife betweene Ionathas and Bacchides 55 Alcimus is taken with the paulsie and dyeth Bacchides returneth againe vnto the king 68 He commeth vpon Ionathas by the counsell of certaine wicked persons and is ouercome 70 The truice of Ionathas with Bacchides 1 IIn the meane season whē Demetrius heard that* Nicanor and his hoast was slaine in the fielde he proceeded further to send Bacchides and Alcimus againe into Iurie the chiefe strength of his hoast with them 2 So they went foorth by the way that leadeth vnto Galgala and pitched their tentes before Masalothw hich is in Arbellis and wan the citie and slue much people 3 In the first moneth of the hundred fiftie and two yere they brought their hoast and layde their siege against Hierusalem 4 But raysing their campe they came to Berea with twentie thousand footemen and two thousand horsemen 5 Nowe Iudas had pitched his tent at Laisa with three thousand chosen men 6 And when they sawe the multitude of the other armie that it was so great they were sore afrayde and many conueyed them selues out of the hoast insomuch that there abode no mo of them but eyght hundred men 7 When Iudas sawe that his hoast failed him and that he must needes fight it brake his heart that he had no time to gather them together wherefore the man was in extreme trouble 8 Neuerthelesse he saide vnto them that remayned with him Vp let vs go against our enemies peraduenture we shall be able to fight with them 9 But they woulde haue stopped him saying We shall not be able therefore now let vs saue our lyues and turne againe to our brethren for shoulde we fight against them being so fewe 10 And Iudas saide God forbyd that we should flee from them wherefore if our time be come let vs dye manfully for our brethren and let vs not stayne our honour 11 Then the hoast remoued out of the tentes and stoode against them and the horsemē were deuided in two partes the sling casters and archers went before the hoast and all the mightie men were formost in the fielde 12 Bacchides him selfe was in the right wing of the battaile and the hoast drew nye in two partes and blewe the trumpettes 13 They of Iudas side blewe the trumpettes also and the earth shooke at the noyse of the hoastes and they strake a fielde from the morowe till night 14 And when Iudas sawe that Bacchides hoast was strongest of the right side he toke with him all the hardie men 15 And brake the right wing of their order folowed vpon them vnto mount Azot 16 Now when they which were the left wing sawe that the right side was discomfited they persecuted Iudas and them that were with him hard at the heeles 17 Then was there a sore battaile for many were slaine wounded on both the partes 18 Iudas also him selfe was killed and the remnaunt fled 19 So Ionathas and Simon toke Iudas their brother and buried him in his fathers sepuchre in the citie of Modin 20 And al the people of Israel made great lamentatiō for him and mourned long saying 21
And they commaunded to make this writing in tables of brasse and fasten it vnto the wall that compasseth the sanctuary in an open place 49 And to lay vp a copie of the same in the treasurie that Simon and his posteritie might haue it The .xv. Chapter 1 Antiochus maketh a couenaunt of frendship with Simon 11 and Tryphon is persecuted 15 The Romanes write letters vnto kinges and nations in the defence of the Iewes 27 Antiochus refusing the helpe that Simon sent him breaketh his couenaūt 1 MOreouer king Antiochus the sonne of Demetrius sent letters from the Iles of the sea vnto Simon the hie priest and prince of the Iewes and to all the people 2 Concerning these wordes Antiochus the king sendeth greeting vnto Simon the hie priest and to the people of the Iewes 3 Forsomuch as certaine wicked men haue gotten the kingdome of our progenitours I haue purposed to chalenge the realme againe and to restore it to the olde estate Wherefore I haue gathered a great hoast and made shippes of warre 4 That I may go through the countrey and be auenged of them which haue destroyed our lande and wasted many cities in my realme 5 And therefore nowe I make thee free also from all the tributes whereof all kinges my progenitours haue discharged thee from other customes wherefrom they haue releassed thee whatsoeuer they be 6 Yea I geue thee leaue to smite money of thyne owne within thy lande 7 As for Hierusalem I wyll that it be holy and free and all the weapons and houses of defence which thou hast builded and kepest in thyne handes shable thyne 8 Whereas any thing is or shal be owing vnto the king I forgeue it thee from this time foorth for euermore 9 And when we haue obtayned our kingdome we shall do thee thy people and the temple great worship so that your honour shal be knowen throughout the whole worlde 10 In the hundred threescore fourteenth yere went Antiochus into his fathers land and all the men of warre came together vnto him so that fewe were left with Tryphon 11 So the king Antiochus folowed vpon him but he fled vnto Dora which lyeth by the sea side 12 For he sawe that there was mischiefe comming vnto him and that his hoast had forsaken him 13 Then came Antiochus vnto Dora with an hundred and twentie thousand men of armes on foote and eyght thousand horsmen so he compassed the citie rounde about and the shippes came by the sea 14 Thus they vexed the citie by land and by water insomuch that they suffered no man to go in nor out 15 In the meane season came Numenius they that had ben with him from the citie of Rome hauing letters written vnto the kinges prouinces wherein were contayned these wordes 16 Lucius the consull of Rome sendeth greeting vnto Ptolomi the king 17 The Ambassadours of the Iewes our friendes being sent from Simon the hie priest and from the people of the Iewes came vnto vs for to renue the olde friendship and bonde of loue 18 Brought a shielde of golde weying a thousand pounde 19 Wherefore we thought it good to write vnto the kinges and prouinces to do them no harme nor to take part against them their cities nor countries neither to maintaine their enemies against them 20 And we were content to receaue of them the shielde 21 If there be any wicked persons therefore fled from their countrey vnto you deliuer them vnto Simon the hie priest that he may punishe them according to their owne lawe 22 The same wordes wrote the Romanes also vnto Demetrius the king to Attalus Araba Arsaces 23 And to all regions as Samsanes to them of Spartia Delo Mydo Sidon Caria Samos Pamphilia Lycia Alicarnassem and to the Rhodes to Faselidis Coo Sida Arado Cortyna Gnidum to Cypres and Cyren 24 And of euery letter they sent a copie to Simon the hie priest 25 So Antiochus the king brought his hoast vnto Dora the second time to take it where he made diuers ordinaunce of warre and kept Tryphon in that he should not go eyther in or out 26 Then sent Simon vnto Antiochus two thousand chosen men to helpe him with golde siluer other plenteous thinges 27 Neuerthelesse he woulde not receaue them but brake all the couenaūt which he made with Simon afore and withdrewe him selfe from him 28 He sent Athenobius also a frend of his vnto Simon for to reason with him saying Ye withholde fro me Ioppa and Gaza with the castle that is at Hierusalem which are cities of my realme 29 Whose borders ye haue destroyed and done great euill in the lande hauing the dominion in many other places of my kingdome 30 Wherfore deliuer now the cities which ye haue taken with the tributes of the places that ye haue rule vpon without the borders of Iurie 31 Or els geue me fiue hundred talentes of siluer yea for the harme that ye haue done in the cities for the tributes of the same other fiue hundred talentes yf no we shall come and fight against you 32 So Athenobius the kinges friend came to Hierusalem and when he sawe the great worship honour of Simon in golde siluer so great plentie of ornamentes he maruailed tolde Simon as the king commaunded him 33 Then aunswered Simon and saide vnto him As for vs we haue neither taken other mens landes nor withholden thē but onely our fathers heritage which our enemies had vnrighteously in possession a certaine time 34 This heritage of our farhers haue we chalenged in processe of time 35 And whereas thou complaynest concerning Ioppa Gaza they did great harme to our people and in our lande yet wyll we geue an hundred talentes for them Neuerthelesse Athenobius aunswered him not one worde 36 But turned againe wrothfully vnto the king tolde him al these words and the great dignitie of Simon with al that he had seene the king was very angry 37 And in the meane time fled Tryphon by ship vnto Orthosias 38 Then the king made Cendebeus captaine of the sea coast and gaue him an hoast of footemen and horsemen 39 Commaunding him to remoue the hoast toward Iurie to builde vp the citie of Cedron to make vp the portes and to warre against the people of the Iewes As for the king him selfe he folowed vpon Tryphon 40 So Cendebeus came vnto Iamnia and began to vexe the people to treade downe Iurie to take the people prisoners to slay them 41 And to builde vp Cedron where he set horsmen and other men of warre that they might come foorth and go through the streetes of Iurie lyke as the king had commaunded him The .xvj. Chapter 1 Cendebeus the captaine of Antiochus hoast is put to flight of the sonnes of Simon 11 Ptolomeus the sonne of Abobus killeth Simon and his two sonnes at a banket 23 Iohn killeth them that lye in wayte for his lyfe 1
disciples plucked the eares of corne and dyd eate and rubbed them in their handes 2 And certayne of the pharisees sayde vnto them Why do ye that which is not lawfull to do on y e Sabboth dayes 3 And Iesus aunswered them sayde Haue ye not read what Dauid dyd when he hym selfe was an hungred and they which were with hym 4 Howe he went into the house of God and dyd take and eate the shewe bread and gaue also to them that were with hym which was not lawfull to eate but for the priestes only 5 And he sayde vnto them The sonne of man is Lord also of y e Sabboth day 6 ☞ And it came to passe also in another Sabboth that he entred into the synagogue and taught And there was a man whose right hand was dried vp 7 And the scribes pharisees watched hym whether he woulde heale on the Sabboth day that they myght fynde howe to accuse hym 8 But he knewe their thoughtes and said to the man which had the withered hande Ryse vp and stande foorth in the myddes And he arose and stoode foorth 9 Then sayde Iesus vnto them I wyll aske you a question Whether is it lawfull on the Sabboth dayes to do good or to do euyll to saue ones lyfe or to destroy it 10 And he behelde them all in compasse sayde vnto the man Stretche foorth thy hande And he dyd so his hande was restored agayne as whole as the other 11 And they were fylled with madnesse and communed together among them selues what they myght do to Iesus ☜ 12 And it came to passe in those dayes y t he wēt out into a mountayne to pray continued all nyght in prayer to God 13 And assoone as it was day he called his disciples And of them he chose twelue whom he called Apostles 14 Simon whom he also named Peter and Andrewe his brother Iames and Iohn Philip and Barthelmewe 15 Matthewe and Thomas Iames the sonne of Alpheus Simon which is called Zelotes 16 And Iudas Iames brother and Iudas Iscariot which also was the traytour 17 ☞ And he came downe with them and stoode in the playne fielde and the company of his disciples and a great multitude of people out of all Iurie Hierusalem and frō the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon which came to heare hym and to be healed of their diseases 18 And they that were vexed with foule spirites and they were healed 19 And all the people preassed to touche hym for there went vertue out of hym and healed them all 20 And he lyft vp his eyes vpon his disciples and sayde Blessed be ye poore for yours is the kyngdome of God 21 Blessed are ye that hunger nowe for ye shal be satisfied Blessed are ye that weepe nowe for ye shall laugh 22 Blessed shall ye be when men hate you seperate you from their companie and raile on you put out your names as an euyll thyng for the sonne of mans sake 23 Reioyce ye in that day and be glad For beholde your rewarde is great in heauen ☜ For thus dyd their fathers vnto the prophetes 24 But wo vnto you that are riche for ye haue your consolation 25 Wo vnto you that are full for ye shall hunger Wo vnto you that nowe laugh for ye shall wayle and weepe 26 Wo vnto you when all men prayse you for so dyd their fathers to the false prophetes 27 But I say vnto you which heare Loue your enemies Do good to them which hate you 28 Blesse them that curse you And pray for thē which wrongfully trouble you 29 And vnto hym that smyteth thee on the one cheeke offer also the other And hym that taketh away thy cloke forbyd not to take thy coate also 30 Geue to euery man that asketh of thee And of hym that taketh away thy goodes aske them not agayne 31 And as ye woulde that men shoulde do to you do ye also to them lykewyse 32 For yf ye loue them which loue you what thanke haue ye For sinners also loue their louers 33 And yf ye do good for them which do good for you what thanke haue ye For sinners also do euen the same 34 And yf ye lende to them of whom ye hope to receaue what thanke haue ye For synners also lende to sinners to receaue such lyke agayne 35 But loue ye your enemies do good and lende lokyng for nothyng agayne and your rewarde shal be great and ye shal be the chyldren of the hyest for he is kynde vnto the vnkynde to the euyll 36 ☞ Be ye therfore mercifull as your father also is mercifull 37 Iudge not ye shall not be iudged Condemne not and ye shall not be condemned Forgeue ye shal be forgeuen 38 Geue and it shal be geuen vnto you good measure pressed downe shaken together and runnyng ouer shall men geue into your bosomes For with the same measure that ye meate withall shall other men meate to you agayne 39 And he put foorth a similitude vnto them Can the blynde leade the blynde Do they not both fall into the ditche 40 The disciple is not aboue his maister But whosoeuer wylbe a perfect disciple shal be as his maister is 41 And why seest thou a moate in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye 42 Either howe canst thou say to thy brother Brother let me pull out the moate that is in thyne eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye Thou hypocrite caste out the beame out of thyne owne eye first then shalt thou see perfectly to pul out the moate that is in thy brothers eye ☜ 43 For it is not a good tree that bryngeth foorth euyll fruite Neither is that an euyll tree that bryngeth foorth good fruite 44 For euery tree is knowen by his fruite for of thornes do not mē gather fygges nor of busshes gather they grapes 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is good And an euyll man out of the euyll treasure of his heart bryngeth foorth that which is euyll For of the aboundaunce of the heart his mouth speaketh 46 Why call ye me Lorde Lorde and do not as I byd you 47 Whosoeuer commeth to me heareth my sayinges and doth the same I wyll shewe you to whom he is lyke 48 He is lyke a man which built an house and digged deepe and layde the foundation on a rocke And when the waters arose the fludde beat vpon that house and coulde not moue it For it was grounded vpon a rocke 49 But he that heareth and doeth not is lyke a man that without foundation built an house vpon the earth agaynst which the fludde dyd beate and it fell immediatly And the fall of that house was great ¶ The .vij. Chapter
as were takeÌ„ in warre otherwyse the Israelites myght not marry out of their owne nation “ Or vse her as thy seruant (h) Vsed her as thy wyfe “ Or as long as the sonne of the hated doth lyue (i) His part shal be as great as two of the others (k) That is he was begotten in y e flowre of his fathers age Exod. xxi b. (l) The place of Justice (m) This declareth the greatnes of the offence For blasphemers and idolaters were put to no other death than this 〈…〉 (a) That is not to be wyllyng to helpe in time of neede (b) Charitie must be shewed to thy brother aswell farre absent as present Exod. 23. a. (c) This sheweth that order is to be kept in natural comelynes for distinction of persons (d) If crueltie may not be shewed to litle birdes muche lesse to man whom God created lyke vnto him selfe Leuit. xix d (e) Meanyng by this lawe that ther shuld stande to one trueth in singlenesse of heart (f) For that match is not a like in strength declaryng that curtesie humanitie charitie should be in man not to ouermatche his neighbour (g) To shew that playne dealyng ought to be vsed in all thynges (h) The father receaueth the recoÌ„pence because the shame of the fact shoulde haue lyghted vpon hym Leuit. xx b. Difyted (k) No sinne woorthy of death (l) The mayd is no more worthy of blame then he that is assaulted and murdered by an other is gyltie of that murder Exo. xxii c. Leu. xviii a. Leu. xxi c. Esai lvi a. (a) He shall neither marry nor beare office (b The childe borne in adulterie or of a common harlet This was to moue them to chaste lyfe last their licencousnesse might preiudice their posteritie 〈◊〉 xiiii a (c) Denied for victuals Nu. xxii b. Succour them or do theÌ„ any good Gen. xxv c (e) The Edomites or the Idumeans were those that came of 〈◊〉 f In taking the signe of circumcision and renouncing superstition and idolatrie (g) To geue thee victory against thyne enemies (h) He speaketh this of the Pamims whiche beyng cruelly vsed of their maisters sled to y e Iewes â–ª and were turned to the true religion (g God wyll not be serued with thynges vylely gotten Exo. xxii d Leuit xxv f (h) Because they were a harde hearted people therefore was this libertie geuen theÌ„ for a tyme. (i) We vowe vnto the lord when we vow agreable to his worde (k) If 〈◊〉 vow haue autoritie of gods worde Mat. xii a. (a) This was suffred only for preuenting a further mischiefe Math. x.v. (b) Thou shalt not defyle the lande by thy synne Deu. xxv b Exo. xxii d. (c) Vnder these he comprehendeth all instrumentes and tooles with y e whiche a man getteth his lyuyng Exo. xxi b. Num. xii a. (d) As though thou wouldest choose thy pledge but shalt accept that whiche he can conueniently spare (e) Though thy detter should be vnkynd yet god wyll recompence thee (f) Thou shalt not withholdâ— his wages froÌ„ hym Leui. xix c. 〈◊〉 xxx â— 4 〈◊〉 xvâ— b 〈◊〉 xviii c. God most â—reth for these people for that they were least regarded Leu. xix b. “ Or gatherest thyne oliues “ Or grapes of the wyne (a) Shall haue right done him in geuing sentence on his side (b) If the greatnes of the offence deserue not death ii Cor. xi c. i. Cor. ix a. i. Timo. v. c. Mar. xii b. Ruth iiii b. Or brother The Hebrue worde here signifieth not a natural brother but any such kinsman with it how they might marry by their lawe c This law was made to thintent inherâ—taunce shuld not passe from one tribe to another (d) That wil not beget a childe to beare his kinsmans name (e) This ordinaunce declareth that vnshamefastnesse in a woman is horrible and therfore worthy of sharpe punishment Leui. xix g. Mich. vi c. h That is vtterly destroy y e Amalekites which king Saule did partly perfourme about 450. yeres space Exod. xiii c. and 34. c. Prouer. iii. b (a) To be called vpon worshipped (b) Meaning Iacob who was seruaunt in Syria to Laban for twentie yeres space Gen. xlvi a. Exod. â— b. Exod iii. b. Exod iii. b. Exo. xiiii c. (c To acknowledge gods benefite in geuyng them the lande of Chanaan d Thou shalt protest with a pure conscieÌ„ce hauing regard to God more then to men (e) Though I stoode in neede so to do Exo. xix a. Baruc. ii c. (f) With a pure conscience voyde of hypocrisie g Thou hâ—d protested to take the lorde to thy God refusyng all false gods 〈◊〉 xix â— k Peculiâ—r or chosen Iere xiii b. Deut. vii a. a In Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—i a. (b) God willed his lawe to be grauen in stone at the entrie of the land of promise that all men might see it and vnderstand that the same land was consecrate to him 〈◊〉 viii f. Exod. xx d. 〈◊〉 viii f. Exod. xx d. c Thou shalt geue God thankes for bringing thee into the lande of promise Deut. xi d. (d) These blessinges serued to shewe that they ought to serue God willinglye (e) Declaring that thei shuld haue cause to feare God for his vengeaunce if they woulde not obay hym for his loue Exod. xx a. Exo. xxi b. Deu. xix d. Leui. xix c. Deu. xxiiii c (f) Vnder these he contayneth all those that are subiect to iniurie and violence Leu. xviii a. Leu xviii c. Leui. xviii b Leui. xviii b Exo. xxi b. (g) This declareth that although an offence be vnknowen to man yet God wyll reuenge it Leui. xxvâ—â— Deut. xi d. That is they shal be filled with the plentifulnesse of thy fruites (b) All that thou doest shall proue well Deut xx a. (c) For he wyll declare that he is thy God â–ª and that thou art his chosen people d For no thyng vpon earth can proâ—per vnlesse God by his heauenly â—sing nâ—reaâ— and conserue it Deut xi b. Deut. xv a. Deut xi b. Deut. xv a. Deut. iiii a. and .xvii. b. Leui. xxvi b Baruc. i. c. Daniel ix c. Leui. xxv b 〈…〉 〈◊〉 x b. (e) Thou shalt not be able to vnderstande thinges that be plaine for want of discretion ii Reg. xii c Deu. xxv b (f Wishing that they may come from their bondage (g) â—ods wâ—th hath ben 〈◊〉 as for example â—nasses Ioachim and â—edecâ—ias “ Or be shakeÌ„ before they be ripe (h) Vnder this one sort he comprehendeth all kinde of vermine whiche are wont to consume y t fruites of the earth (i) Thou shalt be punished after suche a sort that thou shalt be constrayned to confesie that Gods hande is vpon thee (k) Shall handle thee merueylous rigorously and cruelly iiii Reg vi f (p) This came to passe in Samaria in the dayes of Eliseus the prophete iiii Reg. vi and in Hierusalem when it was besieged by the Emperour Titus fourtie two yeres after Christe (q) She shal
2 Thinkest thou Gabelus is dead and no man wyll geue him the money 3 Thus began he to be very sorowfull he and Anna his wyfe with him and began to weepe both together because their sonne was not come againe vnto them at the day appoynted 4 As for his mother she wept with discomfortable teares and saide Wo is me my sonne Oh what ayled vs to send thee away into a straūge countrey thou light of our eyes thou staffe of our age thou comfort of our life thou hope of our generation 5 Seing all the thinges that we haue are onely in thee we shoulde not haue sent thee away from vs. 6 Then Tobias comforted her ▪ and saide Holde thy peace be not discomforted our sonne is whole and sounde the man that we sent him withall is faithfull inough 7 Neuerthelesse she might in no wyse be comforted but dayly went out loked about and went about all the streates whereby she thought he should come againe that if it were possible she might see him comming a farre of 8 But Raguel saide vnto his sonne in lawe O tary here and I shall send a messenger vnto thy father Tobias to tell him that thou art in good health 9 Tobias saide vnto him I am sure that my father and my mother count euery day and that their heartes are sorye 10 So when Raguel had prayed Tobias with many wordes and he woulde in no wyse heare him he deliuered Sara vnto hym the halfe part of all his good in seruauntes and handmaydens in sheepe in camels and in kyne much money and so sent him away from him with health and ioy 11 And said The holy angel of the Lord be with you in your iourney and bring you foorth safe and sounde that ye may finde all thinges in good case with your elders that myne eyes may see your children afore I dye 12 So the elders embraced their daughter kissed her and let her go 13 Exhorting her to honour her father mother in law to loue her husband to rule well her housholde to keepe her house in good order and to shewe her selfe faultlesse ¶ The .xj. Chapter 1 The returne of Tobias to his father 11 How he was receaued 15 His father hath his sight restored and prayseth the Lorde 1 AS they nowe were going homeward againe vpon the eleuenth day they came to Charran which lyeth in the halfe way towarde Niniue 2 And the angell saide Brother Tobias thou knowest how thou hast left thy father 3 Therfore if it please thee we two wyl go before and let the housholde with thy wyfe the cattaile come faire and softly after vs. 4 And when Tobias was content that they should go before Raphael said vnto him Take of the gal of the fishe with thee for it shall be necessary So Tobias toke of the gall and they went their way 5 But Anna the mother of Tobias sate dayly by the way side vpon the toppe of an hill from whence she might see farre about her 6 And whyle she was wayting there for his comming she loked a farre of and anone she perceaued her sonne comming and ranne and tolde her husband saying beholde thy sonne commeth 7 And Raphael saide vnto Tobias Assoone as thou commest into the house immediatly worship the lorde thy God and geue thankes vnto him then go to thy father and kisse hym 8 And straight wayes strike his eyes ouer with the gall of the fishe that thou hast brought with thee For be sure that his eyes shall straight way be opened and thy father shall see the light of heauen and shal reioyce at the sight of thee 9 Then the dogge that had ben with them in their iourney ranne before and came as a messenger and wagged his tayle for gladnesse 10 So the blynde father arose and began to runne and stumbled with his feete and gaue a seruaunt his hand ranne to meete his sonne 11 Receaued him and kissed him he and his wyfe and they both began to weepe for ioy 12 Now when they had worshipped and thanked God they sat downe 13 Then tooke Tobias of the fishes gall and annoynted his fathers eyes 14 And taryed halfe an houre and then began the blemishe to go out of his eyes lyke as it had ben the white skinne of an egge 15 Which Tobias tooke and drew from his eyes and immediatly he receaued his sight 16 Then they praysed God he and his wyfe and all they that knew him 17 And Tobias saide O Lorde God of Israel I geue thee prayse thankes for thou hast chastened me made me whole And lo nowe do I see my sonne Tobias 18 After seuen dayes came Sara his sonnes wyfe also whole and sound with all the housholde and cattaile with camels much money of his wyues and with the money that he had receaued of Gabelus 19 And he tolde his father and his mother all the benefites which God had done for him by the man that led him 20 Achior also and Nabath Tobias sister sonnes came and were glad and reioyced with him by reason of all the good thinges that God had shewed vnto him And so for the space of seuen dayes they made mery and were right ioyfull euery one ¶ The .xii. Chapter 2 Tobias declareth to his father the pleasures that Raguel had done him 5 the which he would recompence 11 Raphael declareth that he is an angell sent of God 1 THen Tobias called his sonne vnto him sayd What may we geue this holy man that went with thee 2 Tobias aunswered his father and sayde Father what rewarde shall we geue him or what thing can deserue his benefites 3 He hath ben my guyde and brought me safe againe He receaued the money from Gabelus he caused me to get my wyfe he droue the euill spirite from her he hath ben an occasion of gladnesse to her father and mother he delyuered me that I was not deuoured of the fishe he hath made thee to see the light of heauen yea we all haue receaued great good of him 4 Howe shoulde we worthyly deserue these thinges vnto him But I pray thee my father that thou wilt desire him if happyly he wil vouchsafe to take with him the halfe of all that we haue brought 5 So the father the sonne called him toke him asyde and began to pray him that he woulde be content to take in good worth the halfe part of all that they had brought 6 Then saide he secretly vnto them Prayse ye the God of heauen and geue thankes vnto him before al men lyuing for he hath shewed his mercy vnto you 7 It is good to hide the kinges secrete but to shewe and to prayse the workes of God it is an honorable thing 8 Prayer is good with fasting and mercie is better then to hoorde vp treasures of golde 9 For mercie delyuereth from death clenseth sinne causeth to finde mercie and lyfe euerlasting 10 But they
that do sinne and vnrighteousnesse are the enemies of their owne soule 11 Wherefore I tell you the trueth and wyll hide no secret saying from you 12 When thou prayedst with teares and buriedst the dead and leftest thy dynner and hyddest the dead in thyne house vpon the day time that thou mightest bury them in the night I offred thy prayer before the Lorde 13 And because thou wast accept and beloued of God it was necessary that temptation should trye thee 14 And nowe hath the Lorde sent me to heale thee and to delyuer Sara thy sonnes wyfe from the euill spirite 15 For I am Raphael an angell one of the seuen that stande before the Lorde 16 When they heard this they were sore afrayde and trembled and fell downe vpon their faces vnto the grounde 17 Then saide the angell Peace be with you feare not 18 For where as I haue ben with you it is the wil of God geue prayse thankes vnto him 19 You thought that I did eate drinke with you but I vse meate that is inuisible and drinke that can not be seene of men 20 Now therfore is the time that I must turne againe vnto him that sent me but be ye thankefull vnto God and tell out all his wonderous workes 21 And when he had spokē those wordes he was taken away out of their sight so that they could see him no more 22 Then fell they downe flat vpon their faces by the space of three houres and praysed God and when they rose vp they tolde all his wonderous workes ¶ The .xiii. Chapter A thankes geuing of Tobias who exhorteth all to prayse the Lorde 1 THen olde Tobias opened his mouth praysed the Lorde sayde Great art thou O lord for euermore and thy kingdome world with out end 2 For thou scourgest and healest thou leadest vnto hell bringest out againe and there is none that may escape thyne hande 3 O geue thankes vnto the Lorde ye children of Israel and prayse him in the sight of the heathen 4 For among the heathen which knowe him not hath he scattered you to the intent that ye should shew forth his marueilous workes and cause them for to knowe that there is none other God almightie but he 5 He hath chastened vs for our misdeedes for his owne mercie sake shall he saue vs. 6 Consider then how he hath dealt with you and prayse him with feare dread and magnifie the euerlasting king in your workes 7 I wyll prayse him euen in the lande of my captiuitie for he hath shewed his maiestie vnto a sinfull people 8 Turne you therfore O ye sinners and do righteousnesse before God and be ye sure that he wyll shew his mercy vpon you 9 As for me and my soule we wyll reioyce in God 10 O prayse the Lorde all ye his chosen hold the dayes of gladnesse be thankefull vnto him 11 O Hierusalem thou citie of God the lorde hath punished thee for the workes of thyne owne handes 12 O prayse the Lord in thy good thinges geue thankes to the euerlasting God that he may build vp his tabernacle againe in thee that he may call againe vnto thee all such as be in captiuitie and that thou mayest haue ioy for euermore 13 With a faire light shalt thou shyne and all the endes of the worlde shall honour thee 14 The people shall come vnto thee from farre they shall bring giftes and worship the Lorde in thee and thy land shal they haue for a sanctuary for they shall call vpon the great name in thee 15 Cursed shall they be that despise thee and all that blaspheme thee shal be condempned But blessed shall they be that builde thee vp 16 As for thee thou shalt reioyce in thy children for they all shal be blessed and gathered together vnto the Lorde 17 Blessed are all they that loue thee and that be glad of thy peace 18 Prayse thou the Lorde O my soule for the Lorde our God hath deliuered his citie Hierusalem from all her troubles 19 I wyll count my selfe happy if my seede remayne to see the clearenes of Hierusalem 20 The gates of Hierusalem shal be builded with Saphir and Smaragde and all the compasse of her walles with precious stones 21 All her streates shal be paued with white and fayre stone and in all streates shall Halleluia be song 22 Praysed be the Lorde which hath exalted her that his kingdome may be vpon her for euermore Amen The .xiiii. Chapter 5 Lessons of Tobias to his sonne 6 He prophecieth the destruction of Niniue 7 And the restoring of Hierusalem and the temple 13 The death of Tobias and his wyfe 16 Tobias the younger his age and death 1 ANd so Tobias made an end of speaking And after that Tobias had gotten his sight againe he lyued fouretie two yeres sawe his childers children 2 Nowe when he was an hundred and two yeres olde he dyed and was buried honorably in Niniue 3 For when he was sixe and fiftie yeres of age he lost the sight of his eyes and when he was three score yeres olde he gate his sight againe 4 The residue of his lyfe led he in ioy and increased well in the feare of God and departed in peace 5 But in the houre of his death he called vnto him his sonne Tobias and seuen young springaldes his sonnes children and saide vnto them 6 The destruction of Niniue is at hand for the word of the Lord can not fayle and our brethren that are scattered out of the lande of Israel shall come thyther agayne 7 And the whole lande of it that hath ben waste shall be filled and the house of God that was brent in it shal be builded againe and all such as feare God shall returne thyther 8 The heathen then also shall forsake their idols and come to Hierusalem and dwell there 9 And all the kinges of the earth shal be glad in her and worship the Lord God of Israel 10 And therefore my children heare your father serue the Lorde in the trueth seeke after his wyll to do the thing that pleaseth him 11 Commaunde your children that they do right geue almes be mindefull of God and euer to be thankefull vnto him in trueth and with all their power 12 Heare me now therefore my children and abyde not here but in what day so euer ye haue buryed your mother by me in one sepulchre get you from hence 13 For I see that the wickednesse of it shall bring it to destruction and end 14 After the death of his mother Tobias departed away from Niniue with his wife and children and with his childers children and came againe to his father and mother in lawe 15 And founde them whole and in a good age and toke the care of them and he closed their eyes and was heyre vnto all Raguels goodes and sawe the fyft generation and his childers children 16 And ninetie and nine yeres beyng ended