this worlde but it may be abused and turned from vnhurtfull wholsome to hurtfull and noysome What is there aboue better then the sunne the moone and the starres Yet was there that toke occasion by the great beautie and vertue of them to dishonour God and to defile them selues with idolatrie geuyng the honour of the lyuyng God and creatour of all thynges to such thynges as he had created What is there here beneath better then fire water meates drynkes metals of golde siluer iron and steele Yet we see dayly great harme and much mischiefe done by euery one of these aswell for lacke of wisdome prouidence of them that suffer euyll as by the malice of them that worke the euyll Thus to them that be euyll of them selues euery thyng setteth forwarde and increaseth their euyll be it of his owne nature a thyng neuer so good lyke as contraryly to them that studie and endeuoure them selues to goodnesse euery thyng preuayleth them and profiteth vnto good be it of his owne nature a thyng neuer so bad as S. Paul sayd Hiis qui diligunt deum omnia cooperantur in bonum All thinges do bryng good successe to such as do loue God euen as out of most venimous wormes is made triacle the most soueraigne medicine for the preseruatiō of mans health in time of daunger Wherfore I would aduise you al that come to the reading or hearing of this booke which is the worde of God the most precious iewell and most holy relique that remayneth vpon earth that ye bryng with you the feare of God and that ye do it with all due reuerence vse your knowledge therof not to vayne glorie of friuolous disputation but to the honour of God encrease of vertue and edification both of your selues and other And to the intent that my wordes may be the more regarded I wyll vse in this part the aucthoritie of saint Gregorie Nazianzene like as in the other I dyd of saint Iohn Chrisostome It appeareth that in his tyme there were some as I feare me there be also nowe at these dayes a great number which were idle bablers and talkers of the scripture out of season and all good order and without any increase of vertue or example of good lyuyng to them he writeth all his first booke de theologia Wherfore I shall briefly gather the whole effect and recite it here vnto you There be some saith he whose not only eares and tongues but also their fistes be whetted and redy bent all to contention and vnprofitable disputation whom I woulde wishe as they be vehement and earnest to reason the matter with tongue so they were all redy and practiue to do good deedes But forasmuch as they subuertyng the order of all godlinesse haue respect only to this thyng howe they may bynde and loose subtile questions so that nowe euery market place euery alehouse and tauerne euery feast house briefly euery company of men euery assembly of women is fylled with such talke Since the matter is so saith he and that our fayth and holy religion of Christe begynneth to waxe nothyng els but as it were a sophistrie or a talkyng craft I can no lesse do but say some thyng thervnto It is not fyt saith he for euery man to dispute the hygh questions of diuinitie neither is it to be done at all tymes neither in euery audience must we discusse euery doubt but we must knowe when to whom and howe farre we ought to enter into such matters First it is not for euery man but it is for such as be of exact and exquisite iudgementes and such as haue spent their tyme before in studie and contemplation and such as before haue clensed them selues aswell in soule as body or at the least endeuoured them selues to be made cleane For it is daungerous saith he for the vncleane to touche that thyng that is most cleane lyke as the sore eye taketh harme by lokyng vpon the sunne Secondarily not at all tymes but when we be reposed and at rest from all outwarde dregges and trouble and when that our heades be not encumbred with other worldy and wandryng imaginations as yf a man shoulde mingle balme and dirt together For he that shall iudge and determine such matters and doubtes of scriptures must take his tyme when he may apply his wittes thervnto that he may therby the better see and discerne what is trueth Thirdly where and in what audience There and among those that haue ben studious to learne And not among such as haue pleasure to trifle with such matters as with other thynges of pastime which repute for their chiefe delicates the disputation of hygh questions to shewe their wittes learnyng and eloquencie in reasonyng of hygh matters Fourthly it is to be considered howe farre to wade in such matters of difficultie No further saith he but as euery mans owne capacitie wyll serue hym and agayne no further then the weakenesse or intelligence of the other audience may beare For lyke as to great noyse hurteth the eare to much meate hurteth the mans body heauy burthens hurt the bearers of them to much rayne doth more hurt then good to the grounde briefly in all thynges to much is noyous euen so weake wittes and weake consciences may soone be oppressed with ouer harde questions I say not this to diswade men from the knowledge of God and readyng or studiyng of the scripture For I say that it is as necessarie for the lyfe of mans soule as for the body to breathe And yf it were possible so to liue I woulde thinke it good for a man to spende all his life in that and to do none other thyng I commende the lawe which biddeth to meditate and studie the scriptures alwayes both nyght and day and sermons preachynges to be made both mornyng noone and euentyde and God to be lauded and blessed in all tymes to bed warde from bed in our iourneys and all our other workes I forbyd not to reade but I forbyd to reason Neither forbyd I to reason so farre as is good and godly but I alowe not that is done out of season and out of measure and good order A man may eate to much of hony be it neuer so sweete and there is tyme for euery thyng and that thyng that is good is not good yf it be vngodly done Euen as a flowre in wynter is out of season and as a womans apparell becommeth not a man neither contraryly the mans the woman neither is weepyng conuenient at a bridale neither laughyng at a buriall Nowe yf we can obserue and kepe that is comely and tymely in all other thynges shall not we then the rather do the same in the holy scriptures Let vs not runne foorth as it were wilde horses that can suffer neither bridle in their mouthes nor sitter on their backes Let vs kepe vs in our boūdes and neither let vs go to farre on the one side lest we returne
destroyer from the almightie 7 Therefore shall all handes be letten downe and all mens heartes shall melt away 8 They shall stande in feare carefulnes and sorowe shall come vpon them and they shal haue payne as a woman that trauayleth with chylde One shal be abashed of another and their faces shall burne like the flame of fire 9 Beholde the day of the Lorde shall come terribly and full of indignation furie wrath to make the lande waste and to roote out the sinners therof 10 For the starres and planettes of heauen shall not geue their light the sunne shal be darkened in the rising and the moone shall not shine with her light 11 And I wyll visite the wickednesse of the worlde and the sinnes of the vngodlye The high stomakes of the proude wyll I take away and will lay downe the boasting of the tiraunt 12 I wyll make a man dearer then fine gold and a man to be more worth then a golden wedge of Ophir 13 Therfore I wyll shake the heauens and the earth shall remoue out of her place in the wrath of the Lorde of hoastes and in the day of his fearefull indignation 14 And Babylon shal be as an hunted or chased Doe and as a sheepe that no man taketh vp Euery man shall turne to his owne people and flee eche one in to his owne lande 15 Whoso is founde shal be shot thorowe and whoso taketh their part shal be destroyed with the sworde 16 Their chyldren shal be sâ—ayne before their eyes their house spoyled and their wiues rauished 17 For lo I shall bring vp the Medes against them whiche shall not regarde siluer nor be desirous of golde 18 With bowes shall they destroy the young men and haue no pitie on women with chylde and their faces shall not spare the chyldren 19 And Babylon that glory of kingdomes and beautie of the Chaldees honour shal be destroyed euen as God destroyed Sodome and Gomor 20 It shall not endure for euer neither shall there be any more dwelling there from generation to generation The Arabians shall pitche no tentes there neither shall the sheepheardes make their foldes there any more 21 But fearefull wylde beastes shall lye there and the houses shal be ful of great Owles Estriches shall dwell there and Apes shall daunce there 22 Wylde cattes shall crye in the palaces and dragons shal be in the pleasaunt houses And as for Babylons tyme it is at hande and her dayes shall not be prolonged The .xiiij. Chapter 1 The returne of the people from captiuitie the prosperitie of the people of God and affliction of their enemies 13 The pryde of Babylon 1 BVt the Lorde wylbe mercyfull vnto Iacob and will yet chose Israel againe and set them in their owne land straungers shall cleaue and get them to the house of Iacob 2 The people shall take them and carry them home to their owne land and the house of Israel shall possesse them in the lande of the Lord that they may be seruaunts and handmaydes and they shall take those prysoners whose captiues they had ben before and rule those that had oppressed them 3 When the Lorde nowe shall bryng thee to rest from thy trauayle feare and harde bondage that thou wast laden withall 4 Then shalt thou vse this mockage vpon the kyng of Babylon and say Howe happeneth it that the oppressour leaueth of Is the golden tribute come to an ende 5 The Lorde hath broken the scepter of the vngodly and the rod of the lordelye 6 Which when he is wroth smiteth the people with continuall strokes and in wrath raigneth ouer the heathen whoÌ„ he persecuteth without compassion 7 And therfore the whole worlde is nowe at rest and quietnesse and men sing for ioy 8 Yea euen the Firre trees and Cedars of Libanus reioyce at thy fall saying Nowe that thou art layde downe there come no mo vp to hewe downe vs. 9 Hell also beneath trembleth to meete thee at thy commyng and for thy sake hath raysed his dead all mightie men and princes of the earth all kynges of the earth stande vp from their seates 10 That they may all aunswere and speake vnto thee Art thou become weake also as we Art thou become lyke vnto vs 11 Thy pompe and thy pride is layde downe into the pit and so is the melodie of thy instrumentes Wormes be layde vnder thee wormes be thy coueryng 12 Howe art thou fallen from heauen O Lucifer thou faire mornyng chylde Howe hast thou gotten a fall euen to the grounde which didst weaken the nations 13 For thou saydest in thine heart I wyll clymbe vp into heauen and exalt my throne aboue beside the starres of God I wyll sit also vpon the mount of the congregation towarde the North. 14 I wyll clymbe vp aboue the cloudes and wyll be lyke the hyghest of all 15 Yet thou shalt be brought downe to the deepe of hell to the sides of the lake 16 They that see thee shall narowly loke vpon thee and thinke in them selues saying Is this the man that brought all landes in feare and made the kyngdomes afrayde 17 Is this he that made the worlde in a maner waste and layde the cities to the grounde which let not his prisoners go out 18 The kynges of the nations lye euery one in his owne house with worship 19 And thou art cast out of thy graue like a fylthy abhominable braunche like as dead mens rayment that are shot thorowe with the sworde and go downe to the stones of the deepe as a dead coarse that is troden vnder feete 20 Thou art not buried with them euen because that thou hast wasted thy lande destroyed thy people The generation of the wicked shal be out of memorie for euer 21 Let there a way be sought to destroy their children that be in their fathers wickednesse that they come not vp agayne to possesse the lande and fyll the worlde full of enemies 22 I wyll stande vp agaynst them saith the Lorde of hoastes and roote out the name and remnaunt sonne and sonnes sonne of Babylon saith the Lorde 23 I wyll geue it to the Otters and wyll make water puddels of it and I wyll sweepe them out with the besome of destruction saith the Lorde of hoastes 24 The Lorde of hoastes hath sworne an othe saying It shall come to passe as I haue determined and shal be fulfylled as I haue deuised 25 So that Assyria shall I destroy in my lande and vpon my mountaynes wil I treade hym vnder foote wherthrough his yoke shall come from them and his burthen shal be taken from their shoulder 26 This deuise hath God taken through the whole worlde and this is his hande stretched out ouer all people 27 For yf the Lord of hoastes determine a thyng who is able to disanull it And if he stretch foorth his hande who may returne it agayne 28 The same yere that kyng Ahaz dyed was this burthen 29 Reioyce not thou whole Palestina
the gates .xij. angels names written which are the names of the .xij. tribes of Israel 13 On the east syde three gates and on the north syde three gates and towards the south three gates and froÌ„ the west three gates 14 And the wall of the citie had .xij. foundations and in them the .xij. names of the lambes .xij. Apostles 15 And he that talked with me had a golden reede to measure the citie withall and the gates thereof and the wall therof 16 And the citie was buylt foure square the length was as large as y e breadth and he measured the citie with the reede twelue thousande furlonges and the length and the breadth and the heyght of it were equall 17 And he measured the wall thereof an hundreth and fourtie and foure cubites by the measure of man that is of the angell 18 And the buylding of the wall of it was of Iasper and the citie was pure golde lyke vnto cleare glasse 19 And the foundations of the wall of the citie were garnisshed with all maner of precious stones The first foundation was Iasper the seconde Saphire the third a Chalcedonie the fourth an Emeralde 20 The fifth Sardonix y e sixth Sardius the seuenth Chrysolite the eygth Beryl the ninth a Topas the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleueÌ„th a Iacinct y e twelfth an Amatist 21 The .xij. gates were .xij pearles euery gate was of one pearle and the streate of the citie was pure golde as through shynyng glasse 22 And I sawe no temple therin For the Lorde God almightie and the Lambe are the temple of it 23 And the citie hath no neede of the sunne neither of the moone to lighten it For the glorie of God dyd lighten it and the Lambe is the lyght of it 24 And the people which are saued shall walke in the lyght of it and the kynges of the earth shall bryng their glorie and honor vnto it 25 And the gates of it are not shut by day for there shal be no nyght 26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the gentiles vnto it 27 And there shall enter into it none vncleane thyng neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or maketh lyes but they only which are written in the lambes booke of lyfe ¶ The .xxij. Chapter 1 The riuer of the water of lyfe 2 The fruitfulnesse and lyght of the citie of God 6 The Lorde geueth euer his seruauntes warnyng of thynges to come 9 The angell wyll not be worshipped 18 To the worde of God may nothyng be added nor diminisshed therfrom 1 AND he shewed me a pure ryuer of water of lyfe cleare as Cristall proceadyng out of the throne of god and of the lambe 2 In the middes of the streate of it H. L. and of either side of the ryuer was there wood of lyfe which bare twelue maner of fruites and gaue fruite euery moneth and the leaues of the wood serued to heale the people withall 3 And there shal be no more curse but the throne of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shal serue hym 4 And they shall see his face his name shal be in their foreheades 5 And there shal be no nyght there and they neede no candle neither lyght of the sunne for the Lorde God geueth them lyght and they shall raigne for euermore 6 And he sayde vnto me these sayinges are faythfull and true And the Lorde God of the holy prophetes sent his angell to shewe vnto his seruauntes the thynges which must shortly be fulfilled 7 Beholde I come shortly Happy is he that kepeth y e saying of the prophecie of this booke 8 I Iohn sawe these thynges hearde them And when I had hearde and seene I fell downe to worship before the feete of the angell which shewed me these thynges 9 And he sayde vnto me see thou do it not for I am thy felowe seruaunt and the felowe seruaunt of thy brethren the prophetes and of them which kepe the sayinges of this booke But worshippe God 10 And he sayde vnto me seale not the sayinges of the prophecie of this booke For the tyme is at hande 11 He that doeth euyll let hym do euyll styll and he which is filthie let hym be filthie styll and he that is ryghteous let hym be ryghteous styll and he that is holy let hym be holy styll 12 And beholde I come shortly and my rewarde is with me to geue euery man accordyng as his deedes shal be 13 I am Alpha and Omega the begynnyng and the ende the first and the last 14 Blessed are they that do his commaundementes that their power may be in the tree of lyfe and may enter in through the gates into the citie 15 For without shal be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh â—easynges 16 I Iesus sent myne angell to testifie vnto you these thynges in y e Churches I am the roote and the generation of Dauid and the bryght mornyng starre 17 And the spirite and the bride say come And let hym that heareth say also come And let hym that is a thirst come And let whosoeuer wyll take of the water of lyfe freely 18 I testifie vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of y e prophecie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these thynges God shall adde vnto hym the plagues that are written in this booke 19 And yf any man shall minishe of the wordes of the booke of this prophecie God shal take away his part out of the booke of lyfe and out of the holy citie and from the thynges which are writteÌ„ in this booke 20 He which testifieth these thynges sayth surely I come quickly Amen Euen so come Lorde Iesus 21 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christe be with you all Amen FINIS ⧠A Table to fynde the Epistles and Gospels read in the Church of Englande VVherof the first lyne is the Epistle and the other the Gospell Whose begynnyng thou shalt fynde in the booke marked with a hande as it were poyntyng forwarde and the ende with a hande poyntyng backwarde conteyned within these letters A. B. C. D. c. ¶ On the first Sunday in Aduent Owe nothyng to any Rom. xiii c. When they drewe nye Math. xxi a. ¶ On the seconde Sunday in aduent Whatsoeuer thynges are Rom. xv a. And there shal be signes Luk. xxi e. ¶ On the thirde Sunday in Aduent Let a man this wyse i Cor. iiii a. When Iohn beyng in prison Math. xi a. ¶ On the fourth Sunday in Aduent Reioyce in the Lorde Phil. iiii a. This is the recorde of Iohn i. b. ¶ On Christmas day God in tymes past Hebr. i. a. In the begynnyng was Iohn i. a. ¶ On saint Steuens day And Steuen beyng full of Act. vii c. Beholde I sende vnto you Math. xxiii d. ¶ On saint Iohns day That which was from i Iohn i. Iesus sayde vnto
the Lorde he is God in heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath neither is there any other 40 Thou shalt kepe therefore his ordinaunces and his commaundementes which I commaunde thee this day that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee and that thou mayest prolong thy dayes vpon y e earth which the Lorde thy God geueth thee for euer 41 Then Moyses seuered three cities on the other side Iordane towarde the sunne rysyng 42 That he shoulde flee thyther which had kylled his neyghbour vnwares hated hym not in tyme past and therfore shoulde flee vnto one of the same cities and lyue 43 Namely Bezer in the wildernesse euen in the playne countrey of the tribe of Ruben and Ramoth in Gilead of the tribe of Gad and Golan in Basan of the tribe of Manasse 44 And so this is the lawe which Moyses set before the children of Israel 45 These are the witnesse statutes and ordinaunces which Moyses tolde the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt 46 On the other side Iordane in the valley ouer agaynst the house of Peor in the lande of Sehon king of the Amorites which dwelt at Hesbon whom Moyses the children of Israel smote after they were come out of Egypt 47 And possessed his lande and the lande of Og kyng of Basan two kynges of the Amorites which were on the other side Iordane towarde the sunne rising 48 From Aroer which is by the bancke of the riuer Arnon vnto mount Sion which is Hermon 49 And all the playne on the other side Iordane eastwarde euen vnto the sea which is in the playne vnder y e springes of the hyll ¶ The .v. Chapter 5 Moyses is the meane betweene God and the people 6 The lawe is repeated 23 The people are afrayde at Gods voyce 29 The Lorde wissheth that the people woulde feare hym 32 They must neither decline to the ryght hande nor left 1 AND Moyses called all Israel and sayde vnto them Heare O Israel the ordinaūces and lawes which I speake in your eares this day that ye may learne them and fulfill them in deede 2 The Lord our God made a couenaunt with vs in Horeb. 3 The Lorde made not this couenaunt with our fathers but with vs euen with vs which are all here alyue this day 4 The Lorde talked with you face to face in the mount out of the middes of the fire 5 And I stoode betweene the Lorde and you the same tyme and shewed you the worde of the Lord For ye were afrayde at the sight of the fire and went not vp into the mount and he sayde 6 I am the Lorde thy God which brought thee out of the lande of Egypt from the house of bondage 7 Thou shalt haue none other Gods in my presence 8 Thou shalt make thee no grauen image or any likenesse of that which is in heauen aboue and that is in earth beneath and that is in the waters beneath the earth 9 Thou shalt neither bowe thy selfe vnto them nor serue them for I the Lord thy God am a ielouse God visityng the wickednesse of the fathers vpon the children euen vnto the third and fourth generation among them that hate me 10 And shewe mercie vpon thousandes among them that loue me and kepe my commaundementes 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vayne for the Lorde wyll not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vayne 12 Kepe the Sabbath day that thou sanctifie it as the Lorde thy God hath commaunded thee 13 Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and do all that thou hast to do 14 But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lorde thy God thou shalt not do any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy man seruaunt nor thy mayde nor thine oxe nor thine asse nor any of thy cattell nor the straunger that is within thy gates that thy man seruaunt and thy mayde may rest as well as thou 15 Remember that thou wast a seruaunt in the lande of Egypt and howe that the Lorde thy God brought thee out thence through a mightie hande and a stretched out arme For which cause the Lorde thy God commaunded thee to kepe the Sabbath day 16 Honour thy father thy mother as the Lorde thy God hath commaunded thee that thy dayes may be prolonged and that it may go well with thee in the lande which the Lorde thy God geueth thee 17 Thou shalt not slay 18 Thou shalt not commit adulterie 19 Thou shalt not steale 20 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse agaynst thy neyghbour 21 Thou shalt not lust after thy neyghbours wyfe thou shalt not couet thy neyghbours house his fielde his seruaunt or his mayde his oxe his asse or ought that thy neyghbour hath 22 These wordes the Lorde spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the middes of the fire of the cloude and of the darkenesse with a great voyce and added nothyng and wrote them in two tables of stone and deliuered them vnto me 23 And it came to passe that when ye hearde the voyce out of the middes of the darkenesse for the mountayne dyd burne with fire then ye came vnto me with the captaynes of your tribes and your elders 24 And ye sayde Beholde the Lorde our God hath shewed vs his glorie and his greatnesse and we haue hearde his voyce out of the middes of the fire we haue seene this day that God doth talke with man and he yet lyueth 25 Nowe therfore why shoulde we dye that this great fire shoulde consume vs If we heare the voyce of the Lord our God any more we shall dye 26 For what fleshe hath it ben that euer hearde the voyce of the lyuyng God speakyng out of the middes of the fire as we haue done and yet dyd lyue 27 Go thou and heare all that the Lorde our God sayth and tell thou vnto vs all that the Lord our God sayth vnto thee and we wyll heare it and do it 28 And the Lorde hearde the voyce of your wordes when ye spake vnto me and the Lorde sayde vnto me I haue hearde the voyce of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well sayde all that they haue spoken 29 Oh that there were such an heart in them that they woulde feare me kepe all my cōmaundementes alway that it myght go well with them and with their childen for euer 30 Go and say vnto them Get you into your tentes agayne 31 But stande thou here by me and I wyll tell thee all the cōmaundementes ordinaunces lawes which thou shalt teache them that they may do them in the lande which I geue thē to possesse 32 Take heede therfore that ye do in deede as the Lord your God hath commaunded you and turne not aside either to the right
Iuda built Rama to the intent that he would let none passe out or in to Asa king of Iuda 2 And Asa fet out golde and siluer out of the treasures of the house of the Lord out of the kings house and sent to Benhadad king of Syria that dwelt at Darmese◠and saide 3 There is a confederation betweene me and thee betweene my father and thyne beholde I haue sent thee siluer and golde that thou wilt come breake thyne appoyntment with Baasa king of Israel that he may departe from me 4 And Benhadad graunted vnto king Asa and sent the captaynes of his armies to the cities of Israel and they smote Iion Dan and Abelmaim all the strong cities of Nephthali 5 And when Baasa heard this he left building of Rama and let his worke ceasse 6 And then Asa the king toke all Iuda and caryed away the stones and timber of Rama wherewith Baasa was a building and he built therewith Geba and Mispah 7 At that time Hanani the sear came to Asa king of Iuda and saide vnto him Because thou hast trusted in the king of Syria and not rather put thy trust in the Lord thy God therfore is the hoast of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hande 8 Had not the blacke Moores and Lubim an exceeding great hoast with many charettes and horsemen And yet because thou trustedst in the Lorde he deliuered them into thyne hande 9 For the eyes of the Lorde beholde all the earth to strength them that are of perfect heart toward him Herem thou hast done foolishly and therefore from hencefoorth thou shalt haue warre 10 And so Asa was wroth with the sear and put him into a prison house for he was displeased with him because of this thing And Asa destroyed certaine of the people the same season 11 And beholde these deedes of Asa first and last are written in the booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel 12 And Asa in the thirtie and ninth yere of his raigne fell sicke in his feete and that his disease continued very long And in his sickenesse he sought not the lord but phisitions 13 And Asa slept with his fathers and dyed in the fourtie and one yere of his raigne 14 And they buried him in his owne sepulchre which he had made for himselfe in the citie of Dauid and layde him in the bed which he had filled with diuers kindes of spices sweete odours made by the craft of the appothecaries and burnt very much spice about him The .xvii. Chapter 5 Iehosaphat trusting in the Lorde prospereth in richesse and honour 6 He abolisheth idolatrie 7 and causeth the people to be taught 11 He receaueth tribute of straungers 13 His munitions and men of warre 1 AND Iehosaphat his sonne raigned in his steade and preuailed against Israel 2 And he put souldiers in all the strong cities of Iuda and set rulers in the lande of Iuda and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had wonne 3 And the Lorde was with Iehosaphat because he walked in the olde wayes of his father Dauid and sought not Baalim 4 But sought the Lorde God of his father and walked in his commaundementes and not after the doinges of Israel 5 And the Lorde stablished the kingdome in his hande all they that were in Iuda brought him presentes so that he had aboundaunce of richesse and honour 6 And he lyft vp his heart vnto the wayes of the Lorde and he put downe yet more of the high places and groues out of Iuda 7 In the third yere of his raigne he sent to his lordes euen to Benhail Obadia Zacharia Nethanel and to Michaiahu that they shoulde teache in the cities of Iuda 8 And with them he sent Leuites euen Semeiahu Nethaniahu Zebadiahu Asael Semiramoth Iehonathan Adoniahu Tobiahu Tob adoniahu with them Elisama and Iehoram priestes 9 And they taught in Iuda and had the booke of the lawe of God with them and went about throughout all the cities of Iuda and taught the people 10 And the feare of the Lorde fell vpon all the kingdomes of the landes that were rounde about Iuda and they fought not against Iehosaphat 11 And some of the Philistines brought Iehosaphat giftes and tribute siluer and therto the Arabians brought him cattaile euen seuen thousand and seuen hundred rammes and seuen thousand and seuen hundred hee goates 12 And so Iehosaphat prospered and grew vp an hie And he built in Iuda castels and cities of store 13 And he had great substaunce in the cities of Iuda but the men of armes and strongest souldiers were in Hierusalem 14 And these are the offices of them in the house of their fathers the captaines ouer thousandes in Iuda Adna the captayne and with him of fighting men three hundred thousand 15 And next to his hand was Iehohanan a captayne and with him two hundred and fourescore thousand 16 And next him was Amazia the sonne of Zichri which of his owne good wyll offered him selfe vnto the Lorde and with him two hundred thousand mightie men of warre 17 And of the children of Beniamin Eliada a man of might and with him armed men with bowe and shielde two hundred thousand 18 And next him was Iehosabad and with him an hundred and fourescore thousand that were prepared for the warre 19 These wayted on the king besides those which the king put in the strong cities throughout all Iuda The .xviij. Chapter 1 Iehosaphat maketh affinitie with Ahab 1◠Foure hundreth prophetes counsell Ahab to go to warre 14 Michea is against them 23 Zedekia smiteth him 25 The king putteth him in prison 29 The effect of his prophecie 1 AND Iehosaphat had aboūdaunce of richesse and honour and ioyned affinitie with Ahab 2 And after certayne yeres he went downe to Ahab to Samaria And Ahab slue many sheepe and oxen for him and for the people that he had with him and entreated him to go vp with him vnto Ramoth in Gilead 3 And Ahab king of Israel saide vnto Iehosaphat king of Iuda wylt thou go with me to Ramoth in Gilead And he aunswered him I wyll be as thou and my people shall be as thyne and we wyll go with thee to the warre 4 And Iehosaphat saide vnto the king of Israel Seke counsel I pray thee at the worde of the Lorde this same day 5 Therfore the king of Israel gathered together of prophetes foure hundred men saide vnto them Shall we go to Ramoth in Gilead to fight or should I ceasse And they saide Go vp God shall deliuer it into the kinges hand 6 But Iehosaphat saide Is there yet here neuer a prophete more of the Lordes that we myght aske of him 7 And the king of Israel said vnto Iehosaphat There is yet one man by whō we may aske the Lorde but I hate him for he neuer prophecieth me good but alway euill and the same is Michea
which was before the kinges gate 7 And Mardocheus tolde him of al that had come vnto him of y e summe of siluer that Haman had promised to waye downe into the kinges treasurie because of the Iewes if he would destroy them 8 And he gaue him the copie of the kinges commaundement that was deuised at Susan to destroy them that he might shewe it vnto Esther and to speake to her and charge her that she should go in vnto the king make her prayer and supplication vnto him for her people 9 And when Hathach came in he tolde Esther the wordes of Mardocheus 10 And againe Esther spake vnto Hathach and commaūded him to say vnto Mardocheus 11 All the kinges seruauntes the people in the prouinces of the king knowe that whosoeuer commeth within the courte vnto the king whether it be man or woman which is not called the cōmaundement is that the same shall dye except the king holde out the golden septer vnto him for then he shall lyue As for me I haue not ben called to come in vnto the king now this thirtie dayes 12 And they certified Mardocheus of Esthers wordes 13 And Mardocheus bad say againe vnto Esther Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the kinges house more then all the Iewes 14 For if thou holdest thy peace at this time then shall the Iewes haue helpe and deliueraunce out of an other place and thou and thy fathers house shal be destroyed And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for this causes sake 15 Esther bad them geue Mardocheus this aunswere 16 Go thou thy way and gather together all the Iewes that are founde at Susan and fast ye for me that ye eate not and drinke not in three dayes neither day nor night I and my maydens wyll fast likewyse and so wyll I go into the king which thing yet is contrary to the commaundement and if I perishe I perishe 17 So Mardocheus went his way and did according to al that Esther had commaunded him ¶ The .v. Chapter 1 Esther entreth into the king and biddeth him and Haman to a feaste 11 Haman prepareth a gallous for Mardocheus 1 ANd on the third day it came to passe that Esther put on her royall apparell and stoode in the court of the kinges palace within ouer against y e kinges house and the king sat vpon his royall seate in the kinges palace ouer against the gate of the house 2 And when the king sawe Esther the queene standing in the court she founde grace in his sight And the king held out the golden scepter that was in his hand So Esther stept foorth and touched the top of the scepter 3 Then saide the king vnto her What wylt thou queene Esther and what requirest thou aske euen the halfe of the empire and it shal be geuen thee 4 And Esther aunswered If it please the king let the king and Haman come this day vnto the banket that I haue prepared for him 5 And the king saide Cause Haman to make haste that he may do as Esther hath saide So the king and Haman came to the banket that Esther had prepared 6 And the king saide vnto Esther at the banket of wine What is thy petition that it may be geuen thee And what requirest thou If it be euen the halfe of the empire it shall be done 7 Then aunswered Esther and said My petition and desire is 8 If I haue founde grace in the sight of the king and if it please the king to geue me my petition and to fulfil my request then let the king and Haman come to the banket that I shall prepare for thē and so wyl I do to morowe as the king hath saide 9 Then went Haman foorth the same day ioyfull and mery in his minde But when the same Haman sawe Mardocheus in the kinges gate that he stoode not vp nor moued for him he was ful of indignation at Mardocheus 10 Neuerthelesse Haman refrained him selfe and when he came home he sent and called for his friendes and Zares his wyfe 11 And Haman tolde them of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the thinges wherein the king had promoted him so greatly and how that he had set him aboue the princes and seruauntes of the king 12 Haman saide moreouer Yea Esther the queene did let no man come in with the king vnto the bancket that she had prepared except me and to morowe am I bidden vnto her also with the king 13 But in all this am I not satisfied as long as I see Mardocheus the Iewe sitting at the kinges gate 14 Then saide Zares his wyfe and all his friendes vnto him Let them make a galous of fiftie cubites hie and to morowe speake thou vnto the king that Mardocheus may be hanged thereon then go thou in meryly with the king vnto the banket And Haman was well content withall and caused the galous to be made The .vi. Chapter 1 The king turneth ouer the chronicles and findeth the fidelitie of Mardocheus 10 and commaundeth Haman to cause Mardocheus to be had in honour 1 THe same night coulde not the king sleepe and he commaunded to bring the chronicles and stories and they were read before the king 2 Then it was founde written howe Mardocheus had tolde that Bigthana There 's the kinges two chamberlaynes which kept the thresholdes sought to laye handes on king Ahasuerus 3 And the king saide What honour and dignitie hath ben geuen to Mardocheus therfore Then saide the kinges seruaūtes that ministred vnto him There is nothing at all done for him 4 And the king saide Who is in the court for Haman was come into the court without before the kinges house that he might speake vnto the king to hang Mardocheus on the tree that he had prepared for him 5 And the kinges seruauntes saide vnto him Beholde Haman standeth in the court And the king saide let him come in 6 And when Haman came in the king saide vnto him what shal be done vnto the man whom the king would faine bring vnto worship Haman thought in his heart Whom desireth the king to bring vnto worship more then me 7 And Haman aunswered the king Let the man whom the king pleaseth to bring vnto worship be brought hither 8 That he may be arayed with the royall garmentes which the king vseth to weare and the horse that the king rydeth vpon and that the crowne royall may be set vpon his head 9 And let this rayment and horse be deliuered vnder the hande of one of the kinges most noble princes that they may aray the man withal whom the king is disposed to bring to honour and cary him vpon the horse through the streete of the citie and proclayme before him Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king pleaseth to bring to honour 10 And the king saide to Haman Make
haste and take as thou hast saide the rayment and the horse and do euen so vnto Mardocheus the Iewe that sitteth before the kinges gate and let nothing faile of all that thou hast spoken 11 Then toke Haman the rayment and the horse and arayed Mardocheus and brought him on horsebacke through the streete of the citie and proclaymed before him Euen this shall it be done vnto the man whom the king is disposed to honour 12 And Mardocheus came againe to the kinges gate but Haman gat him home in all the haste mourning and his head couered 13 And tolde Zares his wyfe and all his friendes euery thing that had befallen him Then saide his wise men and Zares his wyfe vnto him If it be Mardocheus of the seede of the Iewes before whō thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not preuaile against him but shalt surely fall before him 14 And whyle they were yet talking with him came the kinges chamberlaynes caused Haman to make hast to come vnto the banket that Esther had prepared ¶ The .vij. Chapter ◠The queene biddeth the king and Haman againe and prayeth for her selfe and her people 6 She accuseth Haman and he is hanged on the galous which he had prepared for Mardocheus 1 AND the king and Haman came to bancket with the queene Esther 2 And the king saide againe vnto Esther on the seconde day at the bancket of wine What is thy petition queene Esther that it may be geuen thee And what requirest thou if it be euen to the halfe of the empire it shal be done 3 And Esther the queene aunswered and saide If I haue found grace in thy sight O king and if it please the king then graunt me my lyfe at my desire and my people for my petitions sake 4 For we are solde I and my people to be destroyed to be slaine and to perishe And would God that we were solde to be bondmen and bondwomen then would I holde my tongue although the enemie coulde not recompence the kinges losse 5 The king Ahasuerus aunswered and saide vnto queene Esther Who is he And where is he that dare presume in his minde to do after that maner 6 And Esther saide the enemie and aduersarie is this wicked Haman Then Haman was exceedingly afrayde before the king and the queene 7 And the king arose from the bancket and from the wine in his displeasure and went into the palace garden And Haman stoode vp and besought queene Esther for his lyfe for he saw that there was a mischiefe prepared for him of the king alreadie 8 And when the king came againe out of the palace gardē into the place where they dranke wine Haman had layde him vpon the bed that Esther sate vpon Then saide the king wil he force the queene also before me in the house As soone as that worde went out of the kinges mouth they couered Hamans face 9 And Harbona one of the chamberlaynes that stoode before the king said◠Beholde there standeth yet a galous in Hamans house fiftie cubites hye which he had made for Mardocheus that spake good for the king Then the king saide Hang him thereon 10 So they hanged Haman on the galous that he had made for Mardocheus Then was the kinges wrath pacified ¶ The .viii. Chapter 1 After the death of Haman was Mardocheus exalted 14 Comfortable letters are sent vnto the Iewes 1 THe same day did king Ahasuerus geue the house of Haman the Iewes enemie vnto queene Esther and Mardocheus came before the king for Esther tolde what he was vnto her 2 And the king toke of his ring which he had taken from Haman and gaue it vnto Mardocheus And Esther sette Mardocheus ouer the house of Haman 3 And Esther spake yet more before the king and fel downe at his feete weping and besought him that he would put away the wickednesse of Haman the Agagite and his deuice that he had imagined against the Iewes 4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther Then rose Esther and stode before the king 5 And saide if it please the king and if I haue founde grace in his sight and if it be acceptable before the king and I please him then let it be writtē that the letters of the deuise of Haman the sonne of Hamadatha the Agagite may be called againe which letters he wrote to destroy the Iewes which are in all the kinges prouinces 6 For how can I suffer and see the euill that shall come vnto my people or how can I beare and loke vpon the destruction of my kindred 7 And the king Ahasuerus saide vnto queene Esther and to Mardocheus the Iewe Beholde I haue geuen Esther the house of Haman whom they haue hanged vpon a tree because he layde hand vpon the Iewes 8 Write ye also for the Iewes as it lyketh you in the kinges name and seale it with the kinges ring For the writinges that were written in the kinges name and sealed with the kinges ring durst no man disanul 9 Then were the kinges scribes called at the same time euen in the thirde moneth that is the moneth Swan on the three and twentie day thereof and it was written according to all as Mardocheus commaūded vnto the Iewes and to the princes to the debuties and captaynes in the prouinces which are from India vnto Ethiopia namely an hundred twentie and seuen prouinces vnto euery prouince according to the writing thereof and vnto euery people after their speach and to the Iewes according to their writing and language 10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus name sealed it with the kinges ring and by postes that rode vpon horses and swyft young Mules sent he the writinges 11 Wherin the king graunted the Iewes in what cities soeuer they were to gather themselues together and to stand for their lyfe and for to roote out to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and prouince that woulde trouble them both children and women and to spoyle their goodes 12 Vpon one day in all the prouinces of king Ahasuerus namely vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth which is the moneth Adar 13 The summe of the writing was how there shoulde be a commaundement geuen in all and euery prouince and published among all people and that the Iewes should be redy against that day to auenge them selues on their enemies 14 And so the postes that rode vpon the swyft Horses and Mules made haste with all speede to execute the kinges word and the commaundement was deuised in Susan the chiefe citie 15 And Mardocheus went out from the king in royall apparell of yelowe and white with a great crowne of golde being arayed with a garment of silke and purple and the citie of Susan reioysed and was glad 16 And vnto the Iewes there was come light and gladnesse ioy and worship 17 In all prouinces and cities into what places soeuer the kinges word and commaundement
euer he had before 1 IN thee O God I haue put my trust let me neuer be put to confusion ridde me and deliuer me in thy ryghteousnesse incline thine eare vnto me and saue me 2 Be thou my strong holde whervnto I may alway resort thou hast geuen a charge to saue me for thou art my house of defence and my castell 3 Delyuer me O my Lorde out of the hande of the vngodly out of the hande of the vnryghteous and cruell man 4 For thou O Lorde God art the thyng that I long for thou art my hope euen from my youth 5 Through thee haue I ben mayntayned euer since I was borne thou art he that toke me out of my mothers wombe my praise shal be alway of thee 6 I am become as it were a monster vnto many but my sure trust is in thee 7 Oh let my mouth be fylled with thy prayse and glorie all the day long 8 Cast me not away in the tyme of age forsake me not when my strength fayleth me 9 For myne enemies speake against me and they that lay awayte for my soule take their counsayle together 10 They say the Lorde hath forsaken hym do you persecute hym and take hym for there is none to delyuer hym 11 Go not farre from me O Lorde haste thee O my Lorde to helpe me 12 Let them be confounded let them be brought to naught that are agaynst my soule let them be couered with shame and dishonour that seke to do me euyll 13 As for me I wyll patiently wayte alway and I wyll prayse thee more and more 14 My mouth shall dayly speake of thy ryghteousnesse and saluation for I knowe no ende therof 15 I wyll go foorth in the strength of the Lorde God and I wyll only make mention of thy ryghteousnesse 16 Thou O God hast taught me from my youth and hytherto I can well declare thy wonderous workes 17 Wherfore whylest I am olde and am gray headed O Lorde forsake me not vntyll I haue shewed thy arme vnto this generation and thy power to all them that are yet for to come 18 And vntyll I haue exceedyngly exalted O Lorde thy ryghteousnesse for great thynges are they that thou hast done O Lorde who is lyke vnto thee 19 Which hast made me to feele many great troubles and aduersities yet returnyng thou hast reuyued me yea returnyng thou hast caused me to come out from the bottome of the earth 20 Thou hast brought me to greater honour then I had before thou returnyng hast comforted me on euery syde 21 Therfore I wyll confesse vnto thee thy trueth O Lorde playing vpon an instrument of musicke vnto thee I wyl syng psalmes vpon the harpe O thou most holy God of Israel 22 My lyppes wyll be ioyfull when I syng vnto thee and so wyll my soule which thou hast redeemed 23 My tongue also shal talke of thy righteousnesse all the day long for they are confounded and brought vnto shame that seke to do me euyll ¶ The argument of the .lxxij. Psalme ¶ The prophete in the name of the whole Church prayeth that the kyngdome promised vnto hym may come which is the kyngdome of Iesus Christe He declareth that then there shal be peace the number of the iust shall increase so that all nations shal be subiect vnto hym He setteth foorth the affection of the people towarde their kyng the aboundaunce of all thinges in his kingdome so that his name shall endure for euer ⧠Of Solomon 1 O God geue vnto the kyng thy iudgementes and thy ryghteousnesse vnto the kynges sonne 2 Then he wyll iudge thy people accordyng vnto iustice and thy afflicted accordyng to equitie 3 The mountaynes also and hylles shall bryng peace to the people by the meanes of ryghteousnesse 4 He wyll iudge the afflicted amongst the people he wyll saue the children of the poore and subdue the oppressour 5 They wyll feare thee as long as the sunne and moone shyneth from one generation to another 6 He wyll come downe lyke the rayne into a fleece of wooll euen as the droppes that water the earth 7 In his dayes the ryghteous wyll florishe and there shal be aboundaunce of peace so long as the moone endureth 8 His dominion also shal be from the one sea to the other and from the fludde vnto the ende of the earth 9 They that dwell in the wildernesse shal kneele before him his enemies shal licke the dust 10 The kyng of Tharsis and of the Iles shall offer presentes the kynges of Sheba Seba shall bring giftes 11 All kynges wyll worshyp hym all nations wyll do hym seruice 12 For he wyll delyuer the poore when he cryeth and the afflicted and hym that hath no helper 13 He wyll haue compassion vpon the poore and needy and he wyll preserue the soules of the poore 14 He wyll delyuer their soules from deceipt and oppression and their blood shal be in his syght 15 He wyll lyue and he wyll geue to the * poore of the golde of Sheba and he wyll pray alwayes for hym and dayly he wyll blesse hym 16 A handfull of corne shall be sowed in the earth vpon the toppe of hylles and the fruite therof shall make a noyse lyke Libanus and shall florishe in the citie lyke grasse vpon the earth 17 His name shall endure for euer his name shal be spread abrode to the world so long as the sunne shall shyne all nations shal be blessed in hym and shall call hym blessed 18 Blessed be God the Lorde the Lorde of Israel which only doth wonderous thynges 19 And blessed be the name of his maiestie for euer and all the earth shal be fylled with his maiestie Amen Amen ¶ Here endeth the prayers of Dauid the sonne of Isai ⧠The argument of the .lxxiii. psalme ¶ The prophete for the comfort of the Godly vttereth what offences spryng of the prosperitie of the wicked declaryng withall that they haue a wretched ende and that the ende of such as be afflicted in this worlde for ryghteousnesse is happy although that he knoweth not the cause of the affliction of the one or the prosperitie of the other He setteth foorth the pryde of the vngodly and the goodnesse and prouidence of God towardes hym at all tymes ¶ A psalme of Asaph 1 TRuely the Lorde is very good vnto Israel vnto such as haue a cleane heart 2 Neuerthelesse my feete were almost gone from me my steppes had almost slypt 3 For I enuied at the case of the foolishe I sawe the wicked flowe in all kynde of prosperitie 4 For there be no bondes of death that can holde them and the galaries of their houses be strong 5 They come in no misfortune lyke other folke neither are they plagued lyke other men 6 And this is the cause that pride compasse them rounde about and crueltie couereth them as a garment 7 Their eyes
calamitie can hurt them God mightily preserueth them in all afflictions and temptations He promiseth those that knowe hym loue hym and honour hym in callyng vpon hym for helpe in their neede that they shal be hearde deliuered brought to honour they shall haue long lyfe in this worlde and after this lyfe they shal be saued both body and soule 1 WHosoeuer sitteth vnder the couer of the most highest he shal abide vnder the shadowe of the almightie 2 I wyll say vnto God thou art my hope and my fortresse my Lorde in whom I wyll trust 3 For he wyll delyuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence 4 He wyll couer thee vnder his wynges thou shalt be safe vnder his fethers his faythfulnesse shal be thy shielde and buckler 5 Thou shalt not be afrayde of any terrour of the nyght nor of any arrowe that fleeth by day 6 Nor of any pestilence that walketh in the darknesse nor of any deadly fyt that destroyeth at hygh noone 7 A thousande shall fall beside thee and ten thousande at thy ryght hande but it shall not come nygh thee 8 Thou only with thine eyes shalt beholde see the rewarde of the vngodly 9 For thou O God art my hope thou hast set thine habitation very hygh 10 There shall no euyll lyght on thee neither shall any plague come nye thy dwellyng 11 For he wyll geue his angels charge ouer thee to kepe thee in all thy wayes 12 They wyll beare thee in their handes that thou hurt not thy foote agaynst a stone 13 Thou shalt set thy foote vppon the Lion and Adder the young Lion and the Dragon thou shalt treade vnder thy feete 14 Because he hath set greatly his loue vpon me therfore wyll I deliuer hym I wyll set hym vp out of all daunger because he hath knowen my name 15 He shall call vpon me and I wyll heare hym yea I am with hym in trouble I wyll deliuer hym and bryng hym to honour 16 I wyll satisfie hym with a long lyfe and I wyll cause hym to see my saluation ¶ The argument of the .xcij. Psalme ¶ It seemeth that the prophete made this psalme to be song vnto the people vpon the Sabbath dayes for to stirre them vp the better to knowe God and to prayse God in his workes He commendeth the settyng foorth of Gods prayse in musicall instrumentes He reioyceth much and wondereth at Gods workes But the foole vnderstandeth not that the wicked be they neuer so fortunate shall come to a wretched ende for the wicked shal be destroyed and the godly shall prosper The greatest felicitie that the iust hath in this lyfe is to be planted in the house of God there continually for to prayse hym ¶ A Psalme the song for the sabbath day 1 IT is a good thyng to confesse vnto God and to syng psalmes vnto thy name O thou most hyghest 2 To set foorth in wordes thy louyng kyndnesse early in the mornyng and thy trueth in the nyght season 3 Vpon an instrument of ten strynges and vpon the Lute vpon the Harpe with a solemne sounde 4 For thou God hast made me glad thorowe thy workes I do reioyce in the workes of thy handes 5 O God howe glorious are thy workes thy thoughtes are very depe 6 An vnwise man doth not consider this and a foole doth not vnderstande it 7 Wheras the vngodly do bud vp greene as the grasse and wheras all workers of iniquitie do florishe that they notwithstandyng shal be destroyed for euer and euer 8 But thou O God art the most highest for euermore 9 For lo thine enemies O God lo thine enemies shall perishe all the workers of wickednesse shal be destroyed 10 But my horne shal be exalted lyke the horne of an vnicorne for I am annoynted with excellent oyle 11 And myne eye shall see those that lye in wayte for me myne eare shall heare the malitious persons that rise vp agaynst me 12 The ryghteous shall florishe lyke a paulme tree and shall spread abroade like a Cedar in Libanus 13 Such as be planted in the house of God shall florishe in the courtes of our Lorde 14 They shall styll bryng foorth fruite in their age they shal be fat and florishyng 15 For to set foorth in wordes that God is vpright he is my rocke and no iniquitie is in hym ⧠The argument of the .xciii. psalme ¶ The prophete prayseth the mightinesse of the maiestie of God which is declared from the beginning of the world partly by the wonderful continuaunce of creatures made in it and partly by testifiyng his wyll cōmaundementes and holynesse to his people 1 GOd raigneth he is clothed with a glorious maiestie God is clothed with strength he hath girded hym selfe he hath made the worlde so sure that it can not be moued 2 Euer since the worlde began thy throne hath ben set sure thou art from euerlastyng 3 The fluddes are risen O God the fluddes haue lyft vp their noyse the fluddes haue lyft vp their waues 4 God which is on high is more puissaūt then the noyse of many waters then the mightie waues of the sea 5 Thy testimonies are most certayne holynesse is an ornament to thine house O God in all tymes ¶ The argument of the .xciiii. Psalme ¶ The prophete calleth vpon God earnestly for to take avengeaunce of the wicked who do afflict the innocent without cause He complayneth of their outragiousnesse and tiranny He reproueth them of foolishnesse in that they thynke and say that God seeth them not for God knoweth their wickednesse and seeth their priuie thoughtes And in punishyng them he shall cause the good to lyue vprightly who fyndeth no ayde against the wicked but only God For God fauoureth no iniquitie it is he that wyll destroy all them that oppresse the innocent 1 O God the Lord of all auengeaunce the Lorde of all auengeaunce shewe thy glorious maiestie 2 Be exalted O thou iudge of the world and rewarde the proude after their deseruyng 3 O God howe long shall the vngodly howe long shall the vngodly triumph 4 All such as be workers of iniquitie they babble they prate stoutly they make boastes of them selues 5 They oppresse thy people O God and they afflict thine heritage 6 They murther the wyddowe and the straunger put the fatherlesse to death 7 And they say tushe the Lorde seeth it not neither doth the God of Iacob vnderstande it 8 Vnderstande ye vnwyse among the people O ye fooles when wyll ye be well aduised 9 He that hath planted the eare shall he not heare yf he shapeth the eye shall he not see 10 He that chasteneth the heathen shall not he punishe it is he that teacheth man knowledge 11 God knoweth the thoughtes of man that they are but vanitie 12 Blessed is the man O Lorde whom thou wylt chasten and whom thou wylt instruct in thy lawe 13 That thou mayest geue hym patience in
felicitie of thy chosen that I may reioyce at the gladnes of thy people and that I may glorie with thyne inheritaunce 6 We haue sinned with our fathers we haue done amisse and dealt wickedly 7 Our fathers did not well consider thy wonders in Egypt neither did they remember thy manifolde great goodnes but they rebelled at the sea euen at the red sea 8 Neuerthelesse he saued them for his names sake that he myght make his power to be knowen 9 And he rebuked the red sea and it was dryed vp so he led them through the deepe as through a wyldernesse 10 And he saued them from the hande of suche as hated them redeemed them from the hande of the enemie 11 As for their aduersaries the waters ouerwhelmed them there was not one of them left remayning 12 Then beleued they his wordes and song prayse vnto him 13 But within a very short whyle they forgat his workes they woulde not wayte for his counsell 14 And they were taken with a great lust in the wyldernesse and they tempted God in the desert 15 And he gaue them their desire and sent leannes withal into their soule 16 They enuied also at Moyses in the tentes and at Aaron the saint of God 17 So the earth opened and swalowed vp Dathan and couered the company of Abiram 18 And the fire was kindled in their company the flambe brent vp the vngodly 19 They made a calfe in Horeb and worshipped the moulten image 20 Thus they turned their glory into the similitude of a calfe that eateth hay 21 They forgat God their sauiour who had done so great thynges in Egypt wonderous workes in y e land of Cham and terrible thinges at the red sea 22 Wherfore he appointed to destroy them had not Moyses his chosen stand in the breache before hym to turne away his wrathful indignation lest he should destroy them 23 Yea they thought scorne of the lande most to be desired they gaue no credite vnto his worde 24 But they murmured in their tentes they would not hearken vnto the voyce of God 25 Then lift he vp his hand against them to geue them an ouerthrowe in the wildernesse to geue their seede an ouerthrowe amongst the nations and to scatter them in sundry landes 26 They ioyned them selues vnto Baal Peor they also did eate of the sacrifices of the dead 27 And they prouoked the Lorde vnto anger with their owne inuentions and a plague fell mightily amongst them 28 Then stoode vp Phinehes he executed iustice and so the plague ceassed 29 And that was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse in generation and generation for euermore 30 They also prouoked God at the waters of strife and all was not well with Moyses for their sakes 31 For they had caused an alteration to be of his spirite so that he spake vnaduisedly with his lippes 32 Moreouer they destroyed not the Heathen as God commaunded them 33 But they were mingled amongst the Heathen and learned their workes 34 Insomuch that they dyd seruice vnto their idols whiche were to theÌ„ a snare 35 Yea they sacrifised their sonnes and their daughters vnto deuils 36 And they shed innocent blood euen the blood of their sonnes and of their daughters whom they sacrifised vnto the idols of Chanaan and the lande was defiled with blood 37 Thus were they stayned with their owne workes and went a whoryng with their owne inuentions 38 Therfore was the wrath of God kindeled against his people insomuch that he abhorred his owne inheritaunce 39 And he gaue them ouer into the hand of the Heathen and they that dyd hate them were lordes ouer them 40 Their enemies oppressed them and brought them into subiection vnder their hande 41 Many a time dyd God deliuer them but they rebelled against hym with their owne inuentions and were brought downe for their wickednes 42 Neuerthelesse he did beholde them in their aduersitie in geuing eare to their complaint 43 And he remembred his couenaunt and repented according to the multitude of his mercies 44 Yea he made all those that led them away captiue to pitie them 45 Saue vs O God our Lorde and gather vs from among the Heathen that we may geue thankes to thy holy name and glory of thy prayse 46 Blessed be God the Lord of Israel froÌ„ world to world without end and let all people say so be it Prayse ye the Lord. The argument of the .cvii. psalme ¶ The prophete exhorteth all men to prayse God and to thanke God for it is he that helpeth them in all distresses when they crye vnto him He prouideth houses and cities for them that els would wander as vagabondes in wyldernesse He satisfieth the hungry and the thirstie He setteth at libertie prisoners and captiues He healeth the sicke and diseased He comforteth and helpeth those that be in ieoperdie of seas He maketh a fruitfull lande barren a barren grounde fruitfull He bringeth princes to lowe estate setteth vp the poore in honour At these things the godly reioyseth the mouth of the wicked is stopped 1 COnfesse you it vnto God for he is gratious and his mercy endureth for euer 2 Let such as God did redeme speake whom he hath redeemed from the hande of the enemie 3 And whom he gathered out of the landes from the east and from the west from the north and from the south 4 They went astray out of the way in solitarines â—andâ— in wildernes and found no citie to dwell in they were hungry and thirstie their soule fainted in them 5 And they cry vnto god in their trouble who deliuereth them froÌ„ their distresse 6 And he leadeth them foorth by the right way that they might go to the citie inhabited 7 O that men would confesse vnto God his louyng kindnesse and his marueylous actes done to the chyldren of men 8 For he satisfieth the greedie soule and filleth the hungry soule with goodnes 9 Suche as fit in darknesse and in the shadowe of death beyng fast bounde in miserie and iron 10 Because they went from the wordes of the Lorde and lightly regarded the counsayle of the most highest 11 Therfore he humbled their heart thorowe heauines they fall downe and there is none to helpe them 12 And they cry vnto god in their trouble who deliuereth theÌ„ out of their distresse 13 For he bringeth them out of darknesse and out of the shadowe of death and breaketh their bondes in sunder 14 O that men would confesse vnto God his louing kindnes and his marueylous actes done to the chyldren of men 15 For he breaketh the gates of brasse smyteth the barres of iron in sunder 16 Foolish men are plagued for their mischeuous wayes for their wickednes 17 Their soule abhorreth all maner of meate and they be euen harde at deathes doore 18 And they crye vnto God in their trouble who deliuereth them
her house is enclined vnto death and her pathes vnto hell 19 All they that go in vnto her come not agayne neither take they holde of the way of life 20 Therefore walke thou in the way of suche as be vertuous kepe the pathes of the righteous 21 For the iust shall dwell in the lande they that be perfect shall remaine in it 22 But the vngodly shall be cut of from the earth and the wicked doers shal be rooted out of it The .iii. Chapter 1 The worde of God geueth lyfe 5 Trust in God 7 Feare hym 9 Honour hym 11 Suffer his correction 22 To them that folowe the worde of God all thinges shall succeede well 1 MY sonne forget not thou my lawe but see that thyne heart kepe my commaundementes 2 For they shal prolong the dayes and yeres of thy life and bryng thee peace 3 Let mercy and faythfulnes neuer go from thee binde them about thy necke and wryte them in the tables of thyne heart 4 So shalt thou finde fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and men 5 Put thy trust in God with all thyne heart leane not vnto thyne owne wit 6 In all thy wayes acknowledge hym and he shall order thy goynges 7 Be not wyse in thyne owne conceipt but feare the Lorde and depart from euyll 8 So shall thy nauell be whole and thy bones strong 9 Honour the Lorde with thy substaunce and with the firstlinges of all thyne encrease 10 So shall thy barnes be filled with plenteousnes and thy presses shall flow ouer with sweete wine 11 My sonne refuse not the chastening of the Lorde neither faynt when thou art corrected of hym 12 For whom the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth and yet deliteth in him euen as a father in his owne sonne 13 Well is hym that findeth wysdome and getteth vnderstandyng 14 For the marchaundise of it is better then the marchaundise of siluer and the gayne therof is better then golde 15 She is more worth then pretious stones and all the thinges that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her 16 In her right hande is long life and in her left hande riches and honour 17 Her wayes are pleasaunt wayes and all her pathes are peaceable 18 She is a tree of lyfe to them that lay holde vpon her and blessed is he that kepeth her fast 19 With wysdome hath the Lorde layde the foundation of the earth and thorow vnderstanding hath he stablished the heauens 20 Thorow his knowledge the deapthes are broken vp and the cloudes droppe downe the deawe 21 My sonne let not these thinges depart from thyne eyes but kepe wysdome and vnderstanding 22 So they shall be lyfe vnto thy soule and grace vnto thy mouth 23 Then shalt thou walke safely in thy way and thy foote shall not stumble 24 If thou sleepest thou shalt not be afraide but shalt take thy rest and sleepe sweetely 25 Thou shalt not be afraide of any sodayne feare neither for the violent rushing in of the vngodly when it commeth 26 For the Lorde shall stande by thy side kepe thy foote that thou be not taken 27 Withdraw no good thyng from them that haue nede so long as thyne hande is able to do it 28 Say not vnto thy neyghbour go thy way and come agayne and to morowe wyll I geue thee where as thou hast nowe to geue hym 29 Intende no hurt against thy neyghbour seing he hopeth to dwell in rest by thee 30 Striue not with any man without a cause where as he hath done thee no harme 31 Folowe not a wicked man and chose none of his wayes 32 For the Lord abhorreth the froward but his counsayle is among the righteous 33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the vngodly but he blesseth the dwellinges of the righteous 34 As for the scornfull doth he not laugh them to scorne but he geueth grace vnto the lowly 35 The wyse shall haue honour in possession but shame is the promotion that fooles shall haue ¶ The .iiij. Chapter 1 Wysdome and her fruites ought to be searched 14 The way of the wicked must be refused 20 By the worde of God the heart eyes and course of life must be guyded 1 HEare O ye chyldren a fatherly instruction take good heede that ye may learne vnderstanding 2 For I haue geuen you a good doctrine forsake not ye my lawe 3 For when I my selfe was my fathers deare sonne and tenderly beloued of my mother 4 He taught me also and sayde vnto me let thyne heart receaue my wordes kepe my commaundementes and thou shalt liue 5 Get thee wysdome and get thee vnderstanding forget not the wordes of my mouth and shrinke not from them 6 Forsake her not and she shall preserue thee loue her and she shall kepe thee 7 The chiefe poynt of wysdome is to possesse wysdome and before all thy goodes to get thee vnderstanding 8 Make much of her and she shall promote thee yea if thou embrace her she shall bryng thee vnto honour 9 She shal beautifie thy head with manyfolde graces and garnishe thee with a crowne of glory 10 Heare my sonne and receaue my wordes and the yeres of thy life shal be many 11 I haue shewed thee the way of wysdome led thee into the right pathes 12 So that if thou goest in them there shall no straitnesse hinder thee when thou runnest thou shalt not fall 13 Take fast holde of doctrine and let her not go kepe her for she is thy life 14 Come not in the pathe of the vngodlye and walke not in the way of the wicked 15 Abhorre it and go not therein depart aside and passe ouer by it 16 For they sleepe not except they haue done mischiefe and sleepe is taken from them vntyll they haue done harme 17 For they eate the bread of wickednes and drinke the wine of robberie 18 The path of the righteous shineth as the light that is euer bryghter and bryghter vnto the perfect day 19 But the way of the vngodly is as the darkenesse they knowe not where they fall 20 My sonne marke my wordes and encline thyne eare vnto my sayinges 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes but kepe them euen in the middest of thyne heart 22 For they are life vnto those that finde them and health vnto all their bodyes 23 Kepe thyne heart with all diligence for out of it issueth lyfe 24 Put away from thee a frowarde mouth and let the lippes of slaunder be farre from thee 25 Let thyne eyes beholde that thyng that is right and let thyne eye liddes loke straight before thee 26 Ponder the path of thy feete and let all thy wayes be ordred aright 27 Turne not aside neither to the right hande nor to the left but wihholde thy foote from euyll The .v. Chapter 3 Whordome forbidden 9 and prodigalitie 15 He
wylleth a man to lyue on his labour and to helpe others 18 To loue his wyfe 22 The wicked taken in their owne wickednes 1 MY sonne geue heede vnto my wisdome and bowe thyne eare vnto my prudence 2 That thou mayest regarde good counsell and that thy lippes may kepe knowledge 3 For the lippes of a straunge woman are a dropping hony combe and her throte is more glistering then oyle 4 But at the laste she is as bitter as wormewood and as sharpe as a two edged sworde 5 Her feete go downe vnto death and her steppes pearce thorowe vnto hell 6 Perchaunce thou wylt ponder the path of her lyfe so vnstedfast are her wayes that thou canst not know them 7 Heare me nowe therefore O ye chyldren and depart not from the wordes of my mouth 8 Kepe thy way farre from her come not nigh the doores of her house 9 That thou geue not thy honour vnto other and thy yeres to the cruell 10 That other men be not filled with thy vertues and that thy labours come not in a straunge house 11 Yea that thou mourne not at the last when thou hast spent thy bodye and lustie youth and then say 12 Alas why hated I nurture why did my heart dispise correction 13 Wherefore was not I obedient vnto the voyce of my teachers and hearkened not vnto them that enfourmed me 14 I was come almost into all misfortune in the middest of the multitude and congregation 15 Drinke of the water of thyne owne well and of the riuers that runne out of thyne owne spring 16 Let thy welles flowe out abrode that there may be riuers of waters in the streates 17 But let them be onlye thyne owne and not straungers with thee 18 Let thy well be blessed and be glad with the wyfe of thy youth 19 Let her be as the louyng Hinde and pleasaunt Roe let her breastes alway satisfie thee and holde thee euer content with her loue 20 Why wylt thou my sonne haue pleasure in a straunge woman and embrace the bosome of a straunger 21 For euery mans wayes are open in the sight of the Lord and he pondereth all their goynges 22 The wickednes of the vngodly shall catche him selfe and with the snares of his owne sinne shall he be trapped 23 He shall dye without amendement and for his great foolishnes he shall go astray ¶ The .vi. Chapter 1 Instruction for sureties 6 The slouthfull and sluggishe is stirred to worke 1◠He discribeth the nature of the wicked 16 The thinges that God hateth 2◠To obserue the worde of God 24 To flee adulterie 1 MY sonne if thou be suretie for thy neyghbour and hast fastened thyne hande for another man 2 Thou art bounde with thine owne wordes and taken with thine owne speach 3 Therfore my sonne do this and thou shalt be discharged When thou art come into thy neyghbours daunger go thy wayes then soone humble thy selfe and with thy frendes intreate thy creditour 4 Let not thyne eyes sleepe nor thyne eye liddes slumber 5 Saue thy self as a Doe from the hand of the hunter and as a byrde from the hande of the fouler 6 Go to the emmet thou sluggarde consider her wayes and learne to be wyse 7 She hath no guyde nor ouerseer nor ruler 8 Yet in the sommer she prouideth her meate and gathereth her foode together in the haruest 9 Howe long wylt thou sleepe thou sluggishe man When wylt thou aryse out of thy sleepe 10 Yea sleepe on still a litle slumber a litle folde thyne handes together yet a litle that thou mayest sleepe 11 So shall pouertie come vnto thee as one that trauayleth by the way and necessitie like a weaponed man 12 An vngodly person a wicked man goeth with a frowarde mouth 13 He winketh with his eyes he tokeneth with his feete he teacheth with his fingers 14 He is euer imagining mischiefe and frowardnes in his heart and causeth discorde 15 Therefore shall his destruction come hastyly vpon hym sodainly shall he be all to broken and not be healed 16 These sixe thinges doth the Lorde hate and the seuenth he vtterly abhorreth 17 A proude loke a lying tongue handes that shed innocent blood 18 An heart that goeth about wicked imaginations feete that be swyft in running to mischiefe 19 A false witnesse that bringeth vp lyes and hym that soweth discorde among brethren 20 My sonne kepe thy fathers commaundement and forsake not the lawe of thy mother 21 Tye them continually in thyne heart and bynde them about thy necke 22 That shall leade thee when thou goest preserue thee when thou art asleepe and when thou awakest talke with thee 23 For the commaundement is a lanterne and the lawe a light yea chastening and nurture is the way of life 24 That they may kepe thee from the euyll woman and from the flattering tongue of the straunge woman 25 Lust not after her beautie in thyne heart lest thou be taken with her fayre lokes 26 By an harlot a man is brought to beg his bread and a woman wyll hunte for the pretious life of man 27 May a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be brent 28 Or can one go vpon hotte coales and his feete not be brent 29 Euen so whosoeuer goeth in to his neyghbours wife and toucheth her can not be vngiltie 30 Men do not vtterly despise a thiefe that stealeth to satisfie his soule when he is hungrie 31 But if he may be gotten he restoreth agayne seuen tymes as muche or els he maketh recompence with all the good of his house 32 But whoso committeth adultrie with a woman lacketh vnderstanding and he that doth it destroyeth his owne soule 33 He getteth him selfe a plague and dishonour and his reproche shall neuer be put out 34 For the ielousie and wrath of the man wyll not be entreated 35 No though thou wouldest offer hym great gyftes to make amendes he wyll not receaue them ¶ The .vij. Chapter 1 An exhortation to wysdome and to the worde of God 5 Whiche wyll preserue vs from the harlot 6 Whose maners are discribed 1 MY sonne kepe my words and lay vp my commaundements by thee 2 Kepe my commaundementes my lawe euen as the apple of thyne eye and thou shalt liue 3 Binde them vpon thy fingers and wryte them in the table of thyne heart 4 Say vnto wysdome thou art my sister and call vnderstanding thy kinsewoman 5 That they may kepe thee from the straunge woman and from the forraine woman which geueth sweete wordes 6 For at the windowe of my house I loked through the windowe 7 And behelde among the simple people and among the chyldren a young man voyde of wyt 8 Goyng ouer the streate by the corner in the way towarde her house 9 In the twylight of the euening when it began nowe to be night and darke 10 And behold there met hym a
she let hym come hyther and to the vnwyse she saith 17 Stolen waters are sweete the bread that is priuily eaten hath a good taste 18 And he doth not consider that they are but dead whiche be there and that her ghestes are in the deepe of hell The .x. Chapter ¶ In this chapter and all that folowe vnto the thirteeth the wise man exhorteth by diuers sentences which he calleth parables to folowe vertue flee vice and sheweth also what profite commeth of wisdome and what hinderaunce proceedeth of foolishnes 1 A Wyse sonne maketh a glad father but an vndiscrete sonne is an heauinesse vnto his mother 2 Treasures that are wickedly gotten profite nothing but righteousnesse deliuereth from death 3 The Lorde wyll not let the soule of the righteous suffer hunger but he taketh away the richesse of the vngodly 4 An idle hande maketh poore but a quicke labouring hande maketh riche 5 Who so gathereth in sommer is wyse but he that is sluggishe in haruest bringeth hym selfe to confusion 6 Blessinges are vpon the head of the righteous and the mouth of the vngodly kepeth mischiefe in secrete 7 The memoriall of the iust shall haue a good report but the name of the vngodly shall stincke 8 A wyse man wyll receaue warning but a prating foole shal be punished 9 He that walketh vprightly walketh surely but whoso goeth a wrong way shal be knowen 10 He that winketh with his eye wyll cause sorowe but he that hath a foolishe mouth shal be beaten 11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life but the mouth of the vngodly kepeth mischiefe in secrete 12 Hatred stirreth vp strifes but loue couereth the multitude of sinnes 13 In the lippes of him that hath vnderstanding a man shall finde wysdome but the rod belongeth to the backe of the foolishe 14 Wyse men lay vp knowledge but the mouth of the foolish is nye destruction 15 The riche mans goodes are his strong holde but their owne pouertie feareth the poore 16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to lyfe but the fruites of the vngodly to sinne 17 Nurture kepeth the way of lyfe but he that refuseth to be nurtured deceaueth hym selfe 18 He that hydeth hatred with lying lippes and he that speaketh slaunder is a foole 19 Where much babblyng is there must needes be offence and he that refrayneth his lippes is wyse 20 The tongue of the iust man is as tried siluer but the heart of the vngodly is a thyng of naught 21 The lippes of the ryghteous feede a whole multitude but fooles shall dye in their owne follie 22 The blessyng of the Lorde maketh riche and bryngeth no sorowe of heart with it 23 A foole doth wickedly and maketh but a sport of it but wisdome ruleth the man that hath vnderstandyng 24 The thing that the vngodly is afraide of shall come vpon hym but the ryghteous shall haue their desire 25 As the tempest so passeth away the vngodly and is not but the ryghteous remayneth sure for euer 26 As vineger is to the teeth as smoke is vnto the eyes euen so is a sluggishe person to them that sendeth him foorth 27 The feare of the Lorde maketh a long lyfe but the yeres of the vngodly shal be shortened 28 The patient abydyng of the righteous shal be turned to gladnesse but the hope of the vngodly shall perishe 29 The way of the Lord geueth courage vnto the godly but it is a feare for wicked doers 30 The ryghteous shall neuer be ouerthrowen but the vngodly shall not remayne in the lande 31 The mouth of the iust wyll be talking of wisdome but the tongue of the frowarde shall be cut out 32 The lippes of the ryghteous vtter that which is acceptable but the mouth of the vngodly speaketh frowarde thynges The .xi. Chapter 1 A False ballaunce is an abomination vnto the Lorde but a true wayght pleaseth him 2 Where pryde is there is shame also and confusion but wheras is lowlinesse there is wisdome 3 The innocent dealyng of the iust shall leade them but the wickednesse of the offendours shal be their owne destruction 4 Riches helpe not in the day of vengeaunce but ryghteousnesse deliuereth from death 5 The ryghteousnesse of the innocent ordereth his way but the vngodly shall fall in his owne wickednesse 6 The righteousnesse of the iust shall delyuer them but the wicked shal be taken in their owne vngodlynesse 7 When an vngodly man dyeth his hope is gone the confidence of riches shall perishe 8 The ryghteous shal be delyuered out of trouble and the vngodly shall come in his steade 9 The dissembler with his mouth hurteth his neighbour but through knowledge shall the iust be deliuered 10 When it goeth well with the ryghteous the citie is mercy and when the vngodly perishe there is gladnesse 11 In the blessyng of the ryghteous the citie is exalted but it is ouerthrowen by the mouth of the wicked 12 A foole slaundereth his neyghbour but a wise man holdeth his peace 13 A dissemblyng person wyll discouer priuie thynges but he that is of a faythfull heart wyll kepe counsayle 14 Where no counsayle is there the people decay but wheras many are that can geue counsayle there is wealth 15 He that is suretie for a straunger shall smart for it and he that hateth suretishyp is sure 16 A gratious woman getteth honour but the strong men attayne riches 17 He that is mercifull doth hym selfe a benefite but who so hurteth his neyghbour is a tiraunt 18 The vngodly worketh deceiptfull workes but he that soweth righteousnesse shall receaue a sure rewarde 19 Lyke as ryghteousnesse bringeth lyfe euen so to cleaue vnto euyll bryngeth death 20 The Lorde abhorreth them that be of a corrupt heart but he hath pleasure in them that are of an vndefiled conuersation 21 Though hand be ioyned in hande yet the wicked shall not escape but the seede of the ryghteous shal be preserued 22 A faire woman without discrete maners is lyke a ryng of golde in a swines snoute 23 The desire of the ryghteous is acceptable but the hope of the vngodly is indignation 24 Some man geueth out his goodes and is the richer but the niggarde hauyng inough wyll depart from nothyng and yet is euer in pouertie 25 He that is liberall in geuyng shall haue plentie and he that watereth shal be watered also hym selfe 26 Who so hoordeth vp his corne shal be cursed among the people but blessyng shall lyght vpon his head that geueth foode 27 He that searcheth for good thynges fyndeth fauour but who so seketh after mischiefe it shall happen vnto hym 28 He that trusteth in his riches shall haue a fall but the ryghteous shall florishe as the greene leafe 29 Who so maketh disquietnesse in his owne house he shal haue winde for
way which seemeth right vnto a man but the ende therof are the wayes of death 13 The heart is sorowfull euen in laughter and the ende of myrth is heauinesse 14 A backe slydyng heart shal be fylled with his owne wayes but a good man shall depart from hym 15 An ignoraunt body beleueth euery worde but who so hath vnderstanding loketh well to his goynges 16 A wyse man feareth and departeth from euyll but the foole is angry and counteth hym selfe sure 17 An vnpatient man dealeth foolishly but he that is well aduised is hated of the foole 18 The ignoraunt haue foolishnesse in possession but the wyse are crowned with knowledge 19 The euyll shall bowe them selues before the good and the vngodly shall wayte at the gates of the ryghteous 20 The poore is hated euen of his owne neyghbours but the riche hath many fâ—endes 21 Who so dispiseth his neighbour sinneth but blessed is he that hath pitie of the poore 22 Without doubt they erre that worke wickednesse but they that muse vpon good thynges vnto such shall happen mercie and trueth 23 In euery labour there is some profite â–ª but vayne wordes bryng foorth onely penurie 24 Riches are as a crowne vnto the wise â–ª but the ignoraunce of fooles is very foolishnesse 25 A faythfull witnesse deliuereth soules but a deceiptfull witnesse bryngeth foorth lyes 26 In the feare of the Lord is an assured strength and his children are vnder a sure defence 27 The feare of the Lorde is a well of lyfe to auoyde the snares of death 28 In the multitude of people is the kynges honour but the decay of the people is the confusion of the prince 29 He that is patient hath much vnderstanding but he that is soone displeased exalteth foolishnesse 30 A mery heart is the lyfe of the body but enuie consumeth away the bones 31 He that doth a poore man wrong blasphemeth his maker but who so honoureth him hath pitie on the poore 32 The vngodly is cast away for his iniquitie but the ryghteous hath a good hope euen in death 33 Wisdome resteth in the heart of hym that hath vnderstandyng and it shal be knowen among them that are vnlearned 34 * Righteousnesse setteth vp the people but the sacrifice of the heathen is sinnefull 35 A discrete seruaunt is a pleasure vnto the kyng but his wrath is agaynst hym that doth dishonour hym The .xv. Chapter 1 A Soft aunswere appeaseth wrath but rough wordes stirre vp anger 2 The tongue of such as be wise vseth knoweledge aryght as for a foolishe mouth it babbleth out nothyng but foolishnesse 3 The eyes of the Lorde in euery place â–ª beholdeth both the good and the bad 4 A wholsome tongue is a tree of lyfe but the frowardnesse therof doth make sad the spirite 5 A foole dispiseth his fathers correction â–ª but he that taketh heede when he is reproued shall haue the more vnderstandyng 6 The house of the ryghteous is full of riches but in the fruites of the vngodly there is trouble 7 The lippes of the wise do sowe knowledge but the heart of the foolishe do not so 8 The Lorde abhorreth the sacrifice of the vngodly but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto hym 9 The way of the vngodly is an abhomination vnto the Lorde but who so foloweth righteousnesse him he loueth 10 Correction is greeuous vnto hym that forsaketh the way and who so hateth correction shall dye 11 Hell and destruction are before the Lorde howe much more then the heartes of the children of men 12 A scornefull body loueth not one that rebuketh hym neither wyll he come vnto the wyse 13 A mery heart maketh a chearfull countenaunce but by the sorowe of the heart the mynde is heauy 14 The heart of hym that hath vnderstandyng doth seke knowledge but the mouth of fooles is fed with foolishnesse 15 All the dayes of the poore are miserable but a quiet heart is a continuall feast 16 Better is a litle with the feare of the Lorde then great treasure and trouble therwith 17 Better is a dynner of hearbes with loue then a fat oxe with euyll wyll 18 An angry man stirreth vp strife but he that is patient stylleth discorde 19 The way of a slouthfull man is as an hedge of thornes but the way of the ryghteous is playne 20 A wyse sonne maketh a glad father but a foolishe man dispiseth his mother 21 Foolishnesse is ioy to him that is destitute of knowledge but a man of vnderstandyng walketh vprightly 22 Thoughtes without counsayle shall come to naught but wheras men are that can geue good counsayle there is stedfastnesse 23 A ioyfull thing it is to a man wheÌ„ his counsayle is folowed and howe good is a worde spoken in season 24 The way of lyfe is on hygh to the wise that a man shoulde beware of hell beneath 25 The Lorde wyll breake downe the house of the proude but he shall make fast the borders of the wydowe 26 The Lorde abhorreth the imaginations of the wicked but the wordes of the pure are pleasaunt 27 The greedy couetous man rooteth vp his owne house but who so hateth rewardes shall lyue 28 The heart of the ryghteous studyeth his aunswere afore but the wicked mans mouth spueth out mischiefe 29 The Lorde is farre from the vngodly but he heareth the prayer of the ryghteous 30 The clearnes of the eye reioyseth the heart a good name feedeth the bones 31 The eare that hearkeneth to the refourmation of lyfe shall dwell among the wyse 32 He that refuseth to be refourmed dispiseth his owne soule but he that submitteth him selfe to correction is wyse 33 The feare of the Lorde is the ryght science of wisdome and lowlynesse goeth before honour The .xvj. Chapter 1 A Man may wel purpose a thyng in his heart but the aunswere of the tongue commeth of the Lorde 2 A man thynketh all his wayes to be cleane but it is the Lorde that iudgeth the myndes 3 Commit thy workes vnto the Lorde and what thou deuisest it shall prosper 4 The Lorde hath made all thynges for his owne sake yea the vngodly for the day of wrath 5 The Lorde abhorreth all such as be of a proude heart and though hande be ioyned in hande yet they shall not be vnpunished 6 With mercie and faythfulnesse sinnes be forgeuen and by the feare of the Lorde euyll is eschewed 7 When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh his very enemies to be his frendes 8 Better it is to haue a litle with ryghteousnesse then great rentes wrongfully gotten 9 A man deuiseth a way in his heart but it is the Lorde that ordereth his goynges 10 When the prophecie is in the lippes of the kyng his mouth shall not go wrong in iudgement 11 A true wayght and ballaunce are the Lordes iudgement all the wayghtes of the bagge
thou wast deare in my sight and because I set by thee and loued thee I wyl geue ouer all men for thee and deliuer vp all people for thy sake 5 Feare not for I am with thee I will bryng thy seede from the east and gather thee together from the west 6 I wyll say to the north let go and to the south kepe not backe but bring me my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the endes of the worlde 7 Namely all those that be called after my name For them haue I created fashioned and made for mine honour 8 Bring foorth that people whiche is blinde and yet hath eyes whiche are deafe although they haue eares 9 If all nations come in one and be gathered together whiche among them shall declare suche thinges and tell vs the things that are past let them bring their witnesse so that they be iust els let them heare and say it is trueth 10 You are my witnesses saith the Lord and my seruaunt whom I haue chosen therefore be certified and geue me faythfull credence and consider that I am he before whom there was neuer any god neither shal be any after me 11 I am euen I am the only Lord and beside me there is no sauiour 12 I gaue warning I made whole I taught you when there was no straunge god among you and this recorde must ye beare me your selues saith the Lorde that I am God 13 And euen he am I who was from the beginning and there is none that can take any thing out of my hande I do the worke and who shal be able to let it 14 Thus saith the Lorde the holy one of Israel your redeemer for your sake I haue sent to BabyloÌ„ brought it down al they are fugitiue with the Chaldees whose sorowfull crie is in their shippes 15 I am the Lord your holy one which haue made Israel and am your kyng 16 Thus saith the Lorde euen he that maketh away in the sea and a foote path in the mightie waters 17 It is he whiche bringeth foorth the charrets and horses the hoast and power of warre that they may fall together and neuer rise and be extinct lyke as towe are they quenched 18 Remember not thinges of olde and regarde nothing that is past 19 Beholde I shall make a newe thing and shortly shall it appeare and shall you not knowe it I wyll make a way in the desert and riuers of water in the wyldernesse 20 The wilde beastes shall worship me the dragons and the young Esâ—riches for I shall geue water in the wyldernesse and streames in the desert that they may geue drinke to my people whom I chose 21 This people haue I made for my self and they shall shewe foorth my prayse 22 For thou Iacob wouldest not call vppon me but thou haddest an vnlust towarde me O Israel 23 Thou gauest me not thy beastes for burnt offerings neither diddest honour me with sacrifices I haue not ben chargeable vnto thee in offeringes neither greeuous in incense 24 Thou boughtest me no deare spice with thy money neither powredst the fat of thy sacrifices vpon me but thou hast laden me with thy sinnes and weeried me with thy vngodlynesse 25 Where as I yet euen I am he onlye that for my owne selues sake do away thine offences and forget thy sinnes so that I wyll neuer thinke vpon them 26 Put me now in remembraunce for we wyl reason together shew what thou hast for thee to make thee righteous 27 Thy first father offended sore and thy rulers haue sinned against me 28 Therefore I profaned or slue the princes of the sanctuarie I dyd curse Iacob and gaue Israel into reproofe ¶ The .xliiij. Chapter 5 Christe promiseth to deliuer his Churche without any her desertes 1 SO heare nowe O Iacob my seruaunt and Israel whom I haue chosen 2 For thus saith the Lorde that made thee fassioned thee and helped thee euen from thy mothers wombe Be not afraide O Iacob my seruaunt thou righteous whom I haue chosen 3 For I shall powre water vpon the drye grounde and riuers vpon the thirstie I shall powre my spirite vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy stocke 4 They shall growe together lyke as the grasse and as the willowes by the waters side 5 One shal say I am the Lordes another shall call hym selfe after the name of Iacob the thirde shall subscribe with his hande vnto the Lorde and geue hym selfe vnder the name of Israel 6 Thus hath the Lorde spoken euen the kyng of Israel and his redeemer the Lorde of hoastes I am the first and the last and besides me there is no God 7 If any be like me let hym call foorth the thing past and openly shewe it and lay it playne before me what hath chaunced since I appointed the people of the worlde and what shal be shortly or what shal come to passe in tyme long to come let them shewe these thinges 8 Be not abashed nor afraide for haue not I euer tolde you hitherto and warned you ye can beare me recorde your selues is there any God except me or any maker that I should not know hym 9 All caruers of images are but vayne and the carued images that they loue can do no good they must beare recorde them selues that seeing they can neither see nor vnderstande they shal be confounded 10 Who dare then make a god or fashion an image that is profitable for nothing 11 Beholde all the felowship of them must be brought to confusion truely all the workemasters of them are men they shal all be gathered together they shall stand tremble and be confounded one with another 12 The smith maketh an axe and tempereth it with hotte coales and fashioneth it with hammers and worketh it with all the strength of his armes yea sometime he is fainte for very hunger and so thirstie that he hath no more power 13 The carpenter or image caruer taketh measure of the timber and spreadeth foorth his line he marketh it with some colour he playneth it he ruleth it and squareth it and maketh it after the image of a man and according to the beautie of a man that it may stande in the house 14 Moreouer he goeth out to hewe Cedar trees he bringeth home Elmes and Okes and taking a bolde courage he seeketh out the best timber of the wood he him selfe hath planted a Pine tree whiche the rayne hath swelled 15 Which wood serueth for men to burne Of this he taketh and warmeth hym selfe withall he maketh a fire of it to bake bread and maketh also a god therof to honour it and a grauen image to kneele before it 16 One peece he burneth in the fire with another he rosteth fleshe that he may eate roste his belly full with the thirde he warmeth him selfe and saith Aha I am well warmed I haue ben at the
about 24 The chiefe captayne also toke Saraiah the hye priest and Sophoniah that was chiefe next hym the three kepers of the doore 25 He toke out of the citie a chaumberlaine which was captaine of the souldiers and seuen men that were the kinges seruauntes which were founde in the citie and Sopher a captaine that vsed to muster the men of warre with threescore men of the countrey that were taken in the citie 26 These Nabuzaradan the chiefe captaine toke and caryed them to the king of Babylon vnto Reblath 27 And the kyng of Babylon caused them to be put to death at Reblath in the lande of Hemath And thus Iuda was ledde away captiue out of his owne lande 28 This is the summe of the people whom Nabuchodonozor led away captiue in the seuenth yere of his raigne he caryed away of the Iewes three thousande twentie and three 29 In the eyghteenth yere Nabuchodonozor caryed away from Hierusalem eyght hundred thirtie and two persons 30 In the three and twentie yere of Nabuchodonozor Nabuzaradan the chiefe captayne toke away seuen hundred fourtie and fiue Iewes prisoners The whole summe of the prisoners is foure thousande and sixe hundred 31 In the thirtie and seuenth yere after that Iehoakim the kyng of Iuda was caryed away in the fiue and twentith day of the twelft moneth Euilmerodach kyng of Babylon the same yere that he raigned gaue Iehoakim the kyng of Iuda his pardon and let hym out of prison 32 And spake louyngly to hym and set his throne aboue the thrones of the other kynges that were with hym in Babylon 33 He chaunged also the clothes of his prison yea and did eate with hym all his life long 34 And he had a continuall lyuyng geuen hym of the kyng of Babylon euery day a certayne thyng alowed hym all the dayes of his life vntyll he dyed The ende of the booke of the prophete Ieremie ¶ The lamentations of the prophete Ieremie ⧠The first Chapter 1 It happened after Israel was brought into captiuitie and Hierusalem destroyed that Ieremie the prophete sate weepyng and sorowfully bewayled Hierusalem and sighyng and howlyng with an heauy and wofull heart sayde 1 ALas howe sitteth the citie so desolate that sometime was full of people Howe is she become lyke a widow which was great among nations Howe is she brought vnder tribute that ruled landes 2 She weepeth sore in the nyght so that the teares runne downe her cheekes â–ª for among all her louers there is none that geueth her any comfort yea her next friendes transgresse agaynst her and are become her enemies 3 Iuda went away by reason of the affliction and great bondage she dwelleth among the heathen she findeth no rest all they that persecuted her toke her in strayte places where she coulde not escape 4 The streetes of Sion mourne because no man coÌ„meth no more to the solempne feastes all her gates are desolate her priestes make lamentatioÌ„ her maydens are carefull and she her selfe is in great heauinesse 5 Her enemies haue ben rulers ouer her and her enemies haue prospered because the Lorde hath chastened her for her great wickednesse her children are led away captiue before their enemies 6 All the beautie of the daughter of Sion is away her princes are become lyke hartes that fynde no pasture they are driuen away before their enemie so that they haue no more power 7 Nowe Hierusalem remembred in the tyme of her miserie and bare estate all her ioy pleasure that she hath had in tymes past seyng her people is brought downe vnder the power of their enemies and there is no man for to helpe her her enemies stande lokyng at her and laugh her Sabbath daies to scorne 8 Hierusalem hath sinned greeuouslye therfore is she come in decay all they that had her in honour dispise her for they haue seene her filthinesse yea she sigheth and is ashamed of her selfe 9 Her skirtes are defiled she remembred not her last ende therfore is her fall so wonderfull and there is no man to comfort her O Lorde consider my trouble for myne enemie hath the vpper hande 10 The enemie hath put his hande to all the precious thinges that she had yea euen before her eyes came the heathen in and out of the sanctuarie whom thou neuerthelesse hast forbidden to come within thy congregation 11 All her people seeke their bread with heauinesse and loke what precious thyng euery man hath that geueth he for meate to saue his lyfe Consider O Lorde and see howe vile I am become 12 Haue ye no regarde all ye that go foreby beholde see yf there be any sorowe lyke vnto mine wherwith the Lorde hath troubled me in the day of his fearefull wrath 13 From aboue hath he sent downe a fire into my bones and it burneth them cruelly he hath layde a net for my feete and throwen me wyde open he hath made me desolate so that I must euer be mournyng 14 The yoke of my transgressions is bounde fast to his hande they are wrapped or writhen and come vp about my necke he hath caused my strength to fayle the Lorde hath deliuered me into those handes wheroâ—t I can not quyte my selfe 15 The Lorde hath destroyed all the mightie men that were in me he hath proclaymed an appoynted tyme to slaughter all my best men the Lorde hath troden downe the daughter of Iuda lyke as it were in a winepresse 16 Therfore do I weepe and mine eyes gushe out of water for the comfort that shoulde quicken me is farre fro me my children are driuen away for why the enemie hath gotten the vpper hande 17 Sion casteth out her handes and there is no man to comfort her the Lorde hath layde the enemies rounde about Iacob and Hierusalem is become abhomination in the middest of them 18 The Lorde is righteous for I haue prouoked his countenaunce vnto anger O take heede all ye people and consider my heauinesse my maydens and my young men are led away into captiuitie 19 I called for my louers but they beguiled me for my priestes and counsaylers but they perished euen whyle they sought for meate to saue their lyues 20 Consider O Lorde howe I am troubled my wombe is disquieted my heart turneth about in me and I am full of heauinesse because I rebelled stubburnly the sworde hurteth me without and within I am lyke vnto death 21 They heare my mournyng but there is none that wyll comfort me All myne enemies haue hearde of my trouble and are glad therof because thou hast done it and thou hast brought foorth the time which thou calledst when they also shal be lyke vnto me 22 Let all their wickednesse come before thee and do thou to them as thou hast done vnto me for all my trespasses for my sorowe is very great and my heart is heauy The .ij. Chapter 1 ALas howe hath the Lorde darckened the daughter of Sion
another lyke vnto a leopard this had winges as a foule euen foure vpon the backe this beast had foure heads and there was power geuen him 7 After this I saw in a vision by night beholde the fourth beast was grimme and horrible and marueylous strong ▪ it had great iron teeth it deuoured destroyed stamped the residue vnder his feete it was vnlike y e other beastes that were before it for it had ten hornes 8 As I considered the hornes beholde there came vp among them another little horne before whom there were three of the first hornes pluckt away and behold this horne had eyes lyke the eyes of a man a mouth speaking presumptuous thinges 9 I behelde till the thrones were set vp the auncient of dayes did sit whose garment was white as snowe and the heere 's of his head lyke the pure wooll his throne was like the firie flambe and his wheeles as burning fire 10 There issued foorth a firie streame and went out from before him a thousand thousandes ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousandes stoode before him the iudgement was set the bookes opened 11 Then toke I heede therunto because of the voyce of the proude words which the horne spake I behelde till the beast was slaine and his body destroyed and geuen to be brent in the fire 12 As concerning the other beastes they had their dominion taken away but their liues were prolonged for a certaine time and season 13 I saw in visions by night and behold there came one in the cloudes of heauen lyke the sonne of man which went vnto the aūcient of dayes before whom they brought him 14 And he gaue him dominion honour and a kingdome that al people nations and languages should serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall neuer be taken away and his kingdome shall neuer be destroyed 15 I Daniel was troubled in my spirite in the midst of my body and the visions of my head made me afrayde 16 I gate me vnto one of them that stoode by and asked him the trueth concerning all these thinges so he tolde me and made me vnderstand the interpretation of these thinges 17 These great beastes which are foure are foure kinges which shall arise out of the earth 18 But the high saintes shall receaue a kingdome and possesse a kingdome for euer euen for euer and euer 19 After this I required to knowe the trueth concerning y e fourth beast which was so vnlyke the other beastes and so horrible whose teeth were of iron and his nayles of brasse which deuoured and destroyed and stamped the residue vnder his feete 20 I desired also to knowe the trueth as touching the ten hornes that he had vpon his head and this other which came vp afterwarde before whose face there fell downe three which horne had eyes and a mouth that spake presumptuous thinges and loked with a grimmer visage then his felowes 21 I behelde and the same horne made battaile against the sainctes yea preuayled against them 22 Vntil the auncient of dayes came that the iudgement was geuen to the high sainctes and till the time came that the sainctes had the kingdome in possession 23 He gaue me this aunswer That fourth beast shal be the fourth kingdome vpon earth it shal be vnlike to all the kingdomes it shall deuour treade downe and destroy all other landes 24 The ten hornes are ten kinges that shall arise out of that kingdome after whom there shall stande vp another which shal be vnlike to the first and he shall subdue three kinges 25 And he shall speake wordes against the highest of all he shall destroy the high sainctes and thinke that he may chaunge times and lawes they shal be geuen into his hande vntill a time and times and the deuiding of a time 26 But the iudgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it vnto the ende 27 And the kingdome and dominion the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauē shal be geuen to the people of high sainctes whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all powers shal serue and obey it 28 Hitherto the ende of the wordes I Daniel had many cogitations which troubled me my coūtenaūce chaunged in me but the wordes I kept still in my heart ¶ The .viii. Chapter 1 A vision of a strife betweene a ramme and a hee goate 20 The vnderstanding of the vision is of the battaile betweene the king of Persia and the king of the Grecians 1 IN the third yere of the raigne of king Balthasar there appeared a vision vnto me euen vnto me Daniel after that which I had seene in the beginning 2 I saw in a vision and when I saw it I was in the palace of Susis which is in the prouince of Elam and in the vision me thought I was by the riuer of Vlai 3 Then I loked vp and saw beholde there stoode before the riuer a ramme which had two hornes and these two hornes were hye but one was hyer then the other the hyest came vp last 4 I saw that this ramme pushed with his hornes against the west against the north and against the south so that no beastes might stand before him nor defend them from his power but he did as him lifted and became great 5 And as I considered beholde there came a hee goate from the west ouer the whole earth and touched not the grounde and this goate had a horne appeared betwixt his eyes 6 And he came vnto the ramme that had the two hornes whom I had seene standing by the riuer and ranne fiercely vpon him with his might 7 And I sawe him drawe nye vnto the ramme being very fierce vpon him yea he smote the ramme and brake his two hornes neither had the ramme so much strength as to stande before him but he cast him downe to the grounde trode him vnder his feete there was none able to deliuer the ramme out of his power 8 Therefore the goate waxed exceeding great when he was at the strongest his great horne was broken Then grew there other foure notable ones in the steade of it towarde the foure windes of the heauen 9 And out of one of them came foorth a litle horne which waxed very great toward the south toward the east and toward the pleasaunt lande 10 It grewe vp vnto the hoast of heauen whereof it did cast some downe to the grounde and of the starres also and trode them vnder foote 11 Yea it grewe vp against the prince of the hoast from whom the dayly sacrifice was taken away and the places of his sanctuarie caste downe 12 And power was geuen vnto it ouer the dayly sacrifice for the iniquitie and it shall cast downe the
4 For Gaza shal be destroyed and Ascalon shal be layde waste they shall cast out Asdod at the noone day and Accaron shal be rooted vp 5 Wo vnto you that dwell vpon the sea coast the nation of the Cherethims the worde of the Lord shal come vpon you O Chanaan thou lande of the Philistines I will destroy thee so that there shall no man dwell in thee any more 6 And as for the sea coast it shal be heardmens cotages and sheepefoldes 7 Yea it shal be a portion for such as remayne of the house of Iuda to feede therevpon in the houses of Ascalon shal they rest towarde night for the Lorde their God shall visite them and turne away their captiuitie 8 I haue heard the despite of Moab and the blasphemies of the children of Ammon how they haue shamefully intreated my people magnified them selues within the borders of their lande 9 Therefore as I liue sayth the Lord of hoastes the God of Israel Moab shal be as Sodoma Ammon as Gomorra euen the breeding of nettles and salt pittes a perpetuall wildernesse The residue of my folke shal spoyle them the remnaunt of my people shall haue them in possession 10 This shall happen vnto them for their pryde because they haue dealt so shamefully with the Lorde of hoastes people and magnified them selues aboue them 11 The Lord shal be terrible vnto them and destroy all the gods in the lande and all the Iles of the Heathen shall worship hym euery man in his place 12 Ye Morians also shall perishe with my sworde 13 Yea he shall stretch out his hande ouer the north and destroy Assur As for Niniue he shall make it desolate drye and waste 14 The flockes and all the beastes of the people shall lye in the middest of it pellicanes and owles shal abide in the vpper postes of it foules shall sing in the wyndowes and desolation shal be vpon the postes for the Cedars are vncouered 15 This is the proude and carelesse citie that sayd in her heart I am and there is els none besides me O howe is she made so wast that the beastes lie in her Who so goeth by mocketh her poynteth at her with his finger The .iij. Chapter 4 Against the gouernours of Hierusalem 8 of the calling of all the gentiles 11 A comfort to the residue of Israel 1 WO to that abhominable filthy and cruel citie 2 She hearde not the voyce she receaued not correction she trusted not in the Lorde she drewe not neare to her God 3 Her rulers within her are as roaring lions her iudges are as wolues in the euening whiche leaue nothing behinde them till the morowe 4 Her prophetes are light persons vnfaythful men her priestes haue polluted the sanctuarie haue wrested the law 5 But the iust Lord that doth no vnright was in the middes therof euery morning shewing them his lawe clearly and ceassed not but the vngodly will not learne to be ashamed 6 I haue destroyed the nations their towres are desolate I haue made their streetes wast that none shall passe by their cities are destroyed without man and without inhabitaunt 7 I sayde vnto them O feare me and be content to be refourmed so their dwelling shoulde not be destroyed howe soeuer I visited them But neuerthelesse they rose vp early and corrupted all their workes 8 Therfore wayte ye vpon me sayth the Lorde vntill the time that I ryse vp to the pray for I am determined to gather the people to bring the kingdomes together that I may poure out myne anger yea all my wrathfull displeasure vpon them For all the earth shal be consumed with the fire of my ielousie 9 And then will I clense the lippes of the people that they may euery one call vpon the name of the Lorde and serue him with one consent 10 From beyonde the riuers of Ethiopia the daughter of my dispearsed prayng vnto me shall bring me an offering 11 In that time shalt thou no more be confounded because of all the imaginations wherethorowe thou haddest offended me for I will take away the proude boasters of thyne honour from thee so that thou shalt no more triumph because of my holy hill 12 In thee also will I leaue a smal poore simple people whiche shall trust in the name of the Lorde 13 The remnaunt of Israel shall do no wickednesse nor speake lyes neither shall there any deceytfull tongue be found in their mouthes For they shal be fed and take their rest and no man shall make them afrayde 14 Reioyce O daughter Sion be ioyfull O Israel reioyce and be glad from thy whole heart O daughter Hierusalem 15 For the Lorde hath taken away thy punishment hath cast out thyne enemies The king of Israel euen the Lord him selfe is with thee so that thou nedest no more to feare any misfortune 16 In that time it shal be sayde to Hierusalem Feare not and to Sion Let not thyne handes be flacke 17 For the Lorde thy God in the mids of thee is mightie he will saue thee he wil reioyce ouer thee with ioy he wil quiet him selfe in his loue he will reioyce ouer thee with gladnesse 18 After a certayne time will I gather the afflicted that were of thee and them that bare the reproche for it 19 And behold in that time will I destroy all those that vexe thee I will helpe the lame and gather vp the castaway yea I will get them prayse and honour in al landes where they haue ben put to shame 20 At the same time will I bring you againe at the same time will I gather you I will get you a name and a good report among all people of the earth when I turne backe your captiuitie before your eyes sayth the Lorde ⧠The booke of the prophete Aggeus The first Chapter 1 The time of the prophecie of Aggeus 8 An exhortation to buylde the temple againe 1 IN the second yere of king Darius in the sixth moneth the first day of the moneth came the word of the Lord by the ministerie of y e prophete Aggeus vnto Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel a prince of Iuda and to Iosua the sonne of Iosedech the hye priest saying 2 Thus speaketh the Lorde of hoastes saying This people sayth The time is not yet come for the Lordes house to be buylded 3 Then came the worde of the Lorde by the ministerie of the prophete Aggeus saying 4 Is it time for you your selues to dwel in seeled houses and this house lie wast 5 Nowe thus sayth the Lord of hoastes Consider your owne wayes in your heartes 6 Ye haue sowen much but ye bryng litle in ye eate but ye haue not inough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloth you but ye be not warme and he that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bagge 7 Thus sayth the Lorde of
together and came in all the haste to Hierusalem with an hoast of horsemen and with muche people on foote 31 And forbad them to buylde And so they left of from buyldyng of the temple vnto the seconde yere of king Darius king of the Persians The .iii. Chapter 1 The feast of Darius 16 The three wyse sentences 1 KYng Darius made a great feast vnto his seruauntes vnto all his court and to al the officers of Medea and Persia 2 Yea to all the gouernours captaynes and liefetenauntes that were vnder him from India vnto Ethiopia an hundreth and twentie and seuen countreys 3 So when they had eaten and drunken being satisfied were gone home agayne Darius the king went into his chaumber layde hym downe to sleepe and after that awaked 4 Then the three young men that kept the kinges person and watched his bodye communed among them selues and spake one to another 5 Let euery one of vs speake a sentence and looke who shal ouercome whose sentence may seeme wyser then the others vnto him shal king Darius geue great giftes and great thinges in token of victorie 6 As to weare purple to drinke in gold and to slepe in gold and a chariot with brydles of golde and an head tyre of fine linnen and a chayne about his necke 7 Yea he shal sit next to Darius because of his wysdome and shal be called Darius cosin 8 So euery one wrote his meanyng sealed it and layde it vnder king Darius pelowe 9 And sayd when the king aryseth they woulde geue hym the wrytynges and looke whose worde the king the three princes of Persia shall iudge to be the most wisely spoken the same shall haue the victorie as it was appoynted 10 One wrote wine is a strong thyng 11 The seconde wrote the king is strong 12 The thirde wrote women haue very muche strength but aboue all thinges the trueth beareth away the victory 13 Nowe when the king was rysen vp they toke their wrytynges and deliuered them vnto him so he read them 14 Then sent he foorth to cal al his chiefe lordes of Persia and of Media and the rulers and the captaynes and liefetenauntes and consuls 15 And when he had set hym downe in the counsell the wrytynges were read before them 16 And he commaunded to call for the young men that they myght declare their meaninges thē selues by mouth So they were sent for and came in 17 And then he sayde vnto them shewe vs and make vs to vnderstande what the thinges are that ye haue written Then began the first whiche had spoken of the strength of wine 18 And said thus O ye men how strong is wine that deceaueth all men whiche drinke it 19 It maketh the kinges minde and the fathers to be both one the bondmans and the free the poore mans and the riche 20 It turneth also euery thought into ioy and gladnes so that a man remembreth neither heauines not debt 21 And it maketh euery heart thinke it selfe riche so that a man remembreth neither king nor gouernour and it maketh to speake all thinges by talentes 22 Moreouer when men haue dronke they forget all frendship and brotherly faythfulnes and a litle after they draw out swordes 23 And afterwards when they are from the wine they remember nothing what was done 24 O ye men is not wine the strongest that thus enforceth men to do And when he had spoken this he helde his peace ¶ The .iiij. Chapter 1 Of the strength of a kyng 13 Of the strength of women 34 Of the strength of trueth whiche sentence is approued 47 And his petition graunted 1 THen the seconde that had spoken of the strength of the king began to say 2 O ye men are not men the strongest of all that conquer both by land and sea and all the thinges that are in them 3 Nowe is the king stronger as lorde of all these thinges and that hath the dominion ouer them and loke what he commaundeth them it is all done 4 If he byd them the one against the other to make warre they do it if he send them out against the enemies they go and breake downe mountaynes walles and towres 5 They slay and are slayne and ouerpasse not the kinges commaundement if they get the victorie they bryng all to the king so well the spoyle as other thinges 6 Likewise the other that medle not with warres and fighting but tyll the grounde when they haue sowen and reaped they bring to the king and compell one another to pay his tribute vnto the king 7 And if the king though he be but one man commaunde to kill they kill if he commaunde to forgeue they forgeue 8 If he commaund to smite they smite if he byd driue away they driue away if he commaund to buylde they buylde 9 If he commaunde to breake downe they breake downe if he commaunde to plant they plant 10 So the common people and the rulers are obedient vnto hym and the king in the meane season sitteth hym downe eateth and drinketh and taketh his rest 11 And these kepe him rounde about and not one of them dare get hym out of the way to do his owne busines but must be obedient vnto the king at a worde 12 Iudge ye now O ye men how should not the king go farre aboue when in such sort he is obayed And when he had spoken thus he helde his tongue 13 The thirde whose name was Zorobabel which had spoken of women and of trueth began to say after this maner 14 O ye men it is not the great king it is not the multitude of men neither is it wine that excelleth Who is it then that ruleth them or hath the lordship ouer them is it not women 15 Women haue borne the king and all the people which beare rule by sea and by lande 16 And euen of them were they borne and they brought those vp that planted the vines wherof the wine commeth 17 They make garmentes for men they get honour vnto men and without women can not men continue 18 Yea if they haue gathered together golde and siluer or any other pretious thing do they not loue a woman for her comely shape and beautie 19 And letting all those thinges go do they not gape euen with open mouth fixe their eyes fast on her and haue not all men more desire vnto her then vnto siluer and golde or any maner of pretious thing 20 A man leaueth his owne father that brought hym vp leaueth his owne naturall countrey and eleaueth vnto his wyfe 21 Yea he ieopardeth his lyfe with his wyfe and remembreth neither father nor mother nor countrey 22 By this also ye must needes knowe that women haue dominion ouer you Do ye not labour trauayle and geue and bryng all to the woman 23 A man taketh his sworde and goeth his way to steale to kyll
the booke of the lawe before the whole multitude for he was the principall and had in most honour of them all 46 And when he expounded the lawe they stoode all straight vpon their feete So Esdras praysed the Lord the most hye God the almightie God of hoastes 47 And al the people aunswered Amen 48 And Iesus Anus Sarabias Adimus Iacobus Battaias Autamas Maâ—anias Calitas Azarias Iohasabdus Anatnas and Biatas the Leuites lyft vp their handes and fell downe on the grounde and worshipped the Lord 49 And taught the lawe of the Lord and were earnestly occupied together in the reading thereof 50 Then spake Atharates vnto Esdras the hye priest and reader and to the Leuites that taught the multitude saying 51 This day is holy vnto the Lord and all when they hearde the lawe wept 52 So Esdras sayde Depart your way therfore and eate the fat meates and drinke the sweete drinkes and sende gyftes vnto them that haue nothing 53 For this day is holy vnto the Lorde and be not ye sory for the Lorde wyll bryng you to honour 54 So the Leuites published all these thinges to the people saying This day is holy to the Lorde be not sory 55 Then went they their way euery one to eate and drinke and were mery and sent presents to them that had nothing and made very good cheare 56 For they were as yet filled with the wordes that had ben taught them and for the whiche they had ben assembled ¶ The ende of the thirde booke of Esdras ⧠The fourth booke of Esdras ¶ The first Chapter 8 The people is reproued for their vnthankefulnes 30 God wyll haue another people if these wyll not be refourmed 1 THE second booke of the prophete Esdras the sonne of Saraias the sonne of Azarias the sonne of Helchia the sonne of Sadanias the sonne of Sadoc the sonne of Achitob 2 The sonne of Achia the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Heli the sonne of Amerias the sonne of Aziei the sonne of Marimoth the sonne of Arna the sonne of Ozias the sonne of Borith the sonne of Abisei the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar 3 The sonne of Aaron of the tribe of Leui whiche Esdras was prisoner in the lande of Medes in the raigne of Artaxerxes kyng of Persia 4 And the worde of the Lord came vnto me saying 5 Go thy way and shewe my people their sinnefull deedes and their chyldren their wickednesses whiche they haue done against me that they may tell their chylders chyldren the same 6 For the sinnes of their fathers are increased in them And why they haue forgotten me and haue offered vnto straunge gods 7 Am not I euen he that brought them out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage But they haue prouoked me vnto wrath despised my counsels 8 Pull thou out than the heere of thy head and cast all euyll vpon them for they haue not ben obedient vnto my lawe But it is a people without learning and nurture 9 Howe long shall I forbeare them vnto whom I haue done so muche good 10 Many kynges haue I destroyed for their sakes Pharao with his seruauntes and all his power haue I smitten downe and slayne 11 All the nations haue I destroyed and rooted out before them and in the cast haue I brought two landes and people to naught euen Tyre and Sidon and haue slayne all their enemies 12 Speake thou therfore vnto them saying Thus saith the Lord 13 I led you thorowe the sea and haue geuen you sure streetes since the beginning I gaue you Moyses to be your captayne and Aaron to be the priest 14 I gaue you light in a piller of fire and great wonders haue I done among you yet haue ye forgotten me saith the Lorde 15 Thus saith the almightie Lord The quayles were as a token for you I gaue you tentes for your succour neuerthelesse in them ye murmured 16 And ascribed not the victory of your enemies vnto my name but euer to this day do ye yet murmure 17 Where are the benefites that I haue done for you When ye were hungry in the wyldernesse dyd ye not crye vnto me 18 Saying why hast thou brought vs into this wyldernesse to kill vs It had ben better for vs to haue serued the Egyptians then to die in this wyldernes 19 Then had I pitie vpon your mourninges and gaue you Manna to eate so ye dyd eate angels foode 20 When ye were thirstie dyd not I cleaue the rocke waters flowed out to satisfie you withall For the heate I couered you with the leaues of the trees 21 A good pleasaunt fat lande gaue I you I cast out the Chanaanites the Pherezites and Philistines before you What shall I do more for you saith the Lorde 22 Thus saith the almightie Lorde When ye were in the wyldernesse in the water of the Amorites beyng athirst and blaspheming my name 23 I gaue you not fire for your blasphemies but cast a tree into the water and made the riuer sweete 24 What shal I do vnto thee O Iacob Thou Iuda wouldest not obay me I will turne me to other nations and vnto those wyll I geue my name that they may kepe my statutes 25 Seyng ye haue forsaken me I wyll forsake you also When ye desire me to be gratious vnto you I shall haue no mercy vpon you 26 When ye call vpon me I wyll not heare you For ye haue defiled your handes with blood and your feete are swyft to commit manslaughter 27 Ye haue not as it were forsaken me but your owne selues saith the Lorde 28 Thus saith the almightie Lorde Haue I not prayed you as a father his sonnes as a mother her daughters and as a nurse her young babes 29 That ye woulde be my people and I shoulde be your God that ye would be my chyldren I should be your father 30 I gathered you together as an hen gathereth her chickens vnder her winges But nowe what shall I do vnto you I wyll cast you out from my face 31 When you offer vnto me I wyl turne my face from you for your solempne feast dayes your newe moones your circumcisions haue I forsaken 32 I sent vnto you my seruauntes the prophetes whom ye haue taken and slayne and torne their bodies in peeces whose blood I wyll require of your handes saith the Lorde 33 Thus saith the almightie lord Your house shal be desolate I wyll cast you out as the winde doth stubble 34 Your chyldren shall not be fruitefull for they haue despised my commaundement and done the thing that is euyll before me 35 Your houses wyll I geue to a people that shall come whiche not hauyng hearde of me yet shall beleue me to whom I haue shewed no signes yet they shall do that I haue commaunded them 36 They haue
multitude in the wildernesse there was insurrection but thy wrath endured not long 21 For the blamelesse man went in all the haste and toke the battayle vpon hym brought foorth the weapon of his ministration euen prayer and the reconciliation of incense set hym selfe against the wrath and so brought the miserie to an ende declaring therby that he was thy seruaunt 22 For he ouercame not the multitude with bodyly power or force of weapons but with the word he subdued him that vexed alleaging the oth and couenaunt made vnto the fathers 23 For when the dead were fallen downe by heapes one vpon another he stoode in the middest pacified the wrath and parted the way that it might not come to the liuing 24 And why in his long garment was all the beautie and in the foure rowes of the stones was the glory of the fathers grauen and thy maiestie was wrytten in the crowne of his head 25 Vnto these the destroyer gaue place and was afrayde of them for it was inough that they onlye tasted of the wrath ¶ The .xix. Chapter 1 The death of the Egyptians and the great ioy of the Hebrues 11 The meate that was geuen at the desire of the people 17 All the elementes serue to the will of God 1 AS for the vngodly the wrath came vpō them without mercy vnto the ende for he knewe before what shoulde happen vnto them 2 How that when they had consented to let them go and had sent them out with great diligence they would repent and folowe vpon them 3 For whyles they were yet mourning and making lamentation by the graues of the dead they deuised another foolishnesse so that they persecuted them in their fleeing whom they had cast out afore with prayer 4 For the necessitie whiche they had deserued brought them vnto this ende and made them forget the thinges that had already happened that they might by tormentes fulfill their punishment whiche remayned 5 And that thy people might trye a marueylous passage and these might fynde a straunge death 6 For euery creature in his kynde was fashioned agayne of newe seruyng the peculiar offices as was commaunded them that thy children myght be kept without hurt 7 For the cloude ouershadowed their tentes and the drye earth appeared where afore was water so that in the red sea there was a way without impediment and the great deepe became a greene fielde 8 Wherthrough all the people went that were defended with thy hande seyng thy marueylous straunge wonders 9 For as the horses ryght so they neyed and leaped lyke lambes praysyng thee O Lord which hadst deliuered them 10 And why they were yet myndefull of the thynges that were done whyle they dwelt in the straunge lande howe the grounde brought foorth flies in steade of cattell and howe the riuer scrawled with the multitude of frogges in steade of fisshes 11 But at the last they sawe a newe generation of birdes what tyme as they were stirred with lust and desired delicate meates 12 For why the quayles came vp to them from the sea for their comfort but punishmentes came vpon the sinners not without the signes which came before to passe by vehemencie of the thicke lyghtnynges For they suffered worthyly accordyng to their wickednesse because they dealt so churlishly with an hate of straungers 13 For some would not receaue men that came vnto them and were vnknowen and some brought the straungers into bondage that dyd them good 14 Nor only so but yf they had ben any where regarded they coulde not suffer it for they entreated straungers very dispitefully 15 Others that had receaued them with great solempnitie when they were admitted vnto their societie they afflicted them with greeuous labours 16 Therfore were they stricken with blindnesse like as when they that were couered with sodayne darknesse at the doores of the ryghteous sought euery one of them the entraunce of his doores 17 Thus the elementes beyng chaunged agreed among them selues lyke as when tunes are chaunged vpon an instrument of musicke and yet kepe styll a melodie which may easyly be perceaued by the syght of the thynges that are come to passe 18 For the earthy thynges were turned into waterie and the thyng that before swamme in the water nowe went vpon the grounde 19 The fire had power in the water forgetting his owne vertue and the water forgat his owne kynde to quenche the fire 20 Agayne the flambes hurted not the fleshe of the corruptible liuing thynges though they walked therin neither melted they that isie kynde of immortall meate that was of nature apt to melt 21 For in all thynges hast thou promoted thy people O Lord and brought them to honour thou hast not dispised them but alway and in all places hast thou stande by them VV. C. The ende of the booke of wisdome ⧠The booke of Iesus the sonne of Sirach which is called in latine Ecclesiasticus The prologue of Iesus the sonne of Sirach vnto his booke MAny and great men haue declared wisdome vnto vs out of the lawe out of the prophetes and out of other that folowed them in the which thynges Israel ought to be cōmended by the reason of doctrine and wisdome Therfore they that haue it and reade it shoulde not only them selues be wise therthrough but serue other also with teachyng and writyng After that my graundefather Iesus had geuen diligent labour to reade the lawe the prophetes and other bookes that were left vs of our fathers and had well exercised hym selfe therin he purposed also to write some thyng of wisdome and good maners to the intent that they which were wyllyng to learne and to be wise myght haue the more vnderstandyng and be the more apt to leade a good conuersation Wherfore I exhort you to receaue it louyngly to reade it with diligence and to take it in good worth though our wordes be not so eloquent as the famous oratours For the thyng that is written in the Hebrue tongue soundeth not so well when it is translated into another speache Not only this booke of myne but also the lawe the prophetes and other bookes sounde farre otherwise then they do when they are spoken in their owne language Nowe in the thirtie and eyght yere when I came into Egypt in the tyme of Ptolomie Euerges and continued there a long season I founde bookes there left full of great and profounde learnyng Wherfore I thought it good and necessarie to bestowe my diligence and trauayle to interprete this booke And consideryng that I had tyme I laboured and dyd my best to perfourme this booke and to bryng it vnto lyght that the straungers also which are disposed to learne myght apply them selues vnto good maners and lyue accordyng to the lawe of the Lorde The first Chapter 1 Wisdome commeth of God 11 A prayse of the feare of God 29 The meanes to come by wisdome
1 ALl wisdome commeth of god the Lord hath ben euer with him and is before all tyme. 2 Who hath numbred the sande of the sea the droppes of the rayne and the dayes of time Who hath measured the heyght of heauen the breadth of the earth and the deepenesse of the sea 3 Who hath sought out the grounde of Gods wisdome which hath ben before all thynges 4 Wisdome hath ben created before all thinges and the vnderstandyng of prudence from euerlastyng 5 Gods worde in the heyght is the well of wisdome and the euerlastyng commaundementes are the entraunce of her 6 Vnto whō hath the roote of wisdome ben declared or who hath knowen her wit 7 Vnto whom hath the doctrine of wisdome ben discouered and shewed and who hath vnderstande the manifolde entraunce of her 8 There is one euen the hyest the maker of all thynges the almightie the kyng of power of whom men ought to stand greatly in awe which sitteth vpon his throne beyng a God of dominion 9 He hath created her through the holy ghost he hath seene her numbred her and measured her 10 He hath powred her out vpon all his workes and vpon all fleshe accordyng to his gyft he geueth her richely vnto them that loue hym 11 The feare of the Lorde is worshyp and triumph gladnesse and a ioyfull crowne 12 The feare of the Lorde maketh a mery heart geueth gladnesse ioy and long lyfe 13 Who so feareth the Lorde it shall go well with him at the last and in the day of his death he shal be blessed 14 The loue of God is honorable wisdome loke vnto whom it appeareth they loue it for they see what wonderous thinges it doth 15 The feare of the Lorde is the begynnyng of wisdome and was made with the faythfull in the mothers wombe it shall go with the chosen women and shal be knowen of the ryghteous and faythfull 16 The feare of the Lorde is the ryght Gods seruice 17 That preserueth iustifieth the heart and geueth mirth and gladnesse 18 Who so feareth the Lorde shal be happy and when he hath neede of comfort he shal be blessed 19 She hath buylt her euerlastyng foundations with men and is geuen to be with their seede 20 To feare God is the wisdome that maketh riche and bryngeth all good with her 21 She fylleth the whole house with her giftes the garners with her treasure 22 The feare of the Lorde is the crowne of wisdome and geueth plenteous peace and health He hath seene her and numbred her Both these are the gyftes of God 23 Knowledge and vnderstandyng of wisdome hath he powred out as rayne and them that helde her fast hath he brought vnto honour 24 The feare of the Lorde is the roote of wisdome her braunches are long lyfe 25 In the treasures of wisdome is vnderstandyng deuotion of knowledge but wisdome is abhorred of sinners 26 The feare of the Lorde driueth out sinne and whē she is present she driueth away anger 27 For he that is without feare can not be made ryghteous and his wylfull boldenesse is his owne destruction 28 A patient man wyll suffer vnto the tyme and then shall he haue the rewarde of ioy 29 A good vnderstandyng wyll hyde his wordes for a tyme and many mens lippes shall speake of his wisdome 30 In the treasures of wisdome is the declaration of doctrine but the sinner abhorreth the worshyp of God 31 My sonne yf thou desire wisdome kepe the commaundement and God shall geue her vnto thee 32 For the feare of the Lorde is wisdome and nurture he hath pleasure in fayth and louyng mekenesse and he shall fyll the treasures therof 33 Be not obstinate and vnfaythfull to the feare of the Lorde and come not vnto hym with a double heart 34 Be not an hypocrite in the syght of men and take good heede what thou speakest 35 Exalt not thy selfe lest thou happen to fall and bryng thy soule to dishonour and so discouer thy secretes and cast thee downe in the myddest of the congregation because thou wouldest not receaue the feare of God because thy heart is full of faynednesse and deceipt The .ij. Chapter 1 He exhorteth the seruauntes of God to righteousnesse loue vnderstandyng and patience 11 To trust in the Lorde 13 A curse vpon them that are faynt hearted and impatient 1 MY sonne yf thou wylt come into the seruice of God stande fast in righteousnesse feare and arme thy soule to temptation 2 Settle thyne heart and be patient bowe downe thine eare receaue the wordes of vnderstandyng and shrynke not away when thou art assaulted 3 Holde thee fast vpon God ioyne thy selfe vnto hym and suffer that thy lyfe may encrease at the last 4 Whatsoeuer happeneth vnto thee receaue it suffer in heauinesse be patient in thy trouble 5 For lyke as golde and siluer are tryed in the fire euen so are acceptable men in the furnace of aduersitie 6 Beleue in God and he shall helpe thee order thy way a right and put thy trust in hym Holde fast his feare and growe therin 7 O ye that feare the Lorde take sure holde of his mercie shrynke not away from hym that ye fall not 8 O ye that feare the Lorde beleue him and your rewarde shall not be emptie 9 O ye that feare the Lorde trust in good thynges and mercie shall come vnto you for pleasure 10 O ye that feare the Lorde set your loue vpon him and your heartes shal be lyghtened 11 Consider the olde generations of men O ye children and marke them well was there euer any one confounded that put his trust in the Lorde Who euer continued in his feare and was forsaken Or whom dyd he euer dispise that called faythfully vpon hym 12 For God is gratious and mercifull he forgeueth sinnes in the tyme of trouble and is a defendour for al them that seke hym in the trueth 13 Wo be vnto them that haue a fearefull heart wicked lippes and euyll occupied handes and to the sinner that goeth two maner of wayes 14 Wo be vnto them that are faint harted which put not their trust in God and therfore shall they not be defended of hym 15 Wo be vnto you that haue lost patience forsaken the ryght wayes and are turned backe into frowarde wayes What wyll you do when the Lord shall begin to visite you 16 They that feare the Lorde wyll not disobey his worde and they that loue him wyll kepe his commaundementes 17 They that feare the Lorde wyll seke out the thinges that are pleasaunt vnto him and they that loue him be fulfylled with his lawe 18 They that feare the Lorde wyll prepare their heartes and humble their soules in his syght 19 They that feare the Lorde kepe his cōmaundementes and wyll be patient tyll they see hym selfe 20 Saying If we do not repent we shall fall into the handes
of her bandes 27 Come vnto her with thy whole heart and kepe her wayes with al thy power 28 Seke after her and she shal be shewed thee and when thou hast her forsake her not 29 For at the last thou shalt fynde rest in her and that shal be turned to thy great ioy 30 Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee and her yoke a glorious rayment 31 For there is a golden ornament in her her bandes are laces of purple colour 32 Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour and shalt put her about thee as a crowne of ioy 33 My sonne yf thou wylt take heede thou shalt haue vnderstandyng and yf thou wylt apply thy mynde thou shalt be wyse 34 If thou wylt bowe downe thine eare thou shalt receaue doctrine and yf thou delyte in hearyng thou shalt be wyse 35 Stande with the multitude of such elders as haue vnderstandyng and consent vnto their wisdome with thyne heart 36 That thou mayest heare all godly sermons and that the worthy sentences escape thee not 37 And yf thou seest a man of discrete vnderstandyng get thee soone vnto hym let thy foote treade vpon the steppes of his doores 38 Let thy mynde be vpon the commaundementes of God and be earnestlye occupied in his lawes so shall he stablishe thy heart and geue thee wisdome at thyne owne desire The .vij. Chapter 2 We must forsake euyll and yet not iustifie our selues 23 The behauiour of the wise towarde his wyfe his friende his children his seruauntes his father and mother 1 DO no euyl so shal there no harme happen vnto thee 2 Depart away from the thyng that is wicked and no misfortune shall meddle with thee 3 My sonne sowe no euyll thynges in the â—orowes of vnryghteousnes so shalt thou not reape them seuen folde 4 Labour not to the Lorde for preheminence neither vnto the kyng for the seate of honour 5 Iustifie not thy selfe before God for he knoweth the heart and desire not to be reputed wise in the presence of the kyng 6 Make no labour to be made a iudge except it so were that thou couldest mightily put downe wickednesse for yf thou shouldest stande in awe of the presence of the mightie thou shouldest fayle in geuyng sentence 7 Offende not in the multitude of the citie and put not thy selfe among the people 8 Bynde not two sinnes together for in one sinne shalt thou not be vnpunished 9 Say not tushe God wyll loke vpon the multitude of my oblations when I offer to the hyest God he wyll accept it 10 Be not faynt hearted when thou makest thy prayer neither slacke in geuyng of almes 11 Laugh no man to scorne in the heauinesse of his soule for God which seeth all thinges is he that can bring downe and set vp agayne 12 Accept no leasyng agaynst thy brother neither do the same agaynst thy friend 13 Vse not to make any maner of lye for the custome therof is not good 14 Make not many wordes when thou art among the elders and when thou prayest make not much babblyng 15 Let no labourous workes be tedious vnto thee neither the husbandry which the almightie hath created 16 Make not thy boaste in the multitude of thy wickednesse but humble thy selfe euen from thyne heart 17 And remember that the wrath shal not be long in tarying and that the vengeaunce of the fleshe of the vngodly is a very fire and worme 18 Geue not ouer thy friend for any good nor thy faythful brother for the best gold 19 Depart not from a discrete good woman that is fallen vnto thee for thy portion in the feare of the Lorde for the gift of her honesty is aboue golde 20 Where as thy seruaunt worketh truely intreate hym not euyll nor the hyreling that is faythfull vnto thee 21 Loue a discrete seruaunt as thyne owne soule defraude him not of his libertie neither leaue him a poore man 22 If thou haue cattell loke wel to them and if they be for thy profite kepe them 23 If thou haue sonnes bring them vp in nurture and learning and hold them in awe from their youth vp 24 If thou haue daughters kepe their body and shewe not thy face chereful towarde them 25 Mary thy daughter and so shalt thou perfourme a wayghtie matter but geue her to a man of vnderstanding 26 If thou haue a wife after thyne owne mynde forsake her not but commit not thy selfe to the hatefull 27 Honour thy father from thy whole heart and forget not the sorowfull trauayle that thy mother had with thee 28 Remember that thou wast borne thorow them and howe canst thou recompence them the thinges that they haue done for thee 29 Feare the Lord with al thy soule and honour his ministers 30 Loue thy maker with all thy strength and forsake not his seruauntes 31 Feare the Lord with all thy soule honour his priestes geue them their portion of the first fruites and increase of the earth like as it is commaunded thee reconcile thy selfe of thy negligence with the litle flocke geue them the shoulders and their appoynted offeringes firstlinges 32 Reache thyne hande vnto the poore that God may blesse thee with plenteousnes 33 Be liberall vnto all men liuyng yet let not but do good euen to them that are dead 34 Let not them that weepe be without comfort but mourne with such as mourne 35 Let it not greeue thee to visite the sicke for that shall make thee to be beloued 36 Whatsoeuer thou takest in hande remember the end and thou shalt neuer do amisse The .viii. Chapter 1 We must take heede with whom we haue to do 1 STryue not with a mightie man lest thou chaunce to fall into his handes 2 Make no variaunce with a riche man lest he happen to bring vp an harde quarell against thee For golde and siluer hath vndone many a man yea euen the heartes of kinges hath it made to fall 3 Stryue not with a man that is full of wordes and lay no stickes vpon his fire 4 Kepe no companie with the vnlearned lest he geue thy kinred an euyll report 5 Despise not a man that turneth hym selfe away from sinne and cast him not in the teeth withall but remember that we are frayle euerichone 6 Thinke scorne of no man in his olde age for we waxe olde also 7 Be not glad of the death of thyne enemie but remember that we must dye all the sort of vs and fayne would we come into ioy 8 Despise not the sermons of such elders as haue vnderstandyng but acquaynt thy selfe with the wyse sentences of them for of them thou shalt learne wisdome the doctrine of vnderstandyng and howe to serue great men without complaynt 9 Go not from the doctrine of the elders for they haue learned it of their fathers for of them thou shalt
learne vnderstanding so that thou mayest make aunswere in the time of neede 10 Kindle not the coales of sinners when thou rebukest them lest thou be brent in the fyrie flambes of their sinnes 11 Resist not the face of the blasphemer that they lay not wayte for thy mouth 12 Lende not vnto hym that is mightier then thy selfe yf thou lendest hym count it but lost 13 Be not suertie aboue thy power if thou be then thinke surely to paye it 14 Go not to lawe with the iudge for he will iudge according to his owne honour 15 Trauayle not by the way with hym that his braynlesse lest he do the euyll for he foloweth his owne wilfulnesse and so shalt thou perishe thorowe his follie 16 Striue not with him that is angry and cruel go not with him into the wildernesse for blood is nothing in his sight and where there is no helpe he shall murther thee 17 Take no counsel at fooles for they can not kepe a thing close 18 Do no secrete thing before a straunger for thou canst not tell what will come of it 19 Open not thine heart vnto euery man lest he be vnthankefull to thee and put thee to reprofe The .ix. Chapter 1 Of ielousie 12 An olde friend is to be preferred before a newe 18 Righteous men shoulde be bidden to thy table 1 BE not ielous ouer the wife of thy bosome that she shew not some shrewd poynt lest thou teache her an euil lesson against thy selfe 2 Geue not the power of thy lyfe vnto a woman lest she come in thy strength and so thou be confounded 3 Loke not vpon a woman that is desyrous of many men lest thou fall into her snares 4 Vse not the companie of a woman that is a player a dauncer heare her not lest thou perishe thorow her entising 5 Behold not a mayden that thou be not hurt in her beautie 6 Cast not thy minde vpon harlots in any maner of thing lest thou destroy both thy selfe and thyne heritage 7 Go not about gasing in euery lane of the citie neither wander thou abrode in the streetes therof 8 Turne away thy face from a beautifull woman and loke not vpon the fayrnesse of other Many a man hath ben deceaued thorowe the beautie of women for thorow it the desire is kindled as it were a fire 9 An adulterous woman shal be troden vnder foote as myre of euery one that goeth by the way 10 Many a man wondering at the beautie of a straunge woman hath ben cast out for her wordes kyndle as a fyre 11 Sit not with an other mans wife by any meanes lye not with her vpon the bed make no wordes with her at the wine lest thyne heart consent vnto her and so thou with thy blood fall into destruction 12 Forsake not an olde friende for the new shall not be lyke him A newe friende is newe wine let hym be olde and thou shalt drinke hym with pleasure 13 Desire not the honour and riches of a sinner for thou knowest not what destruction is for to come vpon hym 14 Delyte not thou in the thing that the vngodly haue pleasure in beyng sure that the vngodly shall not be accepted vntill their graue 15 Kepe thee from the man that hath power to slay so needest thou not to be afrayde of death And yf thou commest vnto hym make no fault lest he happen to take away thy lyfe Remember that thou goest in the middest of snares and vpon the bulworkes of thy citie 16 Beware of thy neyghbour as nye as thou canst and meddle with such as be wyse and haue vnderstanding 17 Let iust men be thy gestes let thy mirth be in the feare of God 18 Let the remembraunce of God be in thy mynde and let all thy talking be in the commaundementes of the hyghest 19 In the handes of craftes men shall the workes be commaunded so shall the princes of the people in the wysdome of their talking 20 A man full of wordes is perilous in his citie and he that is rashe in his talking shal be abhorred The .x. Chapter 1 Of kinges and iudges 7 Pride and couetousnesse are to be abhorred 28 Labour is praysed 1 TWyse iudge will order his people with discretion and where a man of vnderstanding beareth rule there goeth it well 2 As the iudge of the people is him selfe euen so are his officers and loke what maner of man the ruler of the citie is such are they that dwell therin also 3 An vnwyse king destroyeth his people but where they that be in auctoritie are men of vnderstanding there the citie prospereth 4 The power of the earth is in the hande of God and all iniquitie of the people is to be abhorred and when his time is he shall set a profitable ruler vpon it 5 In the hande of God is the prosperitie of man and vpon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour 6 Be not angry for any wrong of thy neyghbour and meddle thou with no vnrighteous workes 7 Pryde is hatefull before God and man and all wickednesse of the heathen is to be abhorred 8 Because of vnrighteous dealing wrong blasphemies and diuers disceytes a realme shal be translated from one people to another 9 There is nothing worse then a couetous man Why art thou proude O thou earth and asshes There is not a more wicked thing then to loue money and why such one hath his soule to sel yet is he but filthy doung while he lyueth 10 All tyrannie is of smal enduraunce and the disease that is harde to heale greeueth the phisition 11 And though the phisition shew his helpe neuer so long yet in conclusion it goeth after this maner To day a king to morowe dead 12 For when a man dieth he is the heyre of serpentes beastes and wormes 13 The beginning of mans pryde is to fall away from God and why his heart is gone from his maker 14 For pryde is the originall of all sinne Who so taketh hold therof shal be filled with cursinges and at the last it shall ouerthrowe hym Therefore hath the Lorde brought the congregations of the wicked to dishonour and destroyed them to the end 15 God hath destroyed the seates of proude princes and set vp the meeke in their steade 16 God hath wythered the rootes of the proude heathen and planted the lowely for them 17 God hath ouerthrowen the landes of the heathen destroyed them vnto the grounde He hath caused them to wither away he hath brought them to naught made the memoriall of them to ceasse from out of the earth 18 God hath destroyed the name of the proude and left the name of the humble of mynde 19 Pryde was not made for man neither wrothfulnesse for mens children 20 The seede of men that feareth God shal be brought to honour but the seede whiche transgresseth
at the last he declareth his vngraciousnesse 8 A nygarde hath a wicked eye he turneth away his face and despiseth men 9 A couetous mans eye hath neuer enough in the portion of wickednesse vntill the time that he wyther away and haue lost his owne soule 10 A wicked eye enuieth bread and there is scarcenesse vpon his table 11 My sonne do good to thy selfe of that thou hast and geue the Lorde his due offeringes 12 Remember that death tarieth not and how that the graue is not shewed vnto thee for the couenaunt of this world shall dye the death 13 Do good vnto thy friende before thou dye and according to thy abilitie reache out thyne hande geue vnto the poore 14 Be not disapoynted of the good day and let not the portion of the good desire ouerpasse thee 15 Shalt thou not leaue thy trauayles and labours vnto other men In the deuiding of the heritage geue and take and sanctifie thy soule 16 Worke thou righteousnes before thy death for in the hell there is no meate to finde 17 All fleshe shall fade away lyke a garment and lyke a florishing leafe in a greene tree 18 Some growe some are cast downe euen so is the generation of fleshe and blood one commeth to an ende another is borne and this is the condition of all times thou shalt dye the death 19 All transitorie thinges shal fayle at the last the worker therof shal go withal 20 Euery chosen worke shal be iustified and he that medled withall shall haue honour therin 21 Blessed is the man that kepeth hym in wysdome and exerciseth him selfe in vnderstanding and with discretion shall thinke vpon the foreknowledge of God 22 Whiche considereth the wayes of wysdome in his heart hath vnderstanding in her secretes 23 Goeth after her as one that seketh her out and continueth in her ways 24 He loketh in at her windowes hearkeneth at her doores 25 He taketh his rest beside her house and fasteneth his stake in her walles he shal pitche his tent nye vnto her hand and in his tent shall good thinges rest for euermore 26 He shal set his children vnder her couering shall dwell vnder her braunches 27 Vnder her couering shall he be defended from her heate and in the glorie shal he rest The .xv. Chapter 1 The goodnesse that foloweth hym which feareth God 8 God reiecteth and casteth of the sinner 11 God is not the auctour of euyll 1 HE that feareth God wil do good who so kepeth the lawe shall obtayne wysdome 2 As an honorable mother shall she meete hym and she as his wife maried of a virgin shal receaue him 3 With the bread of lyfe and vnderstanding shal she feede him geue him the water of wholsome wisdome to drinke 4 If he be constant in her he shall not be moued and if he holde him fast by her he shall not come to confusion 5 She shall bring him to honour among his neyghbours and in the middest of the congregation shall she open his mouth With the spirite of wysdome and vnderstanding shall she fyll him and cloth him with the garment of glorie 6 She shall heape the treasure of myrth and ioye vpon him and geue him an euerlasting name to heritage 7 Foolishe men will not take holde vpon her but such as haue vnderstanding will meete her Foolishe men shall not see her for she is farre from pryde and disceyte 8 Men that go about with lyes will not remember her but men of trueth shal be founde in her and shall prosper euen vnto the beholding of God 9 Prayse is not seemely in the mouth of the vngodly for he is not sent of the Lorde 10 But if prayse come of wysdome and be plenteous in a faythfull mouth then the Lorde will prosper it 11 Say not thou it is the Lordes fault that I am gone by for thou shalt not do the thing that God hateth 12 Say not thou he hath caused me to do wrong for he hath no neede of the vngodly 13 God hateth al abhomination of errour and they that feare God will loue none such 14 God made man from the beginning and left him in the hande of his counsell He gaue his commaundementes and preceptes 15 If thou wilt obserue the commaundementes and kepe acceptable faythfulnesse for euer they shall preserue thee 16 He hath set water and fyre before thee reache out thine hande vnto which thou wilt 17 Before man is lyfe and death good and euyll loke what him lyketh shal be geuen him 18 For the wysdome of God is great and mightie in power and beholdeth all thinges continually 19 The eyes of the Lorde are vpon them that feare him and he knoweth all the workes of man 20 He hath commaunded no man to do vngodly neither hath he geuen any man licence to sinne for he desireth not a multitude of infidels and vnprofitable children The .xvi. Chapter 1 Of vnhappie and wicked children 19 No man can hyde him selfe from God 24 An exhortation to the receauing of instruction 1 DElite not thou in the multitude of vngodly children and haue no pleasure in them if they feare not God 2 Trust not thou to their lyfe and regarde not their labours 3 For one sonne that feareth God is better then a thousand vngodly And better it is for a man to dye without children then to leaue beynde hym such children as are vngodly 4 For by one that hath vnderstanding may a whole citie be vpholden but though the vngodly be many yet shal it be wasted through them 5 Many such thinges hath mine eye seene and greater thinges then these haue I heard with myne eares 6 In the congregation of the vngodly shal a fire burne and among vnfaythful people shall the wrath be kindled 7 The olde giauntes optayned no grace for their sinnes whiche were destroyed trusting to their owne strength 8 Neither spared he them among whō Lot was a straunger but smote them and abhorred them because of the pride of their wordes 9 He had no pitie vpon them but destroyed all the people that were so stout in sinne 10 And forsomuch as he ouersawe the sixe hundred thousand that gathered them selues together in the hardnesse of their heart in afflicting them in pitiing them in smiting them and healing them with mercie and chastisement it were maruell if one being hardnecked should be free 11 For mercy wrath is with him he is both mightie to forgeue and to powre out displeasure 12 Lyke as his mercy is great euen so is his punishement also he iudgeth a man according to his workes 13 The vngodly shall not escape in his spoyle the long patience of him that sheweth mercie shall not byde behinde 14 He wyll make a place for euery mercifull deede and euery man shall finde according to his workes 15 The Lorde hardened Pharao that he should not know him and
man of small vnderstanding that feareth God is better thē one that hath much wysdome and transgresseth the lawe of the highest 24 A craftie suttle man can be wyse but he is vnrighteous and with giftes he wrasteth the open and manifest lawe againe there is that is wise and iudgeth righteously 25 A wicked man can behaue him selfe humbly and can ducke with his head and yet is he but a deceauer within He hydeth his face and disguiseth it and because he shoulde not be knowen he preuenteth thee 26 And though he be so weake that he can do thee no harme yet when he may finde oportunitie he shall do some euill 27 A man may be knowen by his face and one that hath vnderstanding may be perceaued by the looke of his countenaunce 28 A mans garment laughter and going declare what he is The .xx. Chapter 1 Of correction and repentaunce 6 Of the gift of the wyse man and of the foole 23 Of lying 1 SOme man reproueth his neighbour oft times but not in due season Againe some man holdeth his tongue and he is wyse and discreete 2 It is much better to geue warning and to reproue then to beare euil wyll for he that knowledgeth him selfe openly shal be preserued from hurt and destruction 3 Lyke as when a gelded man through desire and lust defileth a mayden euen so is it with him that vseth violence and vnrighteousnesse in the lawe 4 O how good a thing is it a man that is reproued to shewe openly his repentaunce for so shalt thou escape wylfull sinne 5 Some man keepeth scilence and is founde wyse but he that is not ashamed what he saith is hatefull 6 Some man holdeth his tongue because he hath not vnderstanding of the language and some man keepeth scilence wayting a conuenient time 7 A wyse man wyll holde his tongue tyll he see oportunitie but a wanton and vndiscreete body shall regarde no time 8 He that vseth many wordes shal hurt his owne soule and he that taketh aucthoritie vpon him vnrighteously shal be hated 9 Some man hath oft times prosperitie in wicked thinges Againe some man getteth much and hath harme losse 10 There is some gift that is nothing worth Againe there is some gift whose rewarde is double 11 There is an humilitie for glories sake and some commeth to worship from lowe estate 12 Some man byeth much for a litle price and must pay for it seuen folde 13 A wyse man with his wordes maketh him selfe to be beloued but the merie tales of fooles shal be powred out 14 The gift of the vnwyse shall do thee no good nor yet of the enuious for his importunitie is seuen folde for he loketh to receaue many thinges for one 15 He shall geue litle say he gaue much he openeth his mouth and cryeth out as it were one that cryed out wide 16 To day he lendeth to morowe asketh he againe and such a man is to be hated of God and man 17 The foole saith I haue no freend I haue no thanke for all my good deedes yea euen they that eate my bread speake no good of me O how oft and of how many shal he be laughed to scorne 18 He taketh a more perilous fall by such wordes then if he fel vpon the grounde euen so shal the fall of wicked men come hastyly 19 In the mouth of him that is vntaught are many vnconuenient and vnmeete wordes 20 A wyse sentence shall not be alowed at the mouth of the foole for he speaketh it not in due season 21 Some man sinneth not because he hath not wherewithall and in his rest he shal be stinged 22 Some man there is that destroyeth his owne soule with shame and for an vnwyse bodyes sake destroyeth he it and with accepting of persons shall he vndoe him selfe 23 Some man promyseth his friende a gift for very shame and getteth an enemie of him for nought 24 A lye is a wicked shame in a man yet shall it be euer in the mouth of the vnwyse 25 A theefe is better then a man that is accustomed to lye but they both shall haue destruction to heritage 26 The conditions of lyers are vnhonest and their shame is euer with them 27 A wyse man shall bring him selfe to honour with his wordes and he that hath vnderstanding shal be set by among great men 28 He that tylleth his lande shall euer ease his heape of corne he that worketh righteousnesse shal be exalted and he that pleaseth great men shall escape much euill 29 Rewardes and giftes blinde the eyes of the wyse and make him dumbe that he can not tell men their faultes 30 Wysdome that is hid and treasure that is hoorded vp what profite is in them both 31 Better is he that kepeth his ignoraūce secrete then a man that hideth his wysdome 32 The necessarie patience of him that foloweth the Lorde is better then he that gouerneth his lyfe without the Lorde The .xxj. Chapter 1 Not to continue in sinne 5 The prayer of the afflicted 6 To hate to be reproued 17 The mouth of the wyse man 26 The thought of the foole 1 MY sonne if thou hast sinned do it no more but pray for thy foresinnes that they may be forgeuen thee 2 Flee from sinne euen as from a serpent for if thou comest to nye her she wyll bite thee the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a lion to slay the soules of men 3 The wickednesse of man is as a sharpe two edged sword which maketh such woundes that they cannot be healed 4 Strife and wrongfull dealing shall waste away a mans goodes through pride a riche house shal be brought to naught so the riches of the proude shal be rooted out 5 The prayer of the poore goeth out of the mouth commeth vnto the eares and his vengeaunce or defence shall come hastyly 6 Who so hateth to be refourmed it is a tokē of an vngodly person but he that feareth God wyll remember him selfe 7 A mightie man is knowen a farre of by his tongue but he that hath vnderstanding perceaueth that he shall haue a fall 8 Who so buildeth his house with other mens cost is lyke one that gathereth stones to make his graue 9 The congregation of the vngodly is lyke stubble gathered together their ende is a flambe of fire 10 The way of the vngodly is set with stones but in their ende is hell darkenesse and paines 11 He that kepeth the lawe wyll holde fast the vnderstanding thereof and the ende of the feare of God is wysdome and vnderstanding 12 He that is not wyse wyl not be taught in good but the vnwyse man aboundeth in wickednesse and where bitternesse is there is no vnderstanding 13 The knowledge of the wyse shal flowe lyke water that runneth ouer and his counsaile is lyke a pure fountaine of life 14 The heart of a foole is lyke a
and my braunches are the braunches of honour and louing fauour 19 As the vine haue I brought foorth fruite of a sweete sauour my floures are the fruite of honour and riches 20 I am the mother of beautie of loue of feare of knowledge and of holy hope I geue eternall thinges to all my children to whom God hath commaunded 21 In me is all grace of lyfe and trueth in me is all hope of lyfe and vertue 22 O come vnto me al ye that be desirous of me fill your selues with my fruites 23 For my spirite is sweeter then hony and so is myne inheritaunce more then the hony combe the remembraunce of me endureth for euer more 24 They that eate me shall haue the more hunger and they that drinke me shall thirst the more 25 Who so hearkeneth vnto me shall not come to confusion and they that worke in me shall not offende they that take me to be knowen shall haue euerlasting lyfe 26 All these thinges are the booke of lyfe the couenaunt of the highest and the knowledge of the trueth Moyses commaunded the lawe in the preceptes of righteousnesse for an heritage vnto the house of Iacob and committed the promise vnto Israel 27 Be not weery to behaue yourselues valiauntly with the Lord that he may also confirme you Cleaue vnto him for the Lord almightie is but one God and besides hym there is none other sauiour 28 Out of Dauid his seruaunt he ordeyned to rayse vp a most mightie king sitting in the seate of honour for euermore 29 This filleth with wysdome lyke as the fludde of Phison and as the fludde of Tigris when the newe fruites are a growing 30 This bringeth a plenteous vnderstanding like Euphrates and filleth it vp as Iordane in the time of haruest 31 This maketh nurture to breake foorth as the light and as the water Gehon in the haruest 32 The first hath not knowen her perfectly no more shall the last seke out the grounde of her 33 For her thought is fuller then the sea and her counsell is profounder then the great deepe 34 I wysdome haue cast out fluddes I am as a great water brooke out of the riuer I am as the riuer Dorir and as a water conduite am I come out of the garden of pleasure 35 I sayde I will water the garden of my young plantes and fil the fruite of my byrth So my water brooke became exceeding great and my riuer approched vnto the sea 36 For I make doctrine to be vnto al men as light as the faire morning and I shal make it to be euer the clearer 37 I will pearse thorowe all the lower parties of the earth I will loke vpon al such as be a sleepe and lighten all them that put their trust in the Lorde 38 I shall yet powre out doctrine lyke as prophecie and leaue it vnto such as seke after wysdome and their generations shall I neuer fayle vnto the holy euerlasting worlde 39 Beholde howe that I haue not laboured for my selfe onely but for all them that seke after the trueth The .xxv. Chapter 1 Of three thinges whiche please God and of three which he hateth 7 Of nyne thinges that be not to be suspect and of the tenth 15 Chiefely of the malice of a woman 1 THree thinges there are that my spirite fauoureth which be also alowed before God and men The vnitie of brethren the loue of neyghbours a man and wyfe that agree well together 2 Three thinges there be which my soule hateth and I vtterly abhorre the life of them A poore man that is proude a riche man that is a lyar and an old body that doteth and is vnchaste 3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth what wilt thou find then in thine age 4 O howe pleasaunt a thing is it when gray headed men are discrete and when the elders can geue good counsell 5 O howe comely a thing is wisdome vnto aged men yea vnderstanding counsel to men of honour is a glorious thing 6 The crowne of olde men is to haue much experience and the feare of God is their worship 7 There be nyne thinges which I haue iudged in my heart to be happy and the tenth will I tell foorth vnto men with my tongue A man that whyle he liueth hath ioy of his children and seeth the fal of his enemies 8 Well is hym that dwelleth with an houswyfe of vnderstanding and that hath not fallen with his tongue and that hath not ben fayne to serue such as are vnmeete for him 9 Well is hym that findeth a faythfull friend and well is him which talketh of wysdome to an eare that heareth hym 10 O howe great is he that findeth wysdome and knowledge Yet is he not aboue him that feareth the Lorde 11 The feare of God hath set it selfe aboue all thinges 12 Blessed is the man vnto whom it is graunted to haue the feare of God vnto whom shall he be likened that kepeth it fast 13 The feare of God is the beginning of his loue and the beginning of fayth is to cleaue fast vnto it 14 The heauinesse of the heart is all the punishement and the wickednesse of a woman goeth aboue all 15 All punishement and plague is nothing in comparison of the plague of the heart euen so al wickednesse is nothing to the wickednesse of a woman 16 What so euer happeneth vnto a man is nothing in comparison of it that his euil willers do vnto him and al vengeaunce is nothing to the vengeaunce of the enemie 17 There is not a more wicked head then the head of the serpent and there is no wrath aboue the wrath of a woman 18 I wyll rather dwel with a lion and dragon then to kepe house with a wicked wyfe 19 The wickednesse of a woman chaungeth her face she shal moffle her countetaunce as it were a beare and as a sacke shal she shew it among the neyghbours 20 Her husbande is brought to shame among his neyghbours because of her when he heareth it it maketh him to sigh 21 All wickednesse is but litle to the wickednesse of a woman the portion of the vngodly shall fall vpon her 22 Lyke as the clymyng vp a sandy way is to the feete of the aged euen so is a wife full of wordes to a still quiete man 23 Loke not to narowly vpon the beautie of a woman lest thou be prouoked in desire towarde her 24 The wrath of a woman is dishonour and great confusion If a woman get the mastrie then is she contrarie to her husbande 25 A wicked wyfe maketh a sory heart an heauy countenaunce and a dead wound Weake handes feeble knees is a woman that her husband is not the better for 26 Of the woman came the beginning of sinne thorowe her we all are dead 27 Geue thy water no passage no not a litle neither geue a
Beholde how I haue not laboured onely for my selfe but for all such as loue nurture and wysdome 17 Heare me O ye great men of the people and hearken with your eares ye rulers of the congregation 18 Geue not thy sonne and wyfe thy brother and friend power ouer thee whyle thou liuest and geue not away thy substaunce good to another lest it repent thee and thou be faine to aske of them againe 19 As long as thou lyuest and hast breath let no man chaunge thee 20 For better it is thy children to pray thee then that thou shouldest be faine to loke in their handes 21 In all thy workes be excellent that thy honour be neuer stayned 22 At the time when thou shalt ende thy dayes and finishe thy lyfe distribute thyne inheritaunces 23 The fodder the whippe and the burthen belongeth vnto the asse meate correction and worke vnto the seruaunt 24 If thou set thy seruaunt to labour thou shalt finde rest but if thou let him go idle he shall seeke libertie 25 The yoke and the whippe bowe downe the hard necke but tame thou thy euill seruaunt with bondes and correction 26 Sende him to labour that he go not idle for idlenesse bringeth much euill 27 Set him to worke for that belongeth vnto him and becommeth him wel 28 If he be not obedient binde his feete but do not to much vnto him in any wyse and without discretion do nothing 29 If thou haue a faithfull seruaunt let him be vnto thee as thyne owne soule entreate him as a brother for in blood hast thou gotten him if thou haue a seruaunt holde him as thy selfe for thou hast neede of him as of thy selfe 30 If thou intreatest him euil and kepest him hard and makest him to be proude and to runne away from thee thou canst not tell what way thou shalt seeke him The .xxxiiij. Chapter 1 Of dreames dâ—â—inations and enchauntmentes 6 We ought to confute vaine hope and lying 13 The prayse of them that feare God 22 Of diuers workes of men 27 God doth not alowe the workes of an vnfaithfull man 1 VNwyse people beguile them selues with vaine and deceitfull hope and fooles trust in dreames 2 Who so regardeth dreames is lyke him that wyll take holde of a shadowe and folowe after the winde 3 Euen so is it with the appearinges of dreames before the face is the lykenesse of a face 4 Who can be cleansed of the vncleane or what trueth can be spoken of a lyer 5 Soothsaying witchcrafte sorcerie and dreaming is but vaine lyke as when a woman trauayleth with childe hath many fantasies in her heart 6 Where as such visions come not of God set not thyne heart vpon them 7 For dreames haue deceaued many a man and they failed that put their trust therein 8 The lawe shal be fulfilled without lyes wysdome is sufficient to a faithfull mouth what knowledge hath he that is not tryed 9 A wyse man that is well instruct vnderstandeth much and he that hath good experience can talke of wysdome 10 He that hath no experience knoweth litle and he that erreth causeth much wickednesse he that is not tryed what thinges knoweth he he that hath ben deceaued is full of subtiltie 11 When I was yet in errour I learned much also yea I was so learned that I could not expresse it all 12 And came oft in perill of death therefore tyll I was delyuered from it through the grace of God 13 Now I see that they which feare God haue the right spirit for their hope standeth in him that can helpe them and the eyes of the Lorde are on them that loue him 14 Who so feareth the Lorde standeth in awe of no man and is not afraide for the Lorde is his hope and comforte 15 Blessed is the soule of him that feareth the lord in whom putteth he his trust who is his strength 16 For the eyes of the Lord haue respect vnto them that loue him he is their mightie protection and strong grounde A defence for the heate a refuge for the hot noone day a succour for stumbling and an helpe for falling 17 He setteth vp the soule and lighteneth the eyes he geueth lyfe and blessing 18 He that geueth an offering of vnrighteous good his offering is refused and the scornefull dealinges of the vnrighteous please not God 19 The Lorde is theirs onely that patiently abide him in the way of the trueth and of righteousnesse 20 The highest doth not alowe the giftes of the wicked and God hath no delight in the offeringes of the vngodly neither may sinne be reconciled in the multitude of oblations 21 Who so bringeth an offering out of the goodes of the poore doth euen as one that killeth the sonne before the fathers eyes 22 The bread of the nedefull is the lyfe of the poore he that defraudeth him thereof is a man of blood 23 Who so robbeth his neighbour of his lyuing doth as great sinne as though he slue him to death he that defraudeth the labourer of his hyre is a blood shedder 24 When one buildeth and an other breaketh downe what profite haue they then but labour 25 When one prayeth and another curseth whose voyce wyl the Lorde heare 26 He that washeth him selfe because of a dead body and then toucheth the dead againe what doth his washing 27 So is it with a man that fasteth for his sinnes and doth them againe who wyll heare his prayer or what doth his fasting helpe him ¶ The .xxxv. Chapter 1 It is well done to pray and to do sacrifice 14 The prayer of the fatherlesse and of the widowe and of him that humbleth himselfe 1 WHo so kepeth the lawe bringeth offeringes inough he that holdeth fast the coÌ„maundement offereth the right health offering 2 He that is thankefull and recompenceth offereth fine floure who so is merciful and geueth almes that is the right thanke offering 3 God hath pleasure when one departeth from sinne and to forsake vnrighteousnesse reconcileth vs with him 4 Thou shalt not appeare emptie before the Lorde 5 For al such is done because of the commaundement of God 6 The offering of the righteous maketh the aulter fat and a sweete smell is it before the highest 7 The offering of the righteous is acceptable vnto God and shall neuer be forgotten 8 Geue God his honour with a chearefull heart and keepe not backe the firstlinges of thyne handes 9 In all thy giftes shewe a chearefull countenaunce and halowe thy tythes vnto God with gladnesse 10 Geue vnto God according as he hath enriched and prospered thee and loke what thyne hande is able geue with a chearefull eye 11 For the Lorde recompenceth and geueth thee seuen times as much againe 12 Geue no vnrighteous giftes for such wyll he not receaue Beware of wrong offeringes for the Lorde is a righteous iudge and regardeth no mans person 13 He accepteth not the person of the poore but he
counsell fast in thyne heart for there is no man more faithfull to kepe it then thou thy selfe 14 For a mans minde is sometime disposed to tell out more then seuen watchmen that sit aboue in an hie place loking about them 15 And aboue all this pray the highest that he wyll leade thy way in faithfulnes and trueth 16 Before all thy workes aske counsell 〈◊〉 and or euer thou decit any thing be weâ—â— aduised 17 There be foure thinges that declare a chaunged heart whereout there springeth euill and good death and lyfe and a maisterfull tongue that bableth much 18 Some man is apt and well instructed in many thinges and yet very vnprofitable vnto him selfe 19 Some man there is that can geue wyse and prudent counsel and yet is he hated and continueth a begger 20 For that grace is not geuen him of God to be accepted 21 Another is robbed of al wysdome yet is he wyse vnto him selfe and the fruite of vnderstanding is commeÌ„dable in his mouth 22 A wyse man maketh his people wyse the fruites of his wysdome fayle not 23 A wyse man shal be plenteously blessed of God and all they that see him shall speake good of him 24 The lyfe of man standeth in the number of the dayes but the dayes of Israel are innumerable 25 A wyse man shall obtayne faithfulnes and credence among his people and his name shal be perpetuall 26 My sonne prooue thy soule in thy selfe and if thou see any euill thing geue it not vnto her 27 For all thinges are not profitable for all men neither hath euery soule pleasure in euery thing 28 Be not greedy in euery eating and be not to hastie vpon all meates 29 For excesse of meates bringeth sickenesse and gluttonie commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate 30 Through surfet haue many one perished but he that dieteth him selfe temperatelie prolongeth his lyfe ¶ The .xxxviij. Chapter 1 A phisition is commendable 16 To burie the dead 24 The wysdome of him that is learned 1 HOnour the phisition honour him with that honour that is due vnto him because of necessitie for God hath created him 2 For of the highest commeth medicine and he shall receaue giftes of the king 3 The wysdome of the phisition bringeth him to great worship and in the sight of the great men of this worlde he shal be honourably taken 4 The Lorde hath created medicine of the earth and he that is wyse wyll not abhorre it 5 Was not the bitter water made sweete with a tree that men might learne to knowe the vertue thereof 6 The Lord hath geuen men wysdome and vnderstanding that he might be honoured in his wonderous workes 7 With such doth he heale men and taketh away their paynes 8 Of such doth the pothecarie make a confection yet can no man perfourme al his workes for of the Lorde commeth prosperous wealth ouer all the earth 9 My sonne despise not this in thy sickenes but pray vnto the Lorde and he shall make thee whole 10 Leaue of from sinne and order thy handes a right clense thyne heart from all wickednesse 11 Geue a sweete sauoured offering and the fine floure for a token of remembraunce make the offering fat as one that geueth the first fruites 12 And geue roome to the phisition for the Lorde hath created him let him not go from thee for thou hast neede of him 13 The houre may come that the sicke may be helped through them 14 When they pray vnto the Lorde that he may recouer and get health to lyue longer 15 He that sinneth before his maker shall fall into the handes of the phisition 16 My sonne bring foorth thy teares ouer the dead and beginne to mourne as if thou haddest suffered great harme thy selfe and then couer his body after a conuenient maner and despise not his buriall 17 Enforce thy selfe to weepe prouoke thy selfe to mourne and make lamentation expediently and be earnest in mourning and vse lamentation as he is worthie and that a day or two lest thou be euill spoken of and then comfort thy selfe because of the heauines 18 For of heauines commeth death the heauines of the heart breaketh streÌ„gth 19 Heauines and pouertie greeueth the heart in temptation and offence 20 Take no heauines to heart driue it away and remember the last thinges 21 Forget it not for there is no turning againe thou shalt do him no good but hurt thy selfe 22 Remember his iudgement thyne also shal be lykewyse vnto me yesterday vnto thee to day 23 Let the remembraunce of the dead ceasse in his rest comfort thee againe ouer him seing his spirite is departed from him 24 The wysoome of the scribe is at conuenient time of rest and he that ceasseth from exercises and labour shal be wyse 25 How can he get wysdome that holdeth the plough and he that hath pleasure in the goade and in driuing the oxen and is occupied in their labours and his talke is but of the breeding of bullockes 26 He setteth his heart to make sorowes and is diligent to geue the kine fodder 27 So is euery carpenter also and workmaister that laboureth still night and â—ay he carueth graueth cutteth out his desire is insundry cunning thinges his heart imagineth how he may cunningly cast an image his diligence also and watching perfourmeth the worke 28 The iron smith in lyke maner bydeth by his stithie and doth his diligence to labour the iron the vapour of the fyre brenneth his fleshe and he must fight with the heate of the fornace the noyse of the hammer euer soundeth in his eares and his eyes loke still vpon the thing that he maketh he hath set his minde thereupon that he wyll make out his worke therefore he watcheth how he may set it out and bring it to an ende 29 So doth the potter set by his worke he turneth the wheele about with his feete he is diligent and carefull in all doinges and maketh his worke in number 30 He fashioneth the clay with his arme and with his feete he tempereth it his heart imagineth howe he may make it pleasaunt and his diligence is to clense the ouen 31 All these hope in their handes euery one thinketh to be cunning in his worke 32 Without these may not the cities be mayntayned inhabited nor occupied 33 Yet come they not hye in the congregation neither sit they vpon the iudgement seates they vnderstand not the couenaunt of the lawe they can not declare equitie and iudgement they can not finde out the darke sentences 34 But through them shall the creature of the worlde be maintayned their desire concerneth onely the worke and labour of cunning The. xxxix Chapter 1 A wyse man 16 The workes of God 24 Vnto the good thinges do profite but vnto the euyll euen good thinges are euyll 1 HE that applieth his mynde to vnderstande the lawe of God doth diligently seke out the
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
together from the east and west reioycing in the worde of the holy one vnto the honour of God The .v. Chapter 1 Hierusalem is moued vnto gladnesse for the returne of her people and vnder the figure therof the church 1 PVT of thy mourning clothes O Hierusalem and thy sorow decke thee with the worship honour that commeth vnto thee from God with euerlasting glorie 2 God shal put the garment of righteousnesse vpon thee set a crowne of euerlasting worship vpon thyne head 3 For vpon thee will God declare his brightnesse that is vnder the heauen 4 Yea an euerlasting name shall be geuen thee of God with peace of righteousnesse and the honour of gods feare 5 Arise O Hierusalem stande vp on hye loke about thee towarde the east and beholde thy children gathered from the cast vnto the west whiche reioyce in the holy worde hauing God in remembraunce 6 They departed from thee on foote and were led away of their enemies but now shall the Lorde bring them caryed with honour as chyldren of the kingdome 7 For God is purposed to bring downe al stout mountaynes yea all hie rockes to fill the valleys and so to make them euen with the ground that Israel may be diligent to liue vnto the honour of God 8 The woods all pleasaunt trees shall ouershadowe Israel at the commaundement of God 9 For hyther shal God bring Israel with ioyfull mirth and in the light of his maiestie with the mercie and righteousnesse that commeth of him selfe The .vi. Chapter A copie of the epistle that Ieremie sent vnto the Iewes whiche were led away prisoners by the king of Babylon wherin he certifieth them of the thing that was commaunded him of God 1 BEcause of the sinnes that ye haue done against God ye shal be led away captiue vnto Babylon euen of Nabuchodonozor the king of Babylon 2 So when ye be come into Babylon ye shall remayne there many yeres and for a long season namely seuen generations and after that will I bring you away peaceably from thence 3 Nowe shall ye see in Babylon gods of golde of siluer of wood and of stone borne vpon mens shoulders to cast out a fearfulnesse before the heathen 4 But loke that ye do not as the other be not ye afraide let not the feare of them ouercome you 5 Therfore when ye see the multitude of people worshipping them behynde and before say ye in your heartes O Lorde it is thou that oughtest only to be worshipped 6 Myne angell also shal be with you and I my selfe will care for your soules 7 As for the timber of those gods the carpenter hath pullished them yea gilted be they and layed ouer with siluer yet are they but vayne thinges and can not speake 8 Like as a wench that loueth paramours is trimly dect euen so are these made and hanged with golde 9 Crownes of golde veryly haue their gods vpon their heades so the priestes them selues take golde and siluer from them and put it to their owne vses 10 Yea they geue of the same vnto harlottes trimme their whores withall againe they take it from the whores and decke their gods therwith 11 Yet can not these gods deliuer them selues from rust and mothes 12 When they haue couered them with clothing of purple they wype their faces for the dust of the temple whereof there is much among them 13 One hath a scepter in his hande as though he were iudge of the countrey yet can he not slay such as offende hym 14 An other hath a sworde or an axe in his hand for al that he is neither able to defende hym selfe from battayle nor from murtherers 15 By this ye may vnderstande that they be no gods therefore see that ye neither worship them nor feare them 16 For like as a vessell that a man vseth is nothing worth when it is broken euen so is it with their gods When they be set vp in the temple their eyes be ful of dust thorowe the feete of those that come in 17 And like as the doores are shut in round about vpon hym that hath offended the king or as it were a dead body kept beside the graue Euen so the priestes kepe the doores with barres lockes lest their gods be spoyled with robbers 18 They set vp candels before them yea veryly and that many whereof they can not see one but euen as blockes so stande they in the temple 19 It is sayd that the serpentes wormes whiche come of the earth gnawe out their hartes eating them their clothes also and yet they feele it not 20 Their faces are blacke thorowe the smoke that is in the temple 21 The owles swalowes and byrdes flee vpon them yea and the cattes run ouer their heades 22 By this ye may be sure that they are not gods therfore feare them not 23 The golde that they haue is to make them beautifull for all that except some body dight of their rust they wil geue no shine and when they were cast into a fourme they felt it not 24 They are bought for money and haue no breath of lyfe within them 25 They must be borne vpon mens shoulders as those that haue no feete wherby they declare vnto men that they be nothing worth confounded be they then that worship them 26 For if they fall to the ground they can not rise vp againe of them selues Yea though one helpe them vp and set them right yet are they not able to stande alone but must haue proppes set vnder them like dead men 27 As for the thing that is offred vnto them their priestes sell it abuse it yea the priestes wyues take thereof but vnto the sicke poore they geue nothing of it 28 The women with childe and the menstruous lay handes of their offringes By this ye may be sure that they are no gods therefore be not ye afrayde of them 29 From whence commmeth it then that they be called gods the women sit before the gods of siluer golde and wood 30 And the priestes sit in their temples hauing open clothes whose heades and beardes are shauen and haue nothing vpon their heades 31 Roaring and crying vpon their gods as men do at the feast when one is dead 32 The priestes also take away the garmentes of the images and decke their wyues and children withall 33 Whether it be good or euyll that any man do vnto them they are not able to recompence it they can neither set vp a king nor put him downe 34 In like maner they may neither geue riches nor rewarde euyll though a man make a vow vnto them and kepe it not they will not require it 35 They can saue no man from death neither deliuer the weake from the mightie 36 They can not restore a blind man to his sight nor helpe any man at his neede 37 They can shewe no mercie to the
are not comely 14 I wyll therefore that the yonger women do marrie to beare chyldren to guyde the house to geue none occasion to y e aduersarie to speake slaunderously 15 For certaine of them are alredy turned backe after Satan 16 Yf any man or woman that beleueth haue wydowes let them susteine them let not the Churches be charged that there maye be sufficient for them that are wydowes in deede 17 The elders that rule well are worthy of double honour most speciallye they which labour in the worde teachyng 18 For the scripture sayth Thou shalt not moosel the oxe that treadeth out the corne And the labourer is worthy of his rewarde 19 Agaynst an elder receaue none accusation but vnder two or three witnesses 20 Them that sinne rebuke before all that other also may feare 21 I testifie before God and the Lorde Iesus Christe and the elect angels that thou obserue these thinges without hastynesse of iudgement and do nothyng after parcialitie 22 Lay handes sodenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes Kepe thy selfe chaste 23 Drinke no longer water but vse a litle wine for thy stomackes sake thine often diseases 24 Some mens sinnes are open beforehande hastyng before vnto iudgement and in some they folowe after 25 Lykewise also good workes are manifest before hande and they that are otherwyse can not be hyd ¶ The .vj. Chapter 1 The duetie of seruauntes towarde their maisters 3 Agaynst such as are not satisfied with the worde of God 6 Of true godlynesse and contentation of mynde 9 Agaynst couetousnesse 11 A charge geuen to Timothie 1 LEt as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke count their maisters worthy of all honour that the name of god and his doctrine be not blasphemed 2 And they whiche haue beleuyng maisters despise them not because they are brethren but rather do seruice forasmuch as they are beleuyng and beloued and partakers of the benefite These thynges teache and exhort 3 Yf any man teache otherwyse and consenteth not vnto the wholsome wordes of our Lorde Iesus Christe and to the doctrine whiche is accordyng to godlynesse 4 He is puft vp knowyng nothing but dotyng about questions and strifes of wordes wherof commeth enuie stryfe raylynges euyll surmysynges 5 Vayne disputations of men of corrupte myndes destitute of the trueth thynkyng lucre to be godlynesse From suche be thou separate 6 Godlynesse is great lucre if a man be content with that he hath 7 For we brought nothyng into the worlde and it is certayne that we may carry nought away 8 But hauyng foode and rayment we must therwith be content 9 For they that wyll be riche fall into temptations and snares and into many folishe noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction 10 For loue of money is the roote of all euyll whiche whyle some lusted after they erred from the fayth pearced thē selues through with many sorowes 11 But thou O man of God flee these thynges and folow after righteousnes godlynes faith loue pacience mekenes 12 Fight the good fight of faith lay hand on eternall lyfe wherevnto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses 13 I geue thee charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all thynges and before Iesus Christe which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good profession 14 That thou kepe the commaundement without spot vnrebukeable vntyll the appearyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ 15 Which in his tymes he shall shewe that is blessed and prince only the kyng of kynges and Lorde of Lordes 16 Who only hath immortalitie dwelling in the light that no man can attayne vnto * Whom no man hath seene neither can see vnto whom be honour power euerlastyng Amen 17 Charge them which are riche in this world that they be not hie minded nor trust in vncertayne riches but in y e lyuyng God which geueth vs aboundauntly all thinges to enioy 18 That they do good that they be riche in good workes that they be redye to geue glad to distribute 19 Laying vp in store for them selues a good foundation agaynst the tyme to come that they may lay holde on eternall lyfe 20 O Timotheus saue that which is geuen thee to kepe auoydyng prophane and vayne bablynges and oppositions of science falslie so called 21 Which some professyng haue erred concernyng the fayth Grace be with thee Amen ¶ Sent from Laodicea which is the chiefest citie of Phrygia Pacaciana The seconde Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paul to Timothie ¶ The first Chapter ¶ 6 Paul exhorteth Timotheus to stedfastnesse and patience in persecution and to continue in the doctrine that he had taught hym 12 wherof his bondes afflictions were a gage 16 A commendation of Onesiphorus 1 PAul an Apostle of Iesus Christe by the wyll of God according to the promise of lyfe which is in Christ Iesus 2 To Timothie a beloued sonne Grace mercy and peace from God the father and Christe Iesus our Lorde 3 I thanke God whom I worshippe from my forefathers in pure conscience that without ceassyng I haue remembraūce of thee in my prayers night day 4 Desiryng to see thee myndefull of thy teares that I may be fylled with ioy 5 When I call to remembraunce the vnfaigned fayth that is in thee whiche dwelt first in thy graundmother Lois and in thy mother Eunica and I am assured that it dwelleth in thee also 6 Wherfore I put thee in remēbraunce that thou stirre vp the gyft of God which is in thee * by the puttyng on of my handes 7 * For God hath not geuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power and of loue and of a sounde mynde 8 Be not thou therfore ashamed of the testimonie of our Lorde neither of me his prisoner but suffer thou aduersitie with the Gospell accordyng to the power of God 9 Who hath saued vs called vs with an holy callyng not accordyng to our workes but accordyng to his owne purpose and grace which was geuen vs in Christe Iesus before the world began 10 But is nowe made manifest by the appearyng of our sauiour Iesus Christ who hath put away death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light through the Gospell 11 Wherunto I am appoynted a preacher and Apostle and a teacher of the gentiles 12 For the which cause I also suffer these thynges Neuerthelesse I am not ashamed For I knowe whom I haue beleued and I am perswaded that he is able to kepe that which I haue committed to hym agaynst that day 13 See thou haue the paterne of wholesome wordes which thou hast hearde of me in fayth loue that is in Christe Iesus 14 That good thyng which was committed to thy keping holde fast through the holy ghost which dwelleth in vs. 15 This
the enemies (c) Because she vsed the aucthoritie power that God gaue her for the wealth of her people not to suppresse them after the maner of tirauntes (d) magiâ—rats that aâ—ore were hindered in the executing of their office marchants thâ—t then durst not iorney from citie to citie (e) A certaine place much oppressed with the enemies â–ª or a place vsed for marâ—haâ—dise to the which for feared 〈◊〉 the enemies there was afore no resorte (f) Whom the enemies of like vsed to skirmish vpoÌ„ to endauÌ„ger g To wyt thy that kept the people in captiuitie (h) In this reckâ—nyng vp of the instruments of this victorie she begynneth with her selfe as a roote of Ephraim and calleth these Chanaanites Amalek by illusion (i) It is lyke that some of the Beniamites ioyned them selues to Debora and vnlyke that she propheâ—eth here of the victorie of Saul agaynst Amalek wherof 1. Sa. 15. b. (k) They marueyled that they came not ouer Iordane to helpe them (l) And yet came to helpe and therfore thou Ruben canst haue no excuse (m) They dwelled farre of and their cities decayed easy for their enemies to get yf they left them but this excuse serueth not against Gods commaundement (n) A citie neare to Thabor and therfore without excuse that they came not to helpe (o) That is growe more and mâ— in strength and power to vanquishe â—heir enemies (a) Specially idolatrie as hereafter appeareth (b) That is the power or strength (c) That is for feare of the Madianites (d) That is by the Madianites (e) Affliction is a better â—emaster to theache the Lorde then proâ—peritie 〈…〉 g. 〈…〉 (f) Affliction assâ—â—teth forth and at the â—irst shewe argueth gods abâ—ence to destruction but â—st â—t faith 〈◊〉 fynde it gods messenger to reâ—enâ—â—unce and sâ—uation g The angel is called the Lorde for 〈◊〉 was the Lordes messenger or rather it was Christe the Lorde hym seâ— that dyd appeâ—re (h) Whiche â—ewe thou reâ—thou reâ— of me (i) Gedeon to be assured it was Gods message and not illusion of a spirit requireth a signe But Gods worde once confirmed by signes is to be beleued without signe (k A measure of drye thynges conteynyng about three bushels 3. Reg 18. f. Exod. 33. d. Iud. 13. d. (l) First idolatrie is to be destroyed and true religion restored and then the delyuery of the people or ciuile gouernaunce of the same to be taken in hande (m) Whiche was of seuen yeres feeding and kept to be offered to Baal n That is the 〈◊〉 Abiezer (a) God wyll not that any creature depriue hym of his glorie Deut. xx b. 1. Malach. 3. g (b) They shâ— depart as to vnmeete for this enterprise Drunke 〈◊〉 putâ— their 〈◊〉 to their 〈…〉 â—s â–ª and by â—pping (d) Whiche were in 〈◊〉 and parted â—t two times xxxi M. and â—i C. Iud 6 c. e These weak meanes God vsed â–ª to signifie that the whole victorie came of hym “ Or Brake their array 1. Reg. 14. c. (f For they fell a kyllyng one of another (g) Meanyng the passages or the fourds that theâ— shuld not escape Psal 83 b. Esa 10. f. (h) These places toke that names of the actes that were done there (a) Whiche haue slayne two princes Oreb Zeb (b) This last act of the whole â—triâ—e is more famous then the enterprise of one man of one familie (c) A â—tie â—nde Iorâ— in the 〈◊〉 of God which Iacob 〈◊〉 dyd when â—rtâ—d froÌ„â—ing his brother Esau (d) They can not beleue that Gedeon is able to ouer come the princes and therfore they mock him and churlyshly deny him relief (e) Hauing gotten the victorie (f) Euen nature forceth me to reuenge their deathes (g) Meaning that they would be ryd out of their payne at once or that they thought it dishonour to be put to death by a boy (h) That is thy posteritie (i) By such one as he shall chose according to the sentence of his holy worde to rule and to mayntayne his true religion (k) To be a testimonie of this victorie But afterward abused to idolatrie (l) An Eâ— piâ— wâ—by is the meâ—nt that theâ— were nether thaâ—full nor kynd nor louing nor beneâ— to the children of Ieroâ— (a) The desire of soueraintie where it rooteth â–ª sheedeth the innocent blood that is founde in his way as a woolfe deuoureth lambes (b) In this parable he setteth before their eyes their folly and vngratitude in choosyng a kyng with threatnyng telleth them what rewarde both they and their kyng shall haue (c) He alludeth to the vse of oyle in sacrifices lampes vnction of prophets priestes and kynges (d) Because wine was â—poynted by the lawe to 〈◊〉 drynkâ— offeryng for a sweete honour vnto the Lord Num. xv â— (e) Abimelech shall destroy the nobles of Sichem (g) Because the people consented with the king in frâ—â—ding innocent blood therfore God destroyed both the one and the other (h) By these wordes he mocked Gaal for the bragge he made afore agaynst Abimelech i That it shoulde be vnfrutful and neuer serue to any vse k That is of Baal Berith as afore Chap. 8. g. ii Re. x. l What strength the curse of heâ— men oppressed with wrong hath to bring the vengeance of God vpon the oppressours may appeare by this and likewyse by Elizeus the prophet “ Or gouerned (a) That was the vse of men of great authoritie and honour (b) Or the townes of Iair Deut. Chap. 3. “ Or Aâ—am “ Or Delâ—uered c That is the Rubenâ—tes Gadites and halfe the tribe of Manasses d By stâ—r 〈◊〉 them vp sâ— prophete â— Chap. â— Deut 32 c Neuer retriued to the priuiledge of â— wyfe That was the name of the owner of the lande (c) To make inuasions vpoÌ„ the enemies of the people of God and to line of the spoyle (d) God can bring the cast-away to haue rule ouer his oppressours Let no man therfore exalte him selfe and despise any man of Gods creation “ Hebr Added to commit Iud 2 b 3 b. 4 â— 6 â— 10. a. (a) Meaning he should haue a peculiar calling to serue God in separat from the common ordre of men “ Or wonderfull (b) It semeth that the angell appeared twyse in one day (c) Whom he thought to be a man but was in dede an angel (d) That is any thing that is forbid by the lawe (e) And not vnto me â—or to idols Or Merâ— For God sent fire from 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 then to sacrifice Exo 33. d. Iud vi c. g These graces that we haue receaued of God his accepting of our obedience are sure tokeÌ„s of his loue toward vs so that nothyng can hurt vs. “ Or to come vpon hym at tymes “ Heb â–ª take her for me 〈◊〉 wyfe (a) Theâ— speke in defence of Gods lawe that for byddeth maryage with straungers Deu. 7. a (b) At y e first but it is lyke they had vnderstandyng of Gods