Baal Choose you an oxe dresse him first for ye are many call on the name of your gods but put no fire vnder 26 And they toke the one oxe that he dyd geue them and they dressed it and called on the name of Baal from morning to noone saying O Baal heare vs. But there was no voyce nor one to aunswere And they lept vpon the aulter that they had made 27 And at noone Elias mocked them and sayde Crye lowde for he is a God peraduenture he is talking or occupied in folowing vpon his enemies or is in his iourney or happyly he slepeth and must be awaked with your crie 28 And they cried lowde and cut them selues as their maner was with kniues launcers till the blood folowed on thē 29 And it chaunced that when mid-day was passed they prophesied vntill the time of the euening sacrifice But there was neither voyce nor one to aunswere nor any that regarded them 30 And Elias said vnto all the folke Come to me And all the people came to him And he repaired the aulter of the Lord that was broken 31 And Elias toke twelue stones according to the number of the twelue tribes of the sonnes of Iacob vnto whom the word of the Lorde came saying Israel shal be thy name 32 And with the stones he made an aulter in the name of the Lorde And he made a ditch about the aulter as great as would conteyne two measures of seede 33 And he put the wood in order and hewed the oxe in peeces and layed him on the wood and said Fill foure barrels with water and powre it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood 34 And he sayde Do so againe And they dyd so the seconde time And he sayde againe Do it the thirde time And they dyd it the thirde time 35 And the water ran round about the aulter he filled the pitte with water also 36 And it fortuned that when they should offer the euening sacrifice Elias the prophete came and sayde Lorde God of Abraham Isahac and of Israel it shal be knowen this day that thou art the God in Israel that I am thy seruaunt and that I haue done all these thinges at thy commaundement 37 Heare me O Lord heare me that this people may knowe that thou art the Lorde God and that thou hast turned their heart againe nowe at the last 38 And the fire of the Lord fel and consumed the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the duste and licked vp the water that was in the pit 39 And when all the people sawe it they fell on their faces and sayde The Lord he is God the Lorde he is God 40 And Elias sayd vnto them Take the prophetes of Baal and let not one of them escape And they toke them and Elias brought them vnto the brooke Kison and slue them there 41 And Elias sayde vnto Ahab Get thee vp eate and drinke for there is a sounde of much rayne 42 And so Ahab went vp to eate and to drinke and Elias went vp to the top of Carmel and he layde him selfe flat vpō the earth and put his face betweene his knees 43 And sayde to his seruaunt Go vp I pray thee and loke towarde the way of the sea And he went vp and loked and sayde There is nothing And againe he sayde Go againe seuen times 44 And it fortuned that at the seuenth time he sayde Beholde there aryseth a litle cloude of the sea lyke a mans hand He sayde Go and say vnto Ahab Make fast thy charet and get thee downe that the rayne stoppe thee not 45 And it came to passe that in the meane whyle the heauen was blacke with cloudes and winde there was a great rayne And Ahab gat vp and came to Iezrahel 46 And the hande of the Lorde was on Elias and he girded vp his loynes and ranne before Ahab till he came to Iezrahel The .xix. Chapter 1 Elias fleing from Iezabel is nourished by the angel of God 15 He is commaunded to annoynt Hazael Iehu and Elisa 1 ANd Ahab tolde Iezabel all that Elias had done and how he had slayne al the prophetes with the sworde 2 Then Iezabel sent a messenger vnto Elias saying So and so let the gods do to me if I make not thy soule lyke one of theirs by to morowe this time 3 When he sawe that he arose and went for his life and came to Beerseba in Iuda and left his seruaunt there 4 But he him selfe went a dayes iourney into the wildernesse and came and sat downe vnder a Iuniper tree and desired for his soule that he might dye and sayde It is nowe enough O Lorde take my soule for I am not better then my fathers 5 And as he lay and slept vnder the Iuniper tree behold an angel touched him and sayde vnto him Vp and eate 6 And when he loked about him beholde there was a cake baken on the coales and a vessell of water at his head And he dyd eate and drinke and layde him downe againe to sleepe 7 And the angel of the Lord came againe the seconde time and touched him and sayde Vp and eate for thou hast yet a great iourney 8 And he arose and dyd eate and drinke walked in the strength of that meate fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes euen vnto Horeb the mount of God 9 When he came thyther vnto a caue he lodged therein al night And behold the word of the Lord came to him and sayd vnto him What doest thou here Elias 10 And he aunswered I haue ben ielous for the Lorde God of hoastes sake For the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenaunt broken downe thyne aulters and slayne thy prophetes with the sword and I onely am left and they seke my lyfe to take it away 11 And he sayd Come out and stand vpon y e mount before the Lorde And behold the Lorde went by a mightie strong winde that rent the mountaynes and brake the rockes before the Lorde but the Lord was not in the winde And after the winde came an earthquake but the Lorde was not in the earthquake 12 And after the earthquake came fire but the Lorde was not in the fire And after the fire came a small still voyce 13 And when Elias hearde he couered his face with his mantle and went out and stoode in the entring in of the caue And beholde there came a voyce vnto him said What doest thou here Elias 14 And he aunswered I haue ben ielous for the Lorde God of hoastes sake because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenaunt cast downe thyne aulters and slayne thy prophetes with the sworde and I onely am left they seke my lyfe to take it away 15 And the Lord sayde vnto him Go and turne thy way to the wildernesse vnto Damasco when thou commest there annoynt Hazael king ouer Syria 16 And
against the vayne traditions of men 1 WO vnto thee O Ariel Ariel thou citie that Dauid dwelt in Go on from yere to yere and let the lambes be slayne 2 I wyll lay siege vnto Ariel so that there shal be heauinesse and sorowe in it and it shal be vnto me euen an aulter of slaughter 3 A will besiege thee rounde about and fight against thee thorowe a bulwarke and wyll reare vp diches against thee 4 Thou shalt be brought downe and shalt speake out of the ground and thy speache shall go lowe out of the dust 5 Thy voyce also shall come out of the grounde lyke the voyce of a witche and thy talkyng shall whisper out of the dust 5 Moreouer the noyse of the straunge enemies shal be like thinne dust and the multitude of tirauntes shal be as drye strawe that can not tary euen sodenly and in haste shall their blast go 6 Thou shalt be visited of the Lorde of hoastes with thunder earthquake and with a great noyse with storme and tempest and with the flambe of a consuming fire 7 And the multitude of all nations that fight against Ariel shal be as a dreame seene by night euen so shall they be that make warre against it and strong holdes to ouercome it and that lay any siege vnto it 8 In conclusion it shal be euen as when a hungry man dreameth that he is eating and when he awaketh his soule is emptie or as when a thirstie man dreameth that he is drinking and when he awaketh he is yet fainte and his soule hath appetite euen so shall the multitude of all nations that fighteth against mount Sion 9 Ponder these thinges once in your mindes and wonder Blinded are they them selues and the blinde guides of other They are drunken but not with wine they are vnstable but not thorow strong drinke 10 For the Lorde hath couered you with a slumbring spirite and hath closed your eyes your prophetes also and rulers that shoulde see them hath he couered 11 And the vision of all the prophetes is become vnto you as the wordes of a booke that is sealed vp whiche men deliuer to one that is learned saying Reade thou in it and he saith I can not for it is sealed 12 And the booke is geuen to him that is not learned saying Reade thou in it and he saith I am not learned 13 Therfore thus hath the Lorde sayd Forsomuche as this people when they be in trouble do honour me with their mouth and with their lippes but their heart is farre fro me and the feare whiche they haue vnto me proceedeth of a commaundement that is taught of men 14 Therefore wyll I do marueyles among this people euen marueylous thinges I say and a wonder For the wysdome of their wyse men shall perishe and the vnderstanding of their wittie men shall hyde it selfe 15 Wo vnto them that kepe secrete their thoughtes to hide their counsell from the Lorde and to do their workes in darknesse saying Who seeth vs and who knoweth vs 16 Doubtlesse your destruction is in reputation as the potters clay And doth the worke say of hym that made it he made not me And doth an earthen vessell say of hym that fashioned it he had no vnderstanding 17 Is it not harde at hande that Libanus shal be turned into a low fielde and that the lowe fielde shal be taken as the wood 18 And in that day shall deafe men heare the wordes of the booke and the eyes of the blynde shall see euen out of the cloude and out of darknesse 19 The meeke spirited also shall be merie in the Lorde and the poore among them that be lowly shall reioyce in the holy one of Israel 20 For he that dyd violence is brought to naught and the scornefull man is consumed and they rooted out that made haste early to vnrighteousnesse 21 Making a man to sinne in the worde and that toke him in a snare whiche reproued them in the open place and they that haue turned the cause of the righteous to naught 22 Therefore thus saith the Lorde to the house of Iacob euen thus saith he that redeemed Abraham Iacob shall not nowe be confounded nor his face pale 23 But when he seeth his chyldren the worke of my handes in the middes of hym they shall sanctifie my name and prayse the holy one of Iacob and feare the God of Israel 24 They also that haue ben of an erronious spirite shall come to vnderstanding and they that haue ben scornefull shall learne doctrine The .xxx. Chapter 1 Against them that forsake the counsell of God and cleaue to the counsell of men 3 The prophete also threatneth the remnaunt of the people that after the destruction of Hierusalem went into Egypt 1 ALas for those disobedient chyldren saith the Lorde that they will take counsell and not of me that they wyll take a secrete aduice and not out of my spirite and therefore adde they sinne vnto sinne 2 Euen they that walke to go downe into Egypt and haue asked no question at my mouth but seeke strength in the might of Pharao and trust in the shadowe of Egypt 3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharao be your confusion and the trust in the shadowe of Egypt your shame 4 For his captaynes were at Zoan and his embassadours came vnto Hanes 5 They were ashamed of the people that coulde do them no good and that might not helpe them nor shewe them any profit but were their confusion and rebuke 6 The burthen of the beastes of the south In a land of trouble anguishe from whence shall come the young and olde lion the viper and firie serpent that fleeth against them that vpon coltes beare their riches and vpon camels their treasures to a people that can do them no good 7 For vayne and nothing worth shall the helpe of the Egyptians be Therefore haue I cryed vnto Hierusalem they shall haue strength inough if they wyll settle their mindes in quietnesse 8 Nowe therefore go thy way and write this before them in a table and note it in a booke that it may finally remaine and be kept styll for euer 9 For this is an obstinate people and dissembling chyldren chyldren that refuse to heare the lawe of the Lorde 10 For they say vnto the seers see not and to them that be cleare of iudgement loke not out right thinges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs loke out errours 11 Get you out of this way depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israel from vs. 12 Wherefore thus saith the holy one of Israel Because your heartes ryse against this word and because you trust in wrong dealing and peruerse iudgement and put your confidence therin 13 Therfore shall ye haue this mischiefe for your destruction and fall like as an hye wall that falleth because of some rift or blast whose breakyng commeth sodainly 14
the twentie and fourth day of the eleuenth moneth whiche is the moneth Sebah in the seconde yere of Darius came the word of the Lord vnto Zacharias the sonne of Barachias the sonne of Addo the prophete saying 8 I sawe by night and behold there sate one vpon a red horse and stoode still among the myrre trees that were in a botome and behinde hym were there red speckled and whyte horses 9 Then sayde I O my Lorde what are these And the angel that talked with me sayde vnto me I will shewe thee what these be 10 And the man that stoode among the myrre trees aunswered and said These are they whom the Lorde hath sent to go thorowe the world 11 And they aunswered the angel of the Lorde that stoode among the myrre trees and sayd We haue gone thorowe the world and beholde all the world sitteth still and is carelesse 12 Then the lordes angel gaue aunswere and saide O lorde of hoastes how long wylt thou be vnmerciful to Hierusalem and to the cities of Iuda with whom thou hast ben displeased now these three score and ten yeres 13 So the Lorde gaue a louing and a comfortable aunswere vnto the angel that talked with me 14 And the angel that communed with me saide vnto me Crye thou speake Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes I am exceeding ielous ouer Hierusalem and Sion 15 And sore displeased at the carelesse heathen for where as I was but a litle angry they helped forward the affliction 16 Therfore thus saith the Lorde I wyl returne vnto Hierusalem in tender mercie so that my house shal be builded in it saith the Lorde of hoastes yea and the lyne shal be stretched vpon Hierusalē 17 Crye also and speake thus saith the Lorde of hoastes My cities shal be in good prosperitie againe the Lorde shall yet comforte Sion choose Hierusalem 18 Then lyft I vp myne eyes and sawe and beholde foure hornes 19 And I saide vnto the angel that talked with me what be these He aunswered me These are the hornes which haue scattered Iuda Israel and Hierusalem 20 And the Lorde shewed me foure carpenters 21 Then saide I what wyll these do He aunswered said These are the hornes which haue scattered Iuda so that no man durst lyft vp his head but these are come to fray them away and to cast out the hornes of the Gentiles which lyft vp their horne ouer the lande of Iuda to scatter it abroade The .ij. Chapter The renewing of Hierusalem and Iuda 1 I Lyft vp myne eyes agayne and loked and beholde a man with a measure lyne in his hande 2 Then saide I whyther goest thou And he said vnto me To measure Hierusalem that I may see how long and how broade it is 3 And behold the angel that talked with me went his way foorth Then went there out another angel to meete him ▪ 4 And saide vnto him Runne speake to this young man and say Hierusalem shal be inhabited without any wall for the very multitude of people and cattaile that shal be therein 5 For I my selfe saith the Lorde wyl be vnto her a wall of fire rounde about wyl be the glory in the middest of her 6 O get you foorth O flee from the land of the north saith the Lorde for I haue scattred you into the foure windes of the heauen saith the Lorde 7 Saue thy selfe O Sion thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon 8 For thus saith the Lorde of hoastes After this glory hath he sent me out to the heathen which spoyled you for who so toucheth you shal touche the apple of his owne eye 9 Beholde I wyll lyft vp myne hande ouer them so that they shall be spoyled of those which afore serued them and ye shall knowe that the Lorde of hoastes hath sent me 10 Be glad and reioyce O daughter Sion for lo I am come to dwell in the middest of thee saith the Lorde 11 At the same time there shal many heathen cleaue to the lord shal be my people Thus wyll I dwell in the middest of thee and thou shalt knowe that the lorde of hoastes hath sent me vnto thee 12 The Lorde shall haue Iuda in possession for his part in the holy lande and shall choose Hierusalem yet againe 13 Let all fleshe be still before the Lorde for he is raysed vp out of his holy place ¶ The .iij. Chapter 1 Of the lw and hie estate of Christe vnder the figure of Iosua the priest 8 a prophecie of Christe 1 ANd he shewed me Iosua the hie priest standing before the angell of the Lord and Satan stoode at his right hande to resist him 2 And the Lorde saide vnto Satan The Lorde reproue thee thou Satan yea the Lorde that hath chosen Hierusalem reproue thee Is not this a brand taken out of the fire 3 Now Iosua was clothed in vncleane rayment and stoode before the angel 4 And he aunswered saide vnto those that stoode before him Take away the foule clothes frō him And vnto him he saide Beholde I haue taken away thy sinne from thee and I wyll clothe thee with chaunge of rayment 5 And I saide Let them set a fayre miter vpon his head So they set a fayre miter vpon his head put on clothes vpon him and the angell of the Lorde stoode there 6 Then the angell of the Lorde testified vnto Iosua and spake 7 Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes If thou wylt walke in my wayes keepe my watch thou shalt iudge my house kepe my courtes and I wyll geue thee place among these that stande here 8 Heare O Iosua thou hie priest thou thy felowes that sit before thee for they are monstruous persons behold I wyl bring foorth the braunche my seruaunt 9 For lo the stone that I haue layde before Iosua vpon one stone shal be seuen eyes beholde I wyll cut out the grauing therof saith the Lorde of hoastes and I wyll take away the sinne of the lande in one day 10 In that day shall euery man call his neighbour vnder the vine and vnder the figtree saith the Lorde of hoastes The .iiii. Chapter The vision of the golden candelsticke and the exposition thereof 1 ANd the angell that talked with me came againe and waked me as a man that is raysed out of his sleepe 2 And saide vnto me what seest thou And I saide I haue loked and beholde a candelsticke all of golde with a boule vpon it and his seuen lampes therein vpon euery lampe seuen pypes 3 And two olyue trees thereby one vpon the right side of the boule the other vpon the left side 4 So I aunswered and spake to the angell that talked with me saying O my Lorde what are these 5 The angell that talked with me aunswered and saide vnto me Knowest thou not what these be And I said No my Lorde 6 He aunswered and
is my strength in him will I trust he is my shielde and the horne of my saluation my hie towre and my refuge my sauiour thou hast saued me from wrong 4 I will call on the Lorde which is prayse worthy and so shall I be saued from myne enemies 5 For the panges of death closed me about the fludes of Belial put me in feare 6 The sorowes of hell compassed me about the snares of death ouertoke me 7 In my tribulation did I call vppon the Lorde and crye to my God and he dyd heare my voyce out of his temple and my crye did enter into his eares 8 The earth trembled and quaked the foundations of heauen moued shooke when he was angry 9 Smoke went out at his nosthryls consuming fyre out of his mouth coles were kindled thereat 10 And he bowed heauen came downe and there was darkenesse vnder his feete 11 And he rode vpon Cherub and did flee he was seene vppon the winges of the winde 12 He made darknes a tabernacle rounde about him with waters gathered together in thicke cloudes 13 Through the brightnes of his presence were the coles of fyre kindled 14 The Lorde thundred from heauen he that is most hie put out his voyce 15 He shot arrowes and scattered them to wit lyghtning ouerthrew them 16 The chanels of the sea appeared and the foundatiōs of the world were seene by the reason of y e rebuking of the Lord and through the blasting of the breath of his nosthryls 17 He sent from aboue and toke me he drew me out of many waters 18 He deliuered me from my mightie enemie and from them that hated me for they were to strong for me 19 When they had preuented me in the daye of my calamitie the Lorde stayed me vp 20 For he brought me out into roomth he deliuered me because he had a fauour vnto me 21 The Lorde rewarded me according to my righteousnesse accordyng to the purenes of my hands he recompensed me 22 For I haue kept the wayes of y e Lord and did not wickedly agaynst my God 23 For all his lawes were in my sight his statutes I did not depart therefrō 24 In his sight also haue I ben vpright and haue kept me from myne owne iniquitie 25 And the Lorde did to me againe according to my righteousnesse euen after my purenes in his eye sight 26 With the godly thou shalt be godlie and with the man that is vpright thou shalt be vpright 27 With the pure thou shalt be pure and with the froward thou wilt shewe thy selfe froward 28 And the poore people thou wilt saue but thyne eyes are vpon the proude to bring them downe 29 For thou art my lyght O Lorde and the Lorde shall light my darkenesse 30 For by thee I shall breake through an hoast of men and by my God wyll I spring ouer a wall 31 God is vncorrupt in his way the word of the Lord is tryed in the fyre he is a shielde to all them that trust in him 32 For who is a God saue the Lord and who is mightie saue our God 33 God strengthneth me in battaile ryddeth the way cleare before me 34 He maketh my feete lyke hyndes feete and setteth me vpon my hie places 35 He teacheth my handes to fight that euen a bowe of steele is broken with myne armes 36 Thou hast geuen me the shielde of thy saluation and with thy louing mekenesse thou doest multiplie me 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps vnder me and my legges shall not faile me 38 I haue folowed vpon myne enemies and destroyed them and turned not againe vntill I had consumed them 39 I haue wasted them and wounded them that they shal not be able to aryse yea they shall fall vnder my feete 40 Thou hast gyrded me about with might to battayle and them that rose against me hast thou subdued vnder me 41 And thou hast geuen me the neckes of myne enemies that I might destroye them that hate me 42 They loked about but there was none to saue them euen vnto the Lorde but he heard them not 43 Then did I beate them as small as the dust of the earth I did stampe them as the clay of the streate and did spreade them abrode 44 Thou also hast deliuered me from the discention of my people thou hast kept me to be an head ouer nations the people which I knew not do serue me 45 Straunge childrē dissemble with me at the hearing of the eare they obey me 46 Straunge children wil shrinke away and they shall be smytten with feare in their priuie chamber 47 Let the Lord lyue and blessed be my strength magnified be God euen the force of my saluation 48 It is God that geueth me power to reuenge me bringeth downe the people vnder me 49 He deliuereth me from myne enemies thou also hast lyft me on hie from them that rose against me thou hast delyuered me from the wicked man 50 And therefore I wyll prayse thee O Lorde among the nations and wyll sing vnto thy name 51 He is the towre of saluation for his king and dealeth mercyfully with his annoynted euen with Dauid and with his seede for euermore ¶ The .xxiii. Chapter 1 The last wordes of Dauid 6 The wicked shall be plucked vp as thornes 8 The names and factes of his mighty men 15 He desireth water would not drinke 1 THese also be the last wordes of Dauid Dauid the sonne of Isai said and y e man which was ordayned the annoynted of the God of Iacob and the sweete Psalmist of Israel sayde 2 The spirite of the Lorde spake by me and his word was in my tongue 3 The God of Israel spake to me euen the most mightie of Israel sayde A ruler ouer men being iust ruling in y e feare of God 4 And as the morning lyght when the sunne is vp a morning in which are no cloudes so shal my house be but not as the grasse of the earth is by bryghtnesse and rayne 5 For so shal not my house be with God For he hath made with me an euerlasting couenaunt perfect and sure in all poyntes and this is truly all my health and all my desyre that it growe but not as grasse 6 But the vngodly man shall be as a thorne cleane pluckt vp which can not be taken with handes 7 But the man that shall touche them must be defenced with iron or with the shaft of a speare and they shal be burnt with fire in the same place 8 These be the names of the mightie men whom Dauid had One that sate in the seate of wisedome being chiefest among the princes was Adino of Ezni he slue eyght hundred at one tyme. 9 After him was Eliazar the sonne of Dodo the sonne of Ahohi one of the three worthies with Dauid which defyed the Philistines that were
46 Then sayde I vnto the angell what young person is it that crowneth them and geueth them the palmes in their handes 47 So he aunswered and sayd vnto me It is the sonne of God whom they haue knowledged in the world Then began I greatly to commende them that stoode so stiffely for the name of the Lorde 48 Then the angell sayde vnto me Go thy way and tell my people what maner of thinges howe great wonders of the Lorde thy God thou hast seene ¶ The .iij. Chapter 4 The wonderous workes whiche God dyd for the people are recited 31 Esdras marueyleth that God suffereth the Babylonians to haue rule ouer his people whiche yet are sinners also 1 IN the thirtith yere after the fall of the citie I was at Babylon and lay troubled vppon my bed and my thoughtes came vp ouer my heart 2 For I sawe the desolation of Sion and the plenteous wealth of them that dwelt at Babylon 3 And my spirite was sore moued so that I began to speake feareful wordes to the most hyest and sayde 4 O Lorde Lorde thou spakest at the beginning when thou plantedst the earth and that thy selfe alone and gauest commaundement vnto the people 5 And a body vnto Adam without soule whiche was a creature of thy handes and hast breathed in hym the breath of lyfe and so he liued before thee 6 And thou leddest hym into Paradise which thy ryght hande had planted or euer the earth brought fruites 7 And vnto him thou gauest commaundement to loue thy way which he transgressed and immediatly thou appoyntedst death in hym and in his generations Of whom came nations tribes people and kinredes out of number 8 And euery people walked after their owne wyll and did wonderfull thinges before thee and as for thy commaundementes they dispised them 9 But in processe of tyme thou broughtest the water fludde vpon those that dwelt in the worlde destroyedst them 10 So that by the fludde that was wrought in eche of them that was by death in Adam 11 Neuerthelesse one of them thou leftest namely Noe with his householde of whom came all ryghteous men 12 And it happened that when they that dwelt vpon the earth began to multiplie and had gotten them many children and were a great people they began to be more vngodly then the first 13 Nowe when they liued so wickedly before thee thou didst choose thee a man from among them whose name was Abraham 14 Hym thou louedst and vnto hym only thou shewedst thy wyll 15 And madest an euerlasting couenaunt with hym promisyng hym that thou wouldest neuer forsake his seede 16 And vnto hym thou gauest Isahac vnto Isahac also thou gauest Iacob and Esau As for Iacob thou dydst choose him to thee and put backe Esau And so Iacob became a great multitude 17 And it came to passe that when thou leddest his seede out of Egypt thou broughtest them vp to the mount Sina 18 Bowing downe the heauens setting fast the earth mouyng the grounde makyng the deapthes to shake and troublyng the worlde 19 And thy glorie went through foure portes of fire and earthquakes and windes and colde that thou myghtest geue the lawe vnto the seede of Iacob and diligence vnto the generation of Israel 20 And yet tokest thou not away from them that wicked heart that thy lawe myght bryng foorth fruite in them 21 For the first Adam bearyng a wicked heart transgressed and was ouercome and so be all they that are borne of him 22 Thus remayned weaknesse still and the lawe in the heartes of the people with the wickednesse of the roote so that the good departed away and the euyll abode styll 23 So the tymes passed away and the yeres were brought to an ende Then dyddest thou rayse thee vp a seruaunt called Dauid 24 Whom thou commaundedst to builde a citie vnto thy name and to offer vp incense and sacrifice vnto thee therin 25 When this was done nowe many yeres then the inhabiters of the citie forsoke them 26 And in all thynges dyd euen as Adam and all his generations had done for they also had a wicked heart 27 And so thou gauest the citie ouer into the handes of thine enemies 28 But do they of Babylon then any thyng better that they shoulde therfore haue the dominion in Sion 29 For when I came thyther and sawe there so great wickednesse that it coulde not be numbred then my soule sawe many euyl doers in this thirteth yere so that my heart fayled me 30 For I saw howe thou sufferedst them in such vngodlinesse and sparedst the wicked doers but thine owne people hast thou rooted out and preserued thine enemies and this hast thou not shewed me 31 I can not perceaue howe this happeneth Do they of Babylon then better then they of Sion 32 Or is there any other people that knoweth thee sauyng the people of Israel or what generation hath so beleued thy couenauntes as Iacob 33 And yet their rewarde appeareth not and their labour hath no fruite For I haue gone here and there through the heathen and I see that they be riche and wealthy and thynke not vpon thy commaundementes 34 Waygh thou therfore our wickednesse nowe in the ballaunce and theirs also that dwell in the worlde and so shall thy name be no where founde but in Israel 35 Or when was it that they which dwel vpon earth haue not sinned in thy sight or what people hath so kept thy commaundementes 26 Thou shalt finde that Israel by name hath kept thy preceptes but not the â—other people andâ— heathen The .iiij. Chapter 5 The angel reproueth Esdras because he seemed to enter into the profounde iudgementes of God 1 AND the angel that was sent vnto me whose name was Vriel gaue me an answere 2 And sayd Thy heart hath taken to much vpon it in this worlde and thou thinkest to comprehende the way of the hyghest 3 Then sayde I Yea my Lorde And he aunswered me and sayde I am sent to shewe thee three wayes and to set foorth three similitudes before thee 4 Wherof yf thou canst declare me one I wyll shewe thee also the way that thou desirest to see and I shall shewe thee from whence the wicked heart commeth 5 And I sayde Tell on my Lord. Then sayde he vnto me Go thy way waygh me the wayght of the fire or measure me the blast of the winde or call me agayne the day that is past 6 Then aunswered I and sayde What man borne is able to do that that thou shouldest aske such thynges of me 7 And he sayde vnto me If I shoulde aske thee howe deepe dwellynges are in the middest of the sea or howe great water springes are in the begynnyng of the deepe or howe great water springes are vpon the stretchyng out of the heauens or which are the outgoinges of Paradise 8 Peraduenture thou
wouldest say vnto me I neuer went downe yet into the deepe nor hel neither did I euer climbe vp into heauen 9 Neuerthelesse nowe haue I asked thee but only of fire and winde and of the day wherthrough thou hast trauayled and from the which thou canst not be separated and yet canst thou geue me no aunswere of them 10 He sayde moreouer vnto me Thyne owne thynges and such as are growen vp with thee canst thou not knowe 11 Howe shoulde thy vessell then be able to comprehende the way of the highest and nowe outwardly in the corrupt worlde to vnderstande the corruption that is euident in my syght 12 Then sayde I vnto hym It were better that we were not at all then that we shoulde lyue in wickednesse and to suffer and not to knowe wherfore 13 He aunswered me and sayde I came to a forrest in a playne and the trees toke such a deuice 14 And sayde Come let vs go and fyght against the sea that it may depart away before vs and that we may make yet more woods 15 The fluddes of the sea also in lyke maner toke counsayle and sayd Come let vs go vp and fyght against the trees of the wood that there we may make vs another countrey 16 The thought and deuise of the wood was but vayne and nothyng worth for the fire came and consumed it 17 The thought of the fluddes of the sea came lykewyse to naught also for the sande stoode vp and stopped them 18 If thou were iudge nowe betwixt these two whom wouldest thou iustifie or whom wouldest thou condempne 19 I aunswered and sayde Veryly it is a foolishe thought that they both haue deuised For the grounde is geuen vnto the wood and the sea also hath his place to beare his fluddes 20 Then aunswered he me and sayde Thou hast geuen a ryght iudgement but why iudgest thou not thy selfe also 21 For lyke as the grounde is geuen vnto the wood and the sea to his fluddes euen so they that dwell vpon earth may vnderstande nothyng but that which is vpon earth and he that dwelleth aboue the heauens may only vnderstande the thynges that are aboue the heauens 22 Then aunswered I and sayde I beseche thee O Lorde let me haue vnderstandyng 23 For it was not my mynde to be curious of thy hye thynges but of such as we dayly meddle withall namely as wherfore Israel is geuen vp as a reproche to the heathen and for what cause the people whom thou hast loued is geuen ouer vnto vngodly nations and why the lawe of our forefathers is brought to naught and the written couenauntes come to none effect 24 And we passe away out of the worlde as the grasshoppers and our lyfe is a very feare and we are not worthy to obteyne mercie 25 What wyll he do then vnto his name which is called vpon ouer vs Of these thynges haue I asked question 26 Then aunswered he me and sayde The more thou searchest the more thou shalt maruayle for the worlde hasteth fast to passe away 27 And can not comprehende the thinges that are promised to the ryghteous in tyme to come for this worlde is full of vnryghteousnesse and weakenesse 28 But as concernyng the thinges wherof thou askest me I wyll tell thee The euyll is sowen but the destruction therof is not yet come 29 If the euyll nowe that is sowen be not turned vpsyde downe and yf the place where the euyll is sowen passe not away then can not the thing come that is sowen with good 30 For the corne of euyll seede hath ben sowen in the heart of Adam from the begynnyng and howe much vngodlynesse hath he brought vp vnto this tyme and howe much shall he yet bring foorth vntyll he come into the barne 31 Ponder nowe by thy selfe howe great fruite of wickednesse the corne of euyll seede bryngeth foorth 32 And when the stalkes shal be cut downe which are without number howe great a barne shall it fyll 33 Then I aunswered and sayde Howe and when shall these thinges come to passe Wherefore are our yeres fewe and euyll 34 And he aunswered me saying Haste not thou to much aboue the most highest for thy hastinesse to be aboue hym is but vayne though thou do all that thou canst for it 35 Dyd not the soules also of the ryghteous aske question of these thynges in their chambers saying * Howe long shall I hope on this fashion when commeth the fruite of my barne and our rewarde 36 And vpon this Ieremiel tharchangel gaue them aunswere and sayde Euen when the number of the seedes is fylled in you for he hath wayghed the worlde in the ballaunce 37 In measure and number hath he measured the tymes and moueth it not nor shaketh it vntyll the sayde measure be fulfylled 38 Then aunswered I sayd O Lorde Lorde nowe are we all full of sinne 39 And for our sake peraduenture it is that the barne of the ryghteous are not fulfylled because of the sinnes of them that dwell vpon the earth 40 So he aunswered me and sayde Go thy way to a woman with childe and aske of her when she hath fulfylled her nine monethes if her wombe may kepe the birth any longer within her 41 Then sayde I No Lorde that can she not And he sayde vnto me In the graue the secrete places of soules are like the wombe of a woman 42 For like as a woman that trauayleth maketh haste to escape the necessitie of the trauayle euen so do these places haste to delyuer those thynges that are committed vnto them 43 Loke what thou desirest to see it shal be shewed thee from the begynnyng 44 Then aunswered I and sayde If I haue founde fauour in thy syght and yf it be possible and if I be meete therfore 45 Shewe me then whether there be more to come then is past or more past then is for to come 46 What is past I knowe but what is for to come I knowe not 47 And he sayde vnto me Stande vp vpon the ryght syde and I shall expounde the similitude vnto thee 48 So I stoode and beholde an hotte burnyng ouen passed by before me and it happened that when the flambe was gone by I loked and behold the smoke had the vpper hande 49 After this there passed by before me a watery cloude and sent downe much rayne with a storme and when the stormie rayne was past the droppes remayned styll 50 Then sayd he vnto me Consider with thy selfe lyke as the rayne is more then the droppes and as the fire exceedeth the smoke euen so the measure of the thynges that are past hath the vpperhande and the droppes and smoke worke much in quantitie 51 Then I prayed and sayde May I lyue thynkest thou vntyll that tyme or what shall happen in those dayes 52 He aunswered me and sayde As for the tokens wherof thou askest me I may tell thee of them in part but as
had ben burnt with Sion 45 For we are not better then they that dyed there And they wept with loude voyce Then aunswered I them said 46 Be of good comfort O Israel and be not heauy thou house of Iacob 47 For the hyest hath you in remembraunce and the mightie hath not forgotten you in temptation 48 As for me I haue not forsaken you neither am I departed from you but am come into this place to pray because of the miserie of Israel that I myght seeke mercie for the lowe estate of your sanctuarie 49 And nowe go your way home euery man and after these dayes will I come vnto you 50 So the people went their way into the citie lyke as I commaunded them 51 But I remayned styll in the fielde seuen dayes as the angell bad me and dyd eate only of the floures of the fielde and had my meate of the hearbes in those dayes The .xiij. Chapter 2 The vision of a wynde commyng foorth of the sea â— which became a man 5 His propertie power agaynst his enemies 21 The declaration of this vision 1 AND after the seuen dayes I dreamed a dreame by nyght 2 And beholde there arose a wynde from the sea that it moued all the waues therof 3 And I loked and beholde there was a strong man with the thousandes of heauen and when he turned his countenaunce to loke all the thynges trembled that were seene vnder hym 4 And when the voyce went out of his mouth all they burnt that hearde his voyce lyke as the earth fayleth when it feeleth the fire 5 After these I sawe and beholde there was gathered together a multitude of men out of number from the foure wyndes of the heauen to fyght agaynst the man that came out of the sea 6 And I loked and beholde he graued hym selfe a great mountayne and flewe vp vpon it 7 But I woulde haue seene the region or place wherout the hyll was grauen and I coulde not 8 I sawe after these that all they which came to fyght agaynst hym were sore afraide and yet durst they fyght 9 Neuerthelesse when he sawe the fiercenesse and violence of the people that came he neither lyft vp his hande nor helde sworde nor any weapon 10 But only as I sawe he sent out of his mouth as it had ben a blast of fire and out of his lippes the wynde of the flambe and out of his tongue he cast out sparkes and stormes 11 And they were all mixt together the blast of fire the wynde of the flambes and the great storme and fell with a rushe vpon the people which was prepared to fight and burnt them vp euery one so that of the innumerable multitude there was nothing seene but only dust and smell of smoke When I sawe this I was afraide 12 Afterwarde sawe I the same man come downe from the mountayne and callyng vnto hym another peaceable people 13 And there came much people vnto hym some were glad some were sorye some of them were bounde and other some brought of them that were offered Then was I sicke through great feare and I awaked and sayde 14 Thou hast shewed thy seruaunt these wonders from the begynnyng and hast counted me worthy that thou myghtest receaue my prayer 15 Shewe me nowe yet the interpretation of this dreame 16 For thus I consider in my vnderstandyng wo vnto them that shal be left in those dayes and much more wo vnto them that are not left behynde 17 For they that were not left were in heauinesse 18 Nowe vnderstande I the thynges that are layde vp in the latter dayes which shall happen vnto them and to those that are left behynde 19 Therfore are they come into great perilles and many necessities like as these dreames declare 20 Yet is it easyer that he which is in daunger fall into these and nowe to see that which shall chaunce hereafter then to passe out of this worlde as a cloude Then aunswered he me and sayde 21 The interpretation of the syght shall I shewe thee and I wyll open vnto thee the thyng that thou hast required 22 Wheras thou hast spoken of them that are left behynde this is the interpretation 23 He that beareth the peril in that tyme hath kept him selfe They that be fallen into daunger are such as haue workes and fayth vnto the most mightie 24 Knowe this therfore that they which be left behynde are more blessed then they that be dead 25 This is the meanyng of the vision Wheras thou sawest a man commyng vp from the deepe of the sea 26 The same is he whom God the hyest hath kept a great season which by his owne selfe shall deliuer his creature and he shall order them that are left behynde 27 And wheras thou sawest that out of his mouth there came as a blast of wynde fire and storme 28 And howe that he lift vp neither sword nor weapon but that the russhyng in of hym destroyed the whole multitude that came to fight agaynst hym it signifieth 29 That the dayes come when the most hyest wyll begyn to deliuer them that are vpon earth 30 And in a traunce of mynde shall he come vpon them that dwel in the earth 31 And one shall vndertake to fyght agaynst another one citie agaynst another one place agaynst another one people agaynst another and one realme agaynst another 32 When this commeth to passe then shall the tokens come that I shewed thee before and then shall my sonne be declared whom thou sawest clymbe vp as a man 33 And when all the people heare his voyce euery man shall in their owne lande leaue the battayle that they haue one agaynst another 34 And an innumerable multitude shal be gathered together as they that be wyllyng to come and to ouercome hym by fyghtyng 35 But he shall stande vpon the toppe of the mount Sion 36 And Sion shall come shal be shewed to all men beyng prepared and builded lyke as thou sawest the hyll grauen foorth without any handes 37 And this my sonne shall rebuke those nations which are fallen into the tempest for their wickednesse and euyll imaginations 38 And into tormentes lyke to flambe wherwith they shal be punished and without any labour shall he destroy them euen by the lawe which is compared vnto the fire 36 And wheras thou sawest that he gathered another peaceable people vnto hym 40 Those are the ten tribes which were caryed away prisoners out of their owne lande in the tyme of Oseas the kyng whom Salmanasar the kyng of Assyria toke prisoner and caryed them ouer the water and so came they into another lande 41 But they toke this counsayle among them selues that they woulde leaue the multitude of the heathen and to go foorth into a farther countrey where neuer mankynde dwelt 42 That they myght there kepe their statutes which they neuer kept in their owne lande 43
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
wanton kepe her straytly lest she cause thyne enemies to laugh thee to scorne and the whole citie to geue thee an euyll report and so thou be fayne to heare thy shame of euery man and be confounded before all the people 12 Behold not euery bodies beautie and haue not much dwelling among womē 13 For like as the worme and moth commeth out of clothing so doth wickednesse come of women 14 It is better to be with an euyll man then with a friendly wyfe that putteth one to shame and rebuke 15 I will remember the wordes of the Lord and declare the thing that I haue seene In the wordes of the Lorde are his workes 16 The sunne ouerloketh all thinges with his shine and all his workes are full of the clearenes therof 17 Hath not the Lord brought to passe that his sainctes shoulde tell out all his wonderous workes which the almightie Lord hath stablished Al thinges endure in his glorie 18 He seketh out the grounde of the deepe and the heart of men and he knoweth all their imaginations and wisdome for the Lord knoweth all science and he loketh into the token of the time 19 He declareth the thinges that are past and for to come and discloseth thinges that are secrete 20 No thought may escape hym neither may any worde be hyd from him 21 He hath garnished the hye excellent workes of his wysdome and he is from euerlasting to euerlasting Vnto him may nothing be added neither can he be minished he hath no neede also of any mans counsel 22 O howe amiable are all his workes and as a sparke to loke vpon 23 They liue all and endure for euer and when so euer neede is they are all obedient vnto him 24 They are all double one against another he hath made nothing that hath fault or blemishe 25 He hath stablished the goodes of euery one and who may be satisfied with his glorie when he seeth it The .xliii. Chapter The summe of the creation of the workes of God 1 THe glorie of the height is the faire and cleare firmament the beautie of the heauen is his glorious clearnesse 2 The sunne when it appeareth declareth the day in the goyng out of it a maruelous worke of the hyghest 3 At noone it burneth the earth and who may abyde for the heate thereof 4 Who so kepeth an ouen when it is hot three times more doth the sunne burne vpon the mountaynes when it breatheth out the fire beames shineth with the brightnesse of it it blindeth the eyes 5 Great is the Lorde that made it and in his commaundement he causeth it to runne hastyly 6 The moone also in al thinges according to her season is a declaration of the time and a signe for the world 7 The token of the solempne feast is taken of the moone a light that minisheth and increaseth againe 8 The moneth is called after the moone it groweth wonderously in her changing 9 The armie of heauen also is in y e heyght in the firmament of heauen it geueth a cleare and a glorious shyne This is the clearnesse of the starres the beautifull apparell of heauen the apparel that the Lorde lighteneth in the heyght 10 In his holy worke they continue in their order and not one of them fayleth in his watch 11 Loke vpon the raynebow and prayse hym that made it very beautifull is it in his shine 12 He compasseth the heauen about with a glorious circle the handes of the highest haue bended it 13 Through his commaundement he maketh the snow to fall and the thunder of his iudgement to smyte hastyly 14 Thorowe his commaundement the treasures are opened and the cloudes flee as the foules 15 In his power hath he strengthened the cloudes and broken the hayle stones 16 The mountaynes leape at the sight of hym the winde bloweth according to his will 17 The sounde of his thunder beateth the earth so doth the storme of the north the whirle wind also lighteth downe as a fethered foule casteth out spreadeth the snowe abrode and as the grashoppers that destroy al so falleth it downe 18 The eye maruayleth at the beautie of the whytenesse therof and the heart is afrayde at the rayne of it 19 He powreth out the frost vpon earth like salt and when it is frosen it is as sharpe as the pricke of a thistle 20 When the colde north winde bloweth harde christall commeth of the water He lighteth downe vpon all the gatheringes together of water and putteth on the water as a brestplate 21 He deuoureth the mountaynes burneth the wildernesses and loke what is greene he putteth it out lyke fire 22 The medicine of all these is when a cloude commeth hastyly and when a deaw commeth vpon the heate it shal be refreshed againe 23 In his worde he stilleth the winde in his counsell he appeaseth the deepe and hath planted Ilandes in it 24 They that sayle ouer the sea tel of the peryls and harmes therof and when we heare it with our eares we maruell therat 25 For there be straunge wonderous workes diuers maners of nyce beastes and whale fishes 26 Thorow him are al thinges set in good order and perfourmed and in his word all thinges endure 27 I speake much but I can not sufficiently attayne vnto it for he hym selfe onely is the perfection of all wordes 28 We shoulde prayse the Lorde after all our power for he is great in all his workes 29 The Lorde is to be feared yea very great is he maruelous is his power 30 Prayse the Lord and magnifie him as much as ye may yet doth he far exceede all prayse O magnifie him with al your power and labour earnestly yet are ye in no wise able sufficiently to prayse him 31 Who hath seene hym that he might tell vs Who can magnifie hym so greatly as he is 32 For there are hyd yet greater thinges then these be as for vs we haue seene but fewe of his workes 33 For the Lorde hath made all thinges geuen wisdome to such as feare God The .xliiii. Chapter 1 The prayse of certayne holy men 16 Enoch 17 Noe 17 Abraham 22 Isaac and Iacob 1 LEt vs commende the noble famous men the generation of our fore elders and fathers 2 Many more glorious actes haue the Lorde done in them and shewed his great power euer sence the beginning 3 The noble famous men raigned in their kingdomes and bare excellent rule in their wysdome and vnderstanding they folowed the counsel shewed in the prophecies 4 They led the folke thorow the counsell and wysdome of the scribes of the people wyse sentences are founde in their instruction 5 They sought the sweetnesse and melodie of musicke and brought foorth the pleasaunt songues in scripture 6 They were riche also and coulde comfort and pacifie those that dwelt with them 7 All these were very noble and honorarable men in
to them that worship thee 34 Yet for thy names sake we beseche thee geue vs not vp for euer breake not thy couenaunt 35 And take not away thy mercie from vs for thy beloued Abrahams sake for thy seruaunt Isaacs sake and for thy holy Israels sake 36 To whom thou hast spoken and promised that thou wouldest multiplie their seede as the starres of heauen as the sande that lyeth vpon the sea shore 37 For we O Lord are become lesse then any people and be kept vnder this day in all the worlde because of our sinnes 38 So that nowe we haue neither prince duke prophet burnt offering sacrifice oblation incense nor sanctuarie before thee 39 Neuerthelesse in a contrite heart and an humble spirite let vs be receaued that we may obtayne thy mercie 40 Like as in the burnt offering of rammes and bullockes and like as in thousandes of fat lambes so let our offering be in thy sight this daye that it may please thee for there is no confusion vnto thē that put their trust in thee 41 And now we folowe thee with al our heart we feare thee and seke thy face 42 Put vs not to shame but deale with vs after thy louing kindnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies 43 Deliuer vs by thy miracles O Lorde and get thy name an honour that all they which do thy seruauntes euyl may be confounded 44 Let them be ashamed thorow thy almightie power and let their strength be broken 45 That they may knowe how that thou only art the Lorde God and honour worthy throughout all the worlde 46 And the kinges seruauntes that put them in ceassed not to make the ouen hot with wild fire drie straw pitche towe and fagottes 47 So that the flambe went out of the ouen vpon a fourtie and nyne cubites 48 Yea it toke away and brent vp those Chaldees that it gat holde vpon beside the ouen 49 But the angell of the Lorde came downe into the ouen to Azaria and his felowes and smote the flambe of the fire out of the ouen 50 And made the middes of the ouen as it had ben a colde winde blowing so the fire neither touched them greeued them nor dyd them hurt 51 Then these three as out of one mouth praysed honoured and blessed God in the fornace saying 52 Blessed be thou O Lorde God of our fathers for thou art prayse and honour worthy yea to be magnified for euermore 53 Blessed be the holy name of thy glorie for it is worthy to be praysed magnified in all worldes 54 Blessed be thou in the holy temple of thy glorie for aboue all thinges thou art to be praysed yea and more then worthy to be magnified for euer 55 Blessed be thou in the throne of thy kingdome for aboue al thou art worthy to be well spoken of and to be more then magnified for euer 56 Blessed be thou that lokest thorow the deepe and sittest vpon the Cherubims for thou art worthy to be praysed and aboue all to be magnified for euer 57 Blessed be thou in the firmament of heauen for thou art prayse and honour worthy for euer 58 O all ye workes of the Lorde speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 59 O ye angels of the Lorde speake good of the Lord prayse him and set hym vp for euer 60 O ye heauens speake good of the Lord prayse hym and set him vp for euer 61 O all ye waters that be aboue the firmament speake good of the Lorde prayse hym and set him vp for euer 62 O all ye powers of the Lorde speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 63 O ye sunne and moone speake good of the Lord prayse him and set hym vp for euer 64 O ye starres of heauen speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 65 O ye showres and deaw speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 66 O all ye windes of God speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set hym vp for euer 67 O ye fire and heate speake good of the Lorde prayse hym and set him vp for euer 68 O ye winter and sommer speake good of the Lord prayse hym and set him vp for euer 69 O ye deawes and frostes speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 70 O ye frost and colde speake good of the Lorde prayse hym and set him vp for euer 71 O ye yee and snowe speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set hym vp for euer 72 O ye nightes and dayes speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 73 O ye light and darkenesse speake good of the Lord prayse him and set hym vp for euer 74 O ye lightninges and cloudes speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set hym vp for euer 75 O let the earth speake good of the Lorde yea let it prayse him and set him vp for euer 76 O ye mountaynes and hilles speake good of the Lorde prayse hym and set hym vp for euer 77 O all ye greene thinges vpon the earth speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set hym vp for euer 78 O ye welles speake good of the Lord prayse him and set hym vp for euer 79 O ye seas and fluddes speake good of the Lord prayse hym and set him vp for euer 80 O ye whales and all that moue in the waters speake good of the Lord prayse him and set him vp for euer 81 O all ye foules of the ayre speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 82 O all ye beastes and cattel speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 83 O ye children of men speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set hym vp for euer 84 O let Israel speake good of the Lord prayse him and set him vp for euer 85 O ye priestes of the Lord speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 86 O ye seruauntes of the Lord speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 87 O ye spirites and soules of the righteous speake good of the Lorde prayse him and set him vp for euer 88 O ye holy and humble men of heart speake ye good of the Lord prayse him and set him vp for euer 89 O Anania Azaria and Misael speake ye good of the Lorde prayse ye him set him vp for euer which hath deliuered vs from the hell kept vs from the hande of death ridde vs from the middest of the burning flambe and saued vs euen in the middest of the fyre 90 O geue thankes therefore vnto the Lorde for he is kinde hearted and his mercie endureth for euer 91 O all deuout men speake ye good of the Lorde the God of all goddes O prayse him and geue
that sate on hym hadde a payre of balaunces in his hande 6 And I hearde a voyce in the myddes of the foure beastes saye A measure of wheate for a penie and three measures of barly for a penie and oyle and wine see thou hurt not 7 And when he had opened the fourth seale I hearde the voyce of the fourth beast say come and see 8 And I loked and behold a pale horse his name that sate on him was death and hell folowed after hym and power was geuen vnto them ouer the fourth part of the earth to kyll with sworde with hunger and with death and with the beastes of the earth 9 And when he had opened the fift seale I sawe vnder the aulter the soules of them that were kylled for the worde of God and for the testimonie which they had 10 And they cryed with a loude voyce saying Howe long taryest thou Lorde holy and true to iudge and to auenge our blood on thē that dwell on y e earth 11 And long whyte garmentes were geuen vnto euery one of them and it was sayde vnto them that they should reste yet for a litle season vntyll the number of their felowes and brethren and of them that shoulde be kylled as they were were fulfylled 12 And I behelde when he had opened the sixt seale and loe there was a great earthquake the sunne was as blacke as sackcloth made of heere the moone waxed all euen as blood 13 And the starres of heauen fell vnto the earth euen as a figge tree casteth her vntimely figges when she is shaken of a myghtie wynde 14 And heauen vanished awaye as a scroule when it is roulled together and all mountaynes and yles were moued out of their places 15 And the kynges of the earth and the great men and the ryche men and the chiefe capitaines and the myghtie men and euery bonde man and euery free man hyd them selues in dennes and in rockes of the hylles 16 And sayde to the hylles rockes fall on vs and hyde vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lambe 17 For the great day of his wrath is come and who is able to endure ⧠The .vij. Chapter 4.9 He seeth the seruauntes of God sealed in their forheades out of all nations and people 15 which though they suffer trouble yet the lambe feedeth them leadeth them to the fountaynes of lyuyng water 17 and God shall wype awaye all teares from their eyes 1 AND after that I sawe foure angels stande on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure wyndes of y e earth that the wynde shoulde not blowe on the earth neither on the sea neither on any tree 2 ☞ And I sawe another angell ascende from the rysing of the sunne which had the seale of the lyuyng God and he cryed with a loude voyce to the foure angels to whom power was geuen to hurt the earth and the sea 3 Saying Hurt not the earth neither the sea neither the trees tyll we haue sealed the seruaūtes of our God in their foreheades 4 And I hearde the number of them which were sealed And there were sealed an C. and xliiii thousande of all the tribes of the chyldren of Israel 5 Of the tribe of Iuda were sealed .xij. thousande Of the tribe of Ruben were sealed .xij. thousande Of the tribe of Gad were sealed .xij. thousande 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed .xij. thousande Of the tribe of Nephthali were sealed .xij. thousande Of y e tribe of Manasses were sealed .xij. thousande 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed xij thousande Of y e tribe of Leui were sealed .xij. thousande Of y e tribe of Isachar were sealed .xij. thousande 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed xii thousande Of the tribe of Ioseph were sealed .xii. thousande Of the tribe of Beniamin were sealed xii thousand 9 After this I behelde and we a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kinredes and people and tongues stoode before the throne and before the lambe clothed with long whyte garmentes and palmes in their handes 10 And cryed with a loude voyce saying Saluation be ascribed to hym that sitteth vpon the throne of our God and vnto the lambe 11 And all the angels stoode in the compasse of the throne and of the elders of the foure beastes and fell before the throne on their faces and worshypped God 12 Saying Amen Blessyng and glorie and wisedome and thankes honour and power and myght be vnto our God for euermore Amen ☜ 13 And one of the elders aunswered saying vnto me What are these which are arayed in long whyte garmentes and whence came they 14 And he sayde vnto hym Lorde thou wotest And he sayde to me These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue wasshed their long robes and made them whyte by the blood of the lambe 15 Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serue hym daye and nyght in his temple and he that sitteth in the throne wyll dwell among them 16 They shall hunger no more neither thirst neither shall the sunne lyght on them neither any heate 17 For the lambe which is in the myddes of the throne shall feede them and shall leade them vnto fountaynes of lyuyng water and God shall wype awaye all teares from their eyes ¶ The .viij. Chapter 1 The seuenth seale is opened there is scilence in heauen 6 The foure angels blowe their trumpettes and great plagues folowe vpon the earth 1 AND when he had opened the seuenth seale ther was scilence in heauē about the space of halfe an houre 2 And I sawe the seuen angels standyng before God and to them were geuen seuen trumpets 4 And the smoke of the odours whiche came of the prayers of all sainte◠ascended vp before God out of the angels hande 5 And the angel toke the senser and fylled it with fire of the aulter and cast it into the earth and voyces were made and thundrynges and lyghtnynges earthquake 6 And the seuen angels whiche had the seuen trumpettes prepared them selues to blowe 7 The first angell blewe there was made hayre fire mingled with blood and they were cast into the earth and the thirde part of trees was burnt and all greene grasse was burnt 8 And the seconde angell blewe and as it were a great mountayne burnyng with fire was cast into the sea and the thirde part of the sea turned to blood 9 And the thirde part of the creatures whiche were in the sea and hadde lyfe dyed and the thirde part of shippes were destroyed 10 And the third angell blewe and there fell a great starre from heauen burning as it were a lampe and it fell into the thirde part of the ryuers and into fountaynes of waters ▪ 11 And the 〈◊〉 of the stares is called wormewood and the thirde part was turned to