For * Wis 63. there is no power but of God the powers that be are ‖ Or ordered ordained of God 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation 3 For rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good But if thou do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him the doeth evil 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake 6 For for this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods ministers attending continually upon this very thing 7 * Mat. 22.21 Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour 8 Owe no man any thing but to love one another for he that â—oveth another hath fulfilled the law 9 For this * Ex. 20. Deu. 5. Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not covet if there be any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely * Lev. 19.18 Mat. 22 39 Gal. 5.14 Jam. 2.8 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore love is the fulfilling of the law 11 And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer then when we beleeved 12 The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light 13 Let us walk ‖ Or decently honestly as in the day * Lu. 21.34 not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and * Gal. 5.16 1 Pet. 2.12 make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof CHAP. XIV 3 Men may not contemn nor condemn one the other for things indifferent 13 but take heed that they give no offence in them 15 For that the apostle proveth unlawful by many reasons HIm that is weak in the faith receive you but ‖ Or not to judge his doubtful thoughts not to doubtful disputations 2 For one beleeveth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth herbs 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him 4 * Jam. 4.12 Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own master he standeth or falleth Yea he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand 5 One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be ‖ Or fully assured fully perswaded in his own minde 6 He that ‖ Or obsâ—rveth regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giveth God thanks and he that eateth not to the Lord he eateth not and giveth God thanks 7 For none of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself 8 For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Loâ—ds 9 For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother or why dost thou let at nought thy brother for * 2 Cor. 5.10 we shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ 11 For it is written * Isa 45.23 Phil. 2.10 As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or an accasion to fall in his brothers way 14 I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing †Gr. common unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be †Gr. common unclean to him it is unclean 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not †Gr. auording to charity charitably * 1 Cor. 8.11 Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another 20 For meat destroy not the work of God * Tit. 1.15 All things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence 21 It is good neither to eat * 1 Cor. 8.13 flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak 22 Hast thou faith have it to thy self before God Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth 23 And he that ‖ Or disearneth and putteth a difference between meats doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin CHAP. XV. 1 The strong must hear with the weak 2 We may not please our selves 3 for Christ did not so 7 but receive one the other as Christ did us all 8 both Jews 9 and Gentiles 15 Paul excuseth his writing 28 and promiseth to see them 30 and requesteth their prayers WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification 3 For even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written * Psal 69.9 The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope 5 * 1 Cor. 1.10 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another ‖ Or after the example of according to Christ Jesus 6 That ye may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 7 Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to
And not to change an old friend 13 Not to be familiar with men in authority 14 But to know our neighbours 15 And to converse with wise men BE not jealous over the wise of thy bosom and teach her not an evil lesson against thy self 2 Give not thy soul unto a woman to let her foot upon thy substance 3 Meet not with an harlot lest thou fall into her snares 4 Use not much the company of a woman that ‖ Or playeth upon instruments is a singer lest thou be taken with her attempts 5 Gaze not on a maid that thou fall not by those things that are precious in her 6 Give not thy soul unto harlots that thou lose not thine inheritance 7 Look not round about thee in the streets of the city neither wander thou in the solitary places thereof 8 * Gen. 34.2 2 Sam. 11.2 Judith 10 1◠Turn away thine eye from a beautiful woman and look not upon anothers beauty for many have been deceived by the beauty of a woman for herewith love is kindled as a fire 9 Sit not at all with another mans wife nor sit down with her in thine arms and spend not thy money with her at the wine lest thine heart incline unto her and so through thy desire thou fall into destruction 10 Forsake not an old friend for the new is not comparable to him a new friend is as new wine when it is old thou shalt drink it with pleasure 11 Envy not the glory of a sinner for thou knowest not what shall be his end 12 Delight not in the thing that the ungodly have pleasure in but remember they shall not go unpunished unto their grave 13 Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill so shalt thou not doubt the fear of death and if thou come unto him make no fault lest he take away thy life presently remember that thou goest in the midst of snares and that thou walkest upon the battlements of the city 14 As near as thou canst guess at thy neighbour and consult with the wise 15 Let thy talk be with the wise and all thy communication in the law of the most High 16 And let just men eat and drink with thee and let thy glorying be in the fear of the Lord. 17 For the hand of the artificer the work shall be commended and the wise ruler of the people for his speech 18 A man of an ill tongue is dangerous in his city and he that is rash in his talk shall be hated CHAP. X. 1 The commodities of a wise ruler 4 God setteth him up 7 The inconveniences of pride injustice and covetousness 14 What God hath done to the proud 19 Who shall be honoured 29 and who not A Wife judge will instruct his people and the government of a prudent man is well ordered 2 * Prov. 29.12 As the judge of the people is himself so are his officers and what manner of man the ruler of the city is such are all they that dwell therein 3 An unwise king destroyeth his people but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited 4 The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable 5 In the hand of God is the prosperity of man and upon the ‖ Or face person of the scribe shall he lay his honour 6 * Lev. 19.17 Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong and do nothing at all by injurious practices 7 Pride is hateful before God and man and by both doth one commit iniquity 8 Because of unrighteous dealings injuries and riches got by deceit the kingdom is translated from one people to another 9 Why is earth and ashes proud There is not a more wicked thing then a covetous man for such an one setteth his own soul to sale because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels 10 The physician cutteth off a long disease and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die 11 For when a man is dead he shall inherit creeping things beasts and worms 12 The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God and his heart is turned away from his maker 13 For pride is the beginning of sin and he that hath it shall pour out abomination and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities and overthrew them utterly 14 The Lord hath cast down the thrones of proud princes and set up the meek in their stead 15 The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations and planted the lowly in their place 16 The Lord overthrew countreys of the heathen and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth 17 He took some of them away and destroyed them and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth 18 Pride was not made for men nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman 19 They that fear the Lord are a sure seed and they that love him an honourable plant they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed they that transgress the commandments are a ‖ Or unstable generation deceiveable seed 20 Among brethren he that is chief is honourable so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes 21 The fear of the Lord goeth before ‖ Or principality the obtaining of authority but roughness and pride is the losing thereof 22 Whether he be rich noble or poor their glory is the fear of the Lord. 23 It is not meet to despise the poor man that hath understanding neither is it convenient to magnifie a sinful man 24 Great men and judges and potentates shall be honoured yet is there none of them greater then he that feareth the Lord. 25 * Prov. 17.2 Unto the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service and he that hath knowledge * 2 Sam. 12.13 will not grudge when he is reformed 26 Be not overwise in doing thy business and boast not thy self in the time of thy distress 27 * Prov. 12.9 Better is he that laboureth and aboundeth in all things then he that boasteth himself and wanteth bread 28 My son glorifie thy soul in meekness and give it honour according to the dignity thereof 29 Who will justifie him that sinneth against his own soul and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life 30 The poor man is honoured for his skill and the rich man is honoured for his riches 31 He that is honoured in poverty how much more in riches and he that is dishonourable in riches how much more in poverty CHAP. XI 4 We may not vaunt nor set forth our selves 8 nor answer rashly 10 nor meddle with many matters 14 Wealth and all things else are from God 24 Brag not of thy wealth 29 nor bring every man into thy house WIsdom lifteth up the head ‖ Or of the lowly of him that
Four manner of things appear good and evil life and death but the tongue ruleth over them continually 19 There is one that is wise and teacheth many and yet is unprofitable to himself 20 There is one that sheweth wisdom in words and is hated he shall be destitute of all ‖ Or wisdom food 21 For grace is not given him from the Lord because he is deprived of all wisdom 22 Another is wise to himself and the fruits of understanding are commendable in his mouth 23 A wise man instructeth his people and the fruits of his understanding fail not 24 A wise man shall be filled with blessing and all they that see him shall count him happy 25 The days of the life of man may be numbred but the days of Israel are innumerable 26 A wise man shall inherit ‖ Or are 〈…〉 glory among his people and his name shall be perpetual 27 My son prove thy soul in thy life and see what is evil for it and give not that unto it 28 For all things are not profitable for all men neither hath every soul pleasure in every thing 29 Be not unsatiable in any dainty thing nor too greedy upon meats 30 For ‖ Or variety of meats excess of meats bringeth sickness and surfeting will turn into choler 31 By surfeting have many perished but he that taketh heed prolongeth his life CHAP. XXXVIII 1 Honour due to the physician and why 16 How to weep and mourn for the deal 24 The wisdom of the learned man and of the labourer and artificer with the use of them both HOnour a physician with the honour due unto him for the uses which you may have of him for the Lord hath created him 2 For of the most High cometh healing and he shall receive ‖ Or a giâ—t honour of the king 3 The skill of the physician shall lift up his head and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration 4 The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth and he that is wise will not abhor them 5 * Exod. â—5 25 Was not the water made sweet with wood that the vertue thereof might be known 6 And he hath given men skill that he might be honoured in his marvellous works 7 With such doth he heal men and taketh away their pains 8 Of such doth the apothecary make a confection and of his works there is no end and from him is peace over all the earth 9 My son in thy sickness be not negligent but * Isa 38.2 pray unto the Lord and he will make thee whole 10 Leave off from sin and order thy hands aright and cleanse thy heart from all wickedness 11 Give a sweet savour and a memorial of fine flour and make a fat offering ‖ Or as a deed man as not being 12 Then give place to the physician for the Lord hath created him let him not go from thee for thou hast need of him 13 There is a time when in their hands there is good success 14 For they shall also pray unto the Lord that he would prosper that which they give for ease and ‖ Or â—â—ring remedy to prolong life 15 He that sinneth before his maker let him fall into the hand of the physician 16 My son let tears fall down over the dead and begin to lament as it thou hadst suffered great harm thy self and then cover his body according to the custom and neglect not his burial 17 Weep bitterly and make great moan and use lamentation as he is worthy and that a day or two lest thou be evil-spoken of and then comfort thy self for thy heaviness 18 Foâ— of heaviness cometh death and the heaviness of the * Pro. 15.13 17.22 heart breaketh strength 19 In affliction also sorrow remaineth and the life of the poor is the curse of the heart 20 Take no heaviness to heart drive it away and remember the last end 21 Forget it not for there is no turning again thou shalt not do him good but hurt thy self 22 Remember ‖ Or the sentence upon him my judgement for thine also shall be so yesterday for me and to day for thee 23 * 2 Sam. 33.20 When the dead is at rest let his remembrance rest and be comforted for him when his spirit is departed from him 24 The wisdom of a learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure and he that hath little business shall become wise 25 How can he get wisdom that holdeth the plough and that glorieth in the goad that driveth oxen and is occupied in their labours and whose talk is †Gr. of the breed of bullocks of bullocks 26 He giveth his minde to make furrows and is diligent to give the kine â—odder 27 So every carpenter and work-master that laboureth night and day and they that cut and grave seals and are diligent to make great variety and give themselves to counterfeit imagery and watch to finish a work 28 The smith also sitting by the anvil and considering the iron work the vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace the noise of the hammer and the anvil is ever in his ears and his eyes look still upon the pattern of the thing that he maketh he setteth his minde to finish his work and watcheth to polish it perfectly 29 So doth the potter sitting at his work and turning the wheel about with his feet who is alway carefully set at his work and maketh all his work by number 30 He fashioneth the clay with his arm and ‖ Or tempereth it with his feet boweth down his strength before his feet he applieth himself to lead it over and he is diligent to make clean the furnace 31 All these trust to their hands and every one is wise in his work 32 Without these cannot a city be inhabited and they shall not dwell where they will nor go up and down 33 They shall not be sought for in publick counsel nor sit high in the congregation they shall not sit on the judges seat nor understand the sentence of judgement they cannot declare justice and judgement and they shall not be found where parables are spoken 34 But they will maintain the state of the world and all their desire is in the work of their craft CHAP. XXXIX 1 A description of him that is truth wise 12 An exhortation to praise God for his works which are good to the good and evil to them that are evil BUt he that giveth his minde to the law of the most High and is occupied in the meditation thereof will seek out the wisdom of all the ancient and be occupied in prophecies 2 He will keep the sayings of the renowned men and where subtil parables are he will be there also 3 He will seek out the secrets of grave sentences and be conversant in dark parables 4 He shall serve among great men and appear before
Ptolemee brought forth his host and met him with a mighty power and put him to flight 16 So Alexander fled into Arabia there to be defended but king Ptolemee was exalted 17 For Zabdiel the Arabian took off Alexanders head and sent it unto Ptolemee 18 King Ptolemee also died the third day after †Gr. and those that were in the holds were slain of those that were in the holds and they that were in the strong holds were slain one of another 19 By this means Demetrius reigned in the hundred threescore and seventh year 20 At the same time Jonathan gathered together them that were in Judea to take the towre that was in Jerusalem and he made many engines of war against it 21 Then certain ungodly persons who hated their own people went unto the king and told him that Jonathan besieged the towre 22 Whereof when he heard he was angry and immediately removing he came to Ptolemais and wrote unto Jonathan that he should not lay siege to the towre but come and speak with him at Ptolemars in great haste 23 Nevertheless Jonathan when he heard this commanded to besiege it still and he chose certain of the elders of Israel and the priests and put himself in peril 24 And took silver and gold and raiment and divers presents besides and went to Ptolemais unto the king where he found favour in his sight 25 And though certain ungodly men of the people had made complaints against him 26 Yet the king entreated him as his predecessonrs had done before and promoted him in the sight of all his friends 27 And confirmed him in the high priesthood and in all the honours that he had before gave him preeminence among his chief friends 28 Then Jonathan desired the king that he would make Judea free from tribute as also the three governments with the countrey of Samaria and he promised him three hundred talents 29 So the king consented and wrote letters unto Jonathan of all these things after this manner 30 King Demetrius unto his brother Jonathan and unto the nation of the Jews sendeth greeting 31 We send you here a copy of the letter which we did write unto our cousin Lasthenes concerning you that you might see it 32 King Demetrius unto his father Lasthenes sendeth greeting 33 We are determined to do good to the People of the Jews who are our friends and keep covenants with us because of their good will towards us 34 ‖ Joseph Antiq. l. 13. c. 8. Wherefore we have ratified unto them the borders of Judea with the three governments of Apherema and Lydda and Ramathem that are added unto Judea from the countrey of Samaria and all things appertaining unto them for all such as do sacrifice in Jerusalem in stead of the payments which the king received of them yearly aforetime out of the fruits of the earth and of trees 35 And as for other things that belong unto us of the tithes and customs pertaining unto us as also the salt-pits and the crown-taxes which are due unto us we discharge them of them all for their relief 36 And nothing hereof shall be revoked from this time forth for ever 37 Now therefore see that thou make a copy of these things and let it be delivered unto Jonathan and set upon the holy mount in a conspicuous place 38 After this when king Demetrius saw that the land was quiet before him and that no resistance was made against him he sent away all his forces every one to his own place except certain bands of strangers whom he had gathered from the isles of the heathen wherefore all the forces of his fathers hated him 39 Moreover there was one Tryphon that had been of Alexanders part afore who seeing that all the host murmured against Demetrius went to Simalcue the Arabian that brought up Antiochus the young son of Alexander 40 And lay sore upon him to deliver him this young Antiochus that he might reign in his fathers stead he told him therefore all that Demetrius had done and how his men of war were at enmity with him and there he remained a long season 41 In the mean time Jonathan sent unto king Demetrius that he would cast those of the towre out of Jerusalem and those also in the fortresses for they fought against Israel 42 So Demetrius sent unto Jonathan saying I will not onely do this for thee and thy people but I will greatly honour thee and thy nation if opportunity serve 43 Now therefore thou shalt do well if thou send me men to help me for all my forces are gone from me 44 Upon this Jonathan sent him three thousand strong men unto Antioch and when they came to the king the king was very glad of their coming 45 Howbeit they that were of the city gathered themselves together into the midst of the city to the number of an hundred and twenty thousand men and would have slain the king 46 Wherefore the king fled into the court but they of the city kept the passages of the city and began to fight 47 Then the king called to the Jews for help who came unto him all at once and dispersing themselves through the city slew that day in the city to the number of an hundred thousand 48 Also they set sire on the city and gat many spoils that day and delivered the king 49 So when they of the city saw that the Jews had got the city as they would their courage was abated wherefore they made supplication to the king and cried saying 50 ‖ Or Be friends with us Grant us peace and let the Jews cease from assaulting us and the city 51 With that they cast away their weapons and made peace and the Jews were hunoured in the sight of the king and in the sight of all that were in his realm and they returned to Jerusalem having great spoils 52 So king Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom and the land was quiet before him 53 Nevertheless he dissembled in all that ever he spake estranged himself from Jonathan neither rewarded he him according to the benefits which he had received of him but troubled hâ—m very sore 54 After this returned Tryphon and with him the young childe Antiochus who reigned and was crowned 55 Then there gathered unto him all the men of war whom Demetrius had put away and they sought against Demetrius who turned his back and fled 56 Moreover Tryphon took the †Gr. beasts elephants and won Antioch 57 At that time young Antiochus wrote unto Jonathan saying I confirm thee in the high priesthood and appoint thee ruler over the four governments and to be one of the kings friends 58 Upon this he sent him golden vessels †Gr. and service to be served in and gave him leave to drink in gold and to be clothed in purple and to wear a golden buckle 59 His brother Simon also he made captain from the place