maried careth for the thinges of the worlde how he maye please his wife and is deuyded A woman and a virgin that is syngle careth for the thinges of the LORDE that she maye be holy both in body also in sprete But she that is maried careth for y e thinges of the worlde how she maye please hir huszbande This I saye for youre profit not that I wil tangle you in a snare but for that which is honest and comly vnto you that ye maye coÌ„tynually cleue vnto the LORDE without hynderaunce But yf eny man thinke that it is vncomly for his virgin yf she passe the tyme of mariage and yf nede so requyre let him do what he lyst he synneth not let theÌ„ be coupled in mariage Neuertheles he that purposeth surely in his hert hauynge no nede but hath power of his awne wyll and determeth so in his hert to kepe his virgin doth well Fynally he that ioyneth his virgin in mariage doth well but he that ioyneth not his virgin in mariage doth better The wife is bounde to the lawe as longe as hir huszbande lyueth But yf hir huszbande slepe she is at liberty to mary vnto whom she wil onely that it be done in the LORDE But she is happier yf she so abyde after my iudgment I thinke verely that I also haue the sprete of God The VIII Chapter AS touchinge thinges offred vnto Idols we are sure y t we all haue knowlege Knowlege puffeth a maÌ„ vp but loue edifyeth Neuertheles yf eny maÌ„ thinke y t he knoweth eny thinge he knoweth not yet how he oughte to knowe But yf eny man loue God the same is knowne of him So are we sure now coÌ„cernynge the meates offred vnto Idols that an Idoll is nothinge in the worlde and that there is none other God but one And though there be that are called goddes whether in heauen or in earth as there be goddes many and lordes many yet haue we but one God euen the father of whoÌ„ are all thinges and we in him â–ª one LORDE Iesus Christ by whoÌ„ are all thinges and we by him But euery man hath not knowlege for some make yet conscieÌ„ce ouer the Idoll and eate it as a thinge offred vnto Idols and so their conscience beynge weake is defyled Neuertheles meate furthureth not vs vnto God Yf we eate we shal not therfore be the better yf we eate not we shal not therfore be the lesse But take hede that this youre liberty be not an occasion of fallynge vnto y e weake For yf eny man se the which hast knowlege syt at the table in the Idols house shal not his conscience whyle it is weake be occasioned to eate of the Idoll offeringes And so thorow thy knowlege shal the weake brother perishe for whoÌ„ Christ dyed But whan ye synne so agaynst the brethren and wounde their weake coÌ„science ye synne agaynst Christ. Wherfore yf meate offende my brother I wyl neuer eate flesh lest I offende my brother The IX Chapter AM I not an Apostle Am I not fre Haue I not sene Iesus Christ oure LORDE Are not ye my worke in the LORDE Yf I be not an Apostle vnto other yet am I youre Apostle for the seale of myne Apostelshippe are ye in the LORDE Myne answere vnto them that axe me is this Haue we not power to eate and drynke Haue we not power also to leade aboute a sister to wife as well as other Apostles and as the brethren of the LORDE and Cephas Or haue onely I and Barnabas not power this to do Who goeth a warfare at eny tyme vpon his awne wages Who planteth a vynyarde and eateth not of the frute therof Who fedeth a flocke and eateth not of the mylke of the flocke Saye I these thinges after the maner of men Sayeth not the lawe the same also For it is wrytten in the lawe off Moses Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Doth God take thought for the oxen Or sayeth he it not alltogether for oure sakes For no doute it is wrytteÌ„ for oure sakes For he that eareth shulde eare vpon hope and he y t throszheth shulde troszhe vpon hope y t he mighte be partaker of his hope Yf we haue sowne vnto you spiritual thinges is it a greate thiÌ„ge yf we reape yo bodely thiÌ„ges But yf other be partakers of this power on you wherfore are not we rather Neuertheles we haue not vsed this power but suffâ—e all thinges lest we shulde hynder the Gospell off Christ. Knowe ye not that they which laboure in the temple haue their lyuynge of y e temple and they that wayte at the altare enioye the altare Euen thus also hath y e LORDE ordeyned that they which preach the Gospell shulde lyue of y e Gospell But I haue vsed none of these thinges Nether wryte I therof that it shulde be done so vnto me for I had rather dye theÌ„ that eny man shulde brynge my reioysinge to naughte For in that I preach the Gospell I neade not boost my selfe for I must nedes do it And wo vnto me yff I preach not the Gospell Yf I do it with a good wyll I shall haue my rewarde but yff I do it agaynst my wyll yet is the office commytted vnto me Wherfore theÌ„ shal I be rewarded Namely therfore that I preach the Gospell and do the same frely for naughte that I abuse not my libertye in y e Gospell For though I am fre from all men yet haue I made my selfe euery mans seruaunt y t I mighte wynne y e moo Vnto the Iewes I am become as a Iewe to wynne y e Iewes To them that are vnder the lawe I am become as though I were vnder the lawe to wynne them which are vnder the lawe Vnto them that are without lawe I am become as though I were without lawe where as yet I am not without the lawe of God but am in y e lawe of Christ to wynne theÌ„ that are without lawe To the weake am I become as weake to wynne the weake I am become of all faszhions vnto euery man to saue some at y e leest But this I do for the Gospels sake that I mighte be partaker therof Knowe ye not that they which runne in a course runne all yet but one receaueth the rewarde Runne ye so that ye maye optayne Euery one that proueth mastrye absteyneth from all thinges and they do it that they maye optayne a corruptible crowne but we to optayne an vncorruptible crowne I therfore so runne not as at an vncertayne thinge So fighte I not as one y t beateth y e ayre but I tame my body and brynge it in to subieccion lest whan I preach vnto other I my selfe be a cast awaye The X. Chapter BRethren I wolde not that ye shulde be ignoraunt of this that oure fathers were all vnder the cloude
which delyueraunce and victory I beseke oure onely medyatoure Iesus Christ to make soch meanes for vs vnto his heauenly father y t we neuer be vnthankfull vnto him ner vnto youre grace but that we euer increace in the feare of him in obedience vnto your hyghnesse in loue vnfayned vnto oure neghbours and in all vertue that commeth of God To whom for y e defendynge of his blessed worde by your graces most rightfull administracyon be honoure and thankes glory and dominyon worlde without ende Amen You re graces humble subiecte and daylye oratour Myles Couerdale A prologe Myles Couerdale Vnto the Christen reader COnsiderynge how excellent knowlege and lernynge an interpreter of scripture oughte to haue in the tongues and ponderyng also myne owne insufficiency therin how weake I am to perfourme y e office of a translatoure I was the more lothe to medle with this worke Notwithstondynge whan I cōsydered how greate pytie it was that we shulde wante it so longe called to my remembraunce y e aduersite of them which were not onely of rype knowlege but wolde also with all theyr hertes haue perfourmed y t they beganne yf they had not had impediment considerynge I saye that by reason of theyr aduersyte it coulde not so soone haue bene broughte to an ende as oure most prosperous nacyon wolde fayne haue had it these and other reasonable causes consydered I was the more bolde to take it in hande And to helpe me herin I haue had sondrye translacions not onely in latyn but also of the Douche interpreters whom because of theyr synguler gyftes speciall diligence in the Bible I haue ben the more glad to folowe for the most parte accordynge as I was requyred But to saye the trueth before God it was nether my laboure ner desyre to haue this worke put in my hande neuertheles it greued me y e other nacyōs shulde be more plenteously prouyded for with y e scripture in theyr mother tongue then we therfore whan I was instantly requyred though I coulde not do so well as I wolde I thought it yet my dewtye to do my best and that with a good wyll Where as some men thynke now y t many translacyons make diuisyon in y e fayth and in the people of God y t is not so for it was neuer better with the congregacion of god then whan euery church allmost had y e Byble of a sondrye trāslacion Amonge the Grekes had not Origen a specyall translacyon Had not Vulgarius one peculyar lykewyse Chrysostom Besyde the seuentye interpreters is there not the translacyon of Aquila of Theodotio of Symachus and of sondrye other Agayne amonge the Latyn men thou findest y t euery one allmost vsed a specyall sondrye translacyon for in so moch as euery bysshoppe had the knowlege of y e tongues he gaue his diligence to haue the Byble of his awne translacion The doctours as Hireneus Cyprianus Tertullian S. Iherome S. Augustine Hylarius S. Ambrose vpon dyuerse places of the scripture reade not y e texte all alyke Therfore oughte it not to be taken as euel y t soch men as haue vnderstondynge now in oure tyme exercyse them selues in y e tongues geue their diligence to translate out of one language in to another Yee we ought rather to geue god hye thankes therfore which thorow his sprete stereth vp mēs myndes so to exercise them selues therin wolde god it had neuer bene left of after y e tyme of S. Augustine then shulde we neuer haue come in to soch blindnes ignoraūce in to soch erroures delusyons For as soone as the Byble was cast asyde nomore put in exercyse then beganne euery one of his awne heade to wryte what so euer came in to his brayne and y t semed to be good in his awne eyes and so grewe y e darknes of mēs tradiciōs And this same is y e cause y t we haue had so many wryters which seldome made mēcyon of y e scripture of the Byble though they some tyme aleged it yet was it done so farre out of season so wyde from y e purpose that a mā maye well perceaue how that they neuer sawe the oryginall Seynge then y t this diligent exercyse of translatynge doth so moch good edifyeth in other languages why shulde it do euell in oures Doutles lyke as all nacyons in y e dyuersite of speaches maye knowe one God in the vnyte of faith and be one in loue euen so maye dyuerse translacyons vnderstonde one another that in the head articles grounde of oure most blessed faith though they vse sondrye wordes wherfore me thynke we haue greate occasyon to geue thankes vnto God that he hath opened vnto his church the gyfte of interpretacyon of pryntyng and that there are now at this tyme so many ▪ which with soch diligēce and faithfulnes interprete y e scripture to the honoure of god and edifyenge of his people where as lyke as whan many are shutynge together euery one doth his best to be nyest the marke And though they can not all attayne therto yet shuteth one nyer then another and hytteth it better then another yee one can do it better thē another who is now then so vnreasonable so despytefull or enuyous as to abhorre him y t doth all his diligence to hytte y e prycke and to shute nyest it though he mysse come not nyest the mark Ought not soch one rather to be commēded and to be helped forwarde that he maye exercyse himselfe the more therin For the which cause acordyng as I was desyred I toke the more vpon me to set forth this speciall translacyon not as a checker not as a reprouer or despyser of other mens translacyons for amonge many as yet I haue founde none without occasyon of greate thankesgeuynge vnto god but lowly faythfully haue I folowed myne interpreters that vnder correccyon And though I haue fayled eny where as there is noman but he mysseth in some thynge loue shall constyrre all to y e best without eny peruerse iudgment There is noman lyuynge y t cause all thynges nether hath god geuen eny man to knowe euery thynge One seyth more clearly then another one hath more vnderstondyng then another one can vtter a thynge better then another but noman ought to enuye or dispyse another He that can do better then another shulde not set him at naught y t vnderstondeth lesse Yee he that hath y e more vnderstondyng ought to remembre that the same gyfte is not his but Gods and y t God hath geuē it him to teach enfourme the ignoraunt Yf thou hast knowlege therfore to iudge where eny faute is made I doute not but thou wilt helpe to amende it yf loue be ioyned with thy knowlege Howbeit wherin so euer I can perceaue by my selfe or by the informacyon of other that I haue fayled as it is no wonder I shall now by the
full displeasure and wyll punysh you seuen folde because of youre synnes so that ye shal eate the flesh of youre sonnes and doughters And I wyl destroye youre hye altares and rote out youre ymages and wyll cast youre bodies vpon the bodies of youre Idols and my soule shall abhorre you And youre cities wyll I make waist and brynge youre churches to naught and wyll not smell youre swete odoures Thus wyll I make the londe desolate so that youre enemies shall dwell therin and make it waist but you will I scater amonge the Heythen and drawe out the swerde after you so that youre londe shal be waist youre cities desolate Then shall the londe reioyse in hir Sabbathes as longe as it lyeth wayst and ye be in the enemies londe Yee then shal the londe kepe holy daye and reioyse in hir rest as longe as it lieth wayst because it coude not rest in youre Sabbathes whan ye dwelt therin And as for them that remayne of you I wyll make them faynte harted in the londe of their enemies so that a shakynge leaf shall chace them And they shall flye from it as though a swerde persecuted them and shal fall noman folowynge vpon them And they shall fall one vpon another as it were before the swerde and noman yet chacynge them And ye shall not be so bolde as to withstonde youre enemies and shal perishe amonge the Heithen and the londe of youre enemies shal eate you vp And they that are lâ—ft of you shall pyne awaye in their myszdede euen in the enemies londe and in the myszdedes of their fathers shall they consume awaye Then shall they knowlege their myszdedes and the myszdedes of their fathers in the trespace wherwith they haue trespaced agaynst me and walked contrary vnto me Therfore wyll I also walke contrary vnto theÌ„ and wyll brynge them in to the enemies londe Then shal their vncircumcysed herte be tamed And then shall they ende their myszdedes And I shal thinke vpoÌ„ my couenauÌ„t with Iacob and vpon my couenaunt with Isaac and vpon my couenaunt with Abraham and wyl thynke vpon the loÌ„de As for the londe â–ª whan it shal be left of them it shal reioyse in hir Sabbathes euen then whan it lyeth waist and they tylle it not And they shall make attonement for their myszdedes because they despysed my lawes their soules refused my statutes Morouer I haue not so refused them that they shulde be in the enemies londe nether haue I so vtterly abhorred them that I wolde brynge them to naught and breake my couenaunt w t them for I am y e LORDE their God And for their sake I wyl remeÌ„bre my first couenauÌ„t whaÌ„ I brought them out of y e londe of Egipte in the sight of the Heythen y t I might be their God Euen I the LORDE These are the ordinaunces statutes and lawes which y e LORDE made betwixte him and the children of Israel vpon mount Sinai by the hande of Moses The XXVII Chapter ANd the LORDE talked with Moses sayde Speake to y e children of Israel saye vnto them Yf eny man make a speciall vowe vnto y e LORDE so y t he pryse a soule then shal this be the valuacion A maÌ„ of twentye yeare olde vnto the thre score yeare shalt thou set at fiftie syluer Sycles after the Sycle of the Sanctuary but a woman at thirtie Sycles Yf it be fyue yeare olde vnto twentye yeare thou shalt set it at twentye Sycles whan it is a man childe but a woman at ten Sycles Yf it be a moneth olde vnto fiue yeare thou shalt set it at fyue Sycles of syluer whan it is a maÌ„childe but a woman at thre Syluer Sycles Yf he be thre score yeare olde and aboue theÌ„ shalt thou set him at fiftene Sicles whaÌ„ it is a maÌ„ a womaÌ„ at teÌ„ Sicles Yf he be to poore so to be set theÌ„ let him present himself to y e prest y e prest shal value him Neuertheles he shal value him acordinge as y e haÌ„de of him that vowed is able to get But yf it be a beest y t maye be offred vnto y e LORDE all y t is offred vnto y e LORDE of soch is holy it shal not be altered ner chaunged a good for a bad or a bad for a good Yf eny man chaunge it one beest for another then shal they both be holy vnto y e LORDE But yf y e beest be vn cleane which maye not be offred vnto y e LORDE theÌ„ shal it be set before y e prest and y e prest shal value it whether it be good or bad it shal stonde at the prestes valuynge But yf eny man wil bye it out he shal geue the fifth parte more to that it was set at Whan eny maÌ„ sanctifieth his house vnto the LORDE for y e Sanctuary the prest shall value it whether it be good or bad And as the prest valueth it so shal it stonde But yf he y t sanctified it wyl redeme it he shal geue y e fifth parte of syluer therto aboue that it was set at So shal it be his Yf eny man halowe a pece of loÌ„de of his heretage vnto the LORDE it shal be set acordinge to y t it beareth Yf it beare an Homer of barlye it shal be valued at fiftye Sycles of syluer But yf he halowe his londe immediatly from the yeare of Iubilye forth then shal it be set acordinge to y e value therof Yf he haue halowed it after the yeare of Iubilye then shal the prest rekeÌ„ it acordinge to y e yeares y t remayne vnto y e yeare of Iubilye therafter shal he set it the lower But yf he y t sanctified the londe wil redeme it agayne then shal he geue the fifth parte of syluer therto aboue that it was set at So shal it be his Yf he wil not lowse it out but selleth it vnto another then shal he redeme it nomore but the same londe whan it goeth out fre in y e yeare of Iubilye shal be holy vnto the LORDE as a dedicated felde and shal be the prestes inheritaunce Yf eny man halowe vnto the LORDE a felde which he hath bought and is not his inheritaunce then shal y e prest reken it what it is worth vnto the yeare of Iubilye the same daye shall he geue the pryce that it is set at vnto the LORDE for the Sanctuary But in y e yeare of Iubilye it shal returne vnto him that bought it y t it maye be his inheritaunce in the londe All maner of prysinge shal be made acordinge to the Sycle of the SaÌ„ctuary One Sycle maketh xx Geras The first borne amonge y e catell which belongeth vnto the LORDE shall no man Sanctifie vnto the LORDE whether it be oxe or shepe for it is the LORDES all ready But yf there be eny vn cleane thinge vpon the beest theÌ„ shal it be lowsed out therafter as it
e thinges that are set before y e Measure thine appetite and yf thou wilt rule thine owne self be not ouer gredy of his meate for meate begyleth and disceaueth Take not ouer greate trauayle and labo r to be riche bewarre of soch a purpose Why wilt thou set thine eye vpon y e thinge which sodenly vanisheth awaye For riches make them selues wynges and take their flight like an Aegle in to y e ayre Eate not thou w t y e envyous and desyre no his meate for he hath a maruelous herte He sayeth vnto y e eate and drynke where as his herte is not w t ye. Yee y e morsels that thou hast eaten shalt thou perbreake and lese those swete wordes Tel nothinge in to y e eares of a foole for he wyl despyse the wyszdome of thy wordes Remoue not y e olde lande marke and come not within y e felde of the fatherlesse For he y t deliuereth them is mightie euen he shal defende their cause agaynst the. Applie thine herte vnto lernynge and thine eare to the wordes of knowlege Witholde not correccion from y e childe for yf thou beatest him w t the rodde he shal not dye therof Thou smytest him w t the rodde but thou delyuerest his soule from hell My sonne yf y e herte receaue wyszdome my herte also shal reioyce yee myreynes shal be very glad yf y e lyppes speake the thinge y t is right Let not thine herte be gelous to folowe synners but kepe y e still in the feare of the LORDE all the daye lōge for the ende is not yet come and thy pacient abydinge shal not be in vayne My sonne ne eare be wyse so shal thine hert prospere in the waye Kepe no company w t wyne bebbers and ryotous eaters of flesh for soch as be dronckardes and ryotous shal come to pouerte he that is geuen to moch slepe shal go w t a ragged cote Geue eare vnto thy father that begat the and despyse not thy mother whan she is olde Labo r for to get y e treuth sell not awaye wyszdome nourt o r vnderstōdinge for a righteous father is maruelous glad of a wyse sonne delyteth in hī so shal thy father be glad and thy mother that bare the shal reioyse My sonne geue me thyne herte and let thine eyes haue pleasure in my wayes For an whore is a depe graue and an harlot is a narow pytt She lurketh like a thefe and those that be not awarre she brīgeth vnto her Where is wo where is sorow where is strife where is braulynge where are woundes without cause where be reed eyes Euen amonge those that be euer at the wyne and seke out where the best is Loke not thou vpon the wyne how reed it is and what a colo r it geueth in the glasse It goeth downe softly but at the last it byteth like a serpēt and styngeth as an Adder So shal thine eyes loke vnto straunge women thine herte shal muse vpon frowarde thinges Yee thou shalt be as though thou slepte in y e myddest of y e see or vpō y e toppe of the mast They wounded me shalt thou saie but it hath not hurte me they smote me but I felt it not Whē I am wel wakened I wil go to y e drynke agayne The XXIIII Chapter BE not thou gelous ouer wicked mē desyre not thou to be amonge them For their herte ymagineth to do hurte their lippes talke of myschefe Thorow wyszdome an house shal be buylded w t vnderstondinge it shal be set vp Thorow discrecion shal y e chābers be fylled w t all costly pleasaunt riches ▪ A wyse mā is strōge yee a mā of vnderstōdinge is better thē he y t is mightie of strēgth For with discrecion must warres be takē in honde and where as are many y t can geue councell there is y e victory Wyszdome is an hie thinge yee euē to y e foole for he darre not opē his mouth in y e gate He y t ymagineth myschefe maye wel be called an vngracious personne The thoughte of y e foolish is synne y e scornefull is an abhominacion vnto mē Yf thou be ouersene necligēt in tyme of nede thē is thy strēgth but small Delyuer thē y t go vnto death are led awaie to be slaine be not necligēt therin Yf thou wilt saye I knewe not of it Thynkest thou y t he which made y e hertes doth not cōsidre it y t he which regardeth y e soule seith it not Shal not he recōpence euery man acordinge to his workes My sonne thou eatest hony y e swete hony cōbe because it is good swete in thy mouth Euen so shall y e knowlege of wysdome be vnto y e soule as soone as thou hast gottē it And there is good hope yee y e hope shal not be in vayne Laye no preuy waite wickedly vpon y e house of y e rightuous disquiete not his restinge place For a iust mā falleth seuen tymes ryseth vp agayne but y e vngodly fall in to wickednes Reioyce not thou at y e fall of thine enemie and let not thine herte be glad whan he stombleth Lest y e LORDE when he seyth it be angrie turne his wrath from him vnto the. Let not y e wrath gelousy moue y e to foolow y e wicked and vngodly And why y e wicked hath nothinge to hope for y e cādle of the vngodly shall be put out My sonne feare thou y e LRODE y e kinge kepe no cōpany w t y e slaunderous for their destruccion shal come sodenly who knoweth y e fall of thē both These are also y e saiēges of y e wyse It is not good to haue respecte of any personne in iudgmēt He y t saieth to y e vngodly thou art rightuous him shall the people curse yee y e comōtie shal abhorre him But they y t rebuke y e vngodly shal be cōmended a riche blessinge shal come vpō thē He maketh him self to be well loued that geueth a good answere First make vp y e worke y t is w t out loke well vnto y t which thou hast in y e felde thē buylde thine house Be no false wytnesse agaynst y e neghbo r hurte him not w t y e lyppes Saye not I wil hādle him euē as he hath dealte w t me wil rewarde euery mā acordinge to his dedes I wente by y e felde of y e slouthfull by y e vynyarde of the foolish mā And lo it was all couered w t nettels stode full of thistles y e stone wall was brokē downe This I sawe cōsidered it wel I loked vpō it toke it for a warnynge Yee slepe on still a litle slōbre a litle folde thine hōdes together yet
eyes heare not with their eares and vnderstonde not with their hartes and conuerte and be healed Then spake I LORDE how longe he answered vntil the cities be vtterly without inhabitours and y e houses without men till the loÌ„de be also desolate and lye vnbuylded For the LORDE shal take the men farre awaye so that the londe shal lye waist Neuertheles the tenth parte shal remayne therin for it shal conuerte and be fruteful And like wise as the Terebyntes and Oketrees bringe forth their frutes so shal the holy sede haue frute The seuenth Chapter IT happened in the tyme of Ahas the sonne of Ionathas which was the sonne of Ioathan Kynge of Iuda that Rezin the Kinge of Siria and Poca Rome lies sonne Kynge of Israel wente vp toward Ierusalem to besege it but wanne it not Now when the house of Dauid that is Ahas herde worde therof y t Siria and Ephraim were confederate together his herte quaked yee and y e hertes also of his people like as a tre in the felde that is moued with the wynde Then sayde God vnto Esay go mete Ahas thou and thy sonne Sear Iasub at the heade of y e ouer pole in the fote path by the fullers grounde and saye vnto him take hede to thy self and be still but feare not nether be faynt harted for these two tales that is for these two smokynge fyre brandes the wrath and furiousnes of Rezin the Sirian and Romelies sonne because that the Kynge of Siria Ephraim and Romelies sonne haue wekedly conspyred agaynst the sayenge We will go downe in to Iuda vexe theÌ„ and brynge them vnder vs and set a Kynge there euen the sonne of Taball For thus saieth the LORDE God therto It shall not so go forth nether come so to passe for the head citie of y e Sirians is Damascus but the head of Damascus is Rezin And after fyue and threscore yeare shal Ephraim be nomore a people And the chefe citie of Ephraim is Samaria but the head of Samaria is Rome lies sonne And yf ye beleue not there shall no promyse be kepte with you Morouer God spake vnto Ahas sayenge requyre a token of the LORDE thy God whether it be towarde the depth beneth or towarde y e hight aboue TheÌ„ sayde Ahas I will requyre none nether will I tempte the LORDE The LORDE answered Then he are to ye of the house of Dauid Is it not ynough for you that ye be greuous vnto men but ye must greue my God also And therfore the LORDE shal geue you a token of himself Beholde a virgin shal coÌ„ceaue and beare a sonne and shal call his name Emanuel Butter and hony shal he eate y t he maye knowe the euel and chose y e good But or euer that childe come to knowlege to eschue the euel and chose the good The londe that thou art so afrayde for shal be desolate of both hir kynges The LORDE also shal sende a tyme vpon the vpon thy people and vpoÌ„ thy fathers house soch as neuer came sence the tyme y t Ephraim departed from Iuda thorow y e kynge of the Assirians For at the same tyme shal the LORDE whistle for the flyes y t are aboute the water of Egipte and for y e Beyes in the Assirians londe These shall come and shal light all in the valeyes in y e vowtes of stone vpon all grene thinges and in all corners At the same tyme shal the LORDE shaue the hayre of the heade and the fete and the beerd clene of with the rasoure that he shall paye them withall beyonde the water namely with y e kynge of the Assirians At the same tyme shall a man lyue with a cowe and two shepe Then because of the aboundaunce of mylck he shal make butter and eat it So that euery one which remayneth in the londe shal eate butter and hony At the same tyme all vynyardes though there be a thousand vynes in one and were solde for a thousand siluerlinges shal be turned to brears and thornes Like as they shal come in to the londe with arowes and bowes so shal all the londe become brears and thornes And as for all hilles that now are hewen downe thou shalt not come vpoÌ„ them for feare of brears and thornes But the catel shal be dryuen thither and the shepe shal fede there The viij Chapter MOrouer the LORDE sayde vnto me Take the a greate leaf and wryte in it as men do with a penne that he spede him to robbe and haist him to spoyle And Inmediatly I called vnto me faithful wytnesses Vrias the prest and Zacharias y e sonne of Barachias After that went I vnto the prophetisse that now had conceaued and borne a sonne Then sayde the LORDE to me geue him this name Maherschalal haschbas that is a spedierobber an hastie spoyler For why or euer the childe shal haue knowlege to saye Abi and Im y t is father and mother shal y e riches of Damascus and y e substaunce of Samaria be takeÌ„ awaye thorow the kynge of y e Assirians The LORDE spake also vnto me sayenge for so moch as the people refuseth the stiâ—renninge water of Silo and put their delite in Rezin and Romelies sonne Beholde the LORDE shal bringe mightie and great floudes of water vpon them namely y e kynge of the Assirians with all his power Which shall poure out his furyousnes vpoÌ„ euery man and renne ouer all their bankes And shal breake in vpon Iuda increasinge in power till he get him by the throte He shal fyl also the wydenesse of thy londe w t his brode wynges O Emanuel Go together ye people and gather you herken to all ye of farre countrees Mustre you and gather you mustre you and gather you take youre councel together yet must youre councel come to nought go in honde withal yet shal it not prospere Excepte Emanuel that is God be with us For the LORDE chastised me and toke me by y e honde and warned me sayenge vnto me that I shulde not walcke in the waye of this people He sayde morouer rounde with none of theÌ„ who so euer saye yonder people are bounde together Neuertheles feare them not nether be afrayde of them but sanctifie the LORDE of hoostes let him be youre feare and drede For he is the sanctifienge and stone to stomble at y e rock to fall vpon a snare and net to both the houses to Israel and the inhabitours of Ierusalem And many shal stomble fall and be brokeÌ„ vpon him yee they shal be snared and taken Now laye the witnesses together sayde the LORDE and seale the lawe with my disciples Thus I waite vpon the LORDE that hath turned his face from the house of Iacob and I loke vnto him But lo as for me and the children which the LORDE hath geuen me we are a token and a wondre in Israel for the LORDE of hoostes sake which
the ayre the captayne bad brynge him in to the castell and commaunded him to be beaten with roddes and to be examyned that he mighte knowe for what cause they cried so vpon him And whan he bounde him with thonges Paul sayde vnto the vndercaptayne that stode by Is it laufull for you to scourge a man that is a Romayne and vncondemned Whan the vndercaptayne herde that he wēte to the vpper captayne and tolde him and sayde What wilt thou do This man is a Romayne Then came y e vpper captayne and sayde vnto him Tell me art thou a Romayne He sayde Yee And the vpper captayne answered With a greate summe optayned I this fredome But Paul sayde As for me I am a Romayne borne Thē straight waye departed from him they that shulde haue examyned him And y e chefe captayne was afrayed whan he knewe that he was a Romayne and because he had bounde him On the nexte daye wolde he knowe the certentye wherfore he was accused of the Iewes and he lowsed him from the bondes and commaunded the hye prestes and all their councell to come together and broughte Paul forth and set him amonge them The XXIII Chapter PAul behelde the councell and sayde Ye men and brethren I haue lyued with all good conscience before God vnto this daye But the hye prest Ananias commaunded them that stode aboute him to smyte hī on the mouth Then sayde Paul vnto him God shal smyte the thou paynted wall Syttest thou and iudgest me after the lawe and commaundest me to be smytten cōtrary to y e lawe And they that stode aboute hī sayde Reuylest thou Gods hye prest And Paul sayde Brethrē I wyst not that he was the hye prest For it is wryttē The ruler of thy people shalt thou not curse But whan Paul knewe that the one parte was Saduces and the other parte Pharises he cried out in y e councell Ye men and brethren I am a Pharise and the sonne of a Pharise Of hope and resurreccion of the deed am I iudged And whan he had so sayde there arose a dissencion betwene y e Pharises and the Saduces and the multitude was deuyded for the Saduces saye that there is no resurreccion nether angell ner sprete but the Pharises graūte both And there was made a greate crye And y e Scrybes of the Pharyses secte stode vp and stroue and sayde We fynde no euell in this mā But yf a sprete or an angell haue spokē vnto him let vs not stryue agaynst God But whan the discension was greate y e vpper captayne feared that Paul shulde haue bene pluckte a sonder of them and commaunded the soudyers to go downe and to take him from them and to brynge him in to the castell But in the nighte folowinge the LORDE stode by him and sayde Be of good cheare Paul for as thou hast testified of me at Ierusalem so must thou testifye at Rome also Now whan it was daye certayne of the Iewes gathered them selues together and made a vowe nether to eate ner drynke tyll they had kylled Paul They were mo then fortye which had made this conspyracion These came to the hye prestes and Elders and sayde We haue bounde oure selues w t a vowe that we wil eate nothinge tyll we haue slayne Paul Now therfore geue ye knowlege to the vpper captayne and to the councell that he maye brynge him forth vnto you tomorow as though ye wolde heare him yet better As for vs we are ready to kyll him or euer he come nye you But whan Pauls sisters sonne herde of their layenge awayte he came and entred in to the castell and tolde Paul So Paul called vnto him one of y e vnder captaynes and sayde Brynge this yonge man to the vpper captayne for he hath somewhat to saye to him He toke him and broughte him to the vpper captayne and sayde Paul the presoner called me vnto him and prayed me to brynge to the this yonge man which hath somwhat to saye vnto the. Then the hye captayne toke him by the hande and wente a syde with him out of the waye and axed him What is it that thou hast to saye vnto me He sayde The Iewes are agreed together to desyre the to let Paul be broughte forth tomorow before the councell as though they wolde yet heare him better But folowe not thou their myndes for there laye wayte for him mo then fortye men off them which haue bounde them selues with a vowe nether to eate ner drynke tyll they haue slayne Paul and euen now are they redye and loke for thy promes Then the vpper captayne let the yonge man departe and charged him to tell noman that he had shewed him this And he called vnto him two vndercaptaynes and sayde Make redye two hundreth soudyers that they maye go to Cesarea and thre score and ten horsmen and two hundreth speare men at the thirde houre of the nighte and delyuer thē beastes that they maye set Paul theron and brynge him safe vnto Felix the debyte and he wrote a letter on this maner Claudius Lysias vnto the most mightie Debyte Felix gretynge The Iewes had taken this man and wolde haue slayne him then came I with soudyers and rescued him and perceaued that he is a Romayne And whan I wolde haue knowne the cause wherfore they accused hī I broughte him in to their councell then perceaued I that he was accused aboute questions of their lawe But there was no accusacion worthy of death or of bondes And whan it was shewed me that certayne Iewes layed wayte for him I sent him straight waye vnto the and commaunded the accusers also that loke what they had agaynst him they shulde tell the same before the. Fare well The soudyers as it was commaunded them toke Paul and broughte him to Antipatras But on the nexte daye they lefte y e horse men to go with him and turned agayne to the castell When these came to Cesarea they delyuered the letter vnto the Debyte presented Paul before him also Whan the Debyte had red the letter he axed off what countre he was And whā he vnderstode that he was of Celicia he sayde I wil heare the whan thine accusers are come also And he commaunded him to be kepte in Herodes iudgment house The XXIIII Chapter After fyue dayes the hye prest Ananias came downe with the Elders and w t the Oratour Tertullus which appeared before the Debyte agaynst Paul Whan Paul was called forth Tertullus begāne to accuse him and sayde Seynge that we lyue in greate peace by the meanes of y t and that many good thinges are done for this people thorow thy prouydence most mightie Felix that alowe we euer and in all places with all thankes Notwithstondinge y t I be nomore tedious vnto the I praye the that of thy curtesy thou woldest heare vs a few wordes We haue founde this man a pestilent felowe and a sterer vp of sedicion amonge all
last enemye that shal be destroyed is death for he hath put all thinges vnder his fete But whā he sayeth that all thinges are put vnder him it is manifest that he is excepted which put all thinges vnder him Whan all thinges shal be subdued vnto him then shal the sonne himselfe also be subiecte vnto him which put all thinges vnder him that God maye be all in all Or els what do they which are baptised ouer y e deed yf the deed ryse not at all Why are they then baptysed ouer the deed And why stonde we in ioperdy euery houre By oure reioysinge which I haue in Christ Iesu o LORDE I dye daylie That I haue foughte with beestes at Ephesus after y e maner of men what helpeth it me yf the deed ryse not agayne Let vs eate and drynke for tomorow we shal dye Be not ye disceaued Euell speakinges corruppe good maners Awake righte vp and synne not for some haue not y e knowlege of God This I saye to youre shame But some man mighte saye How shal the deed aryse And with what maner off body shal they come Thou foole y t which thou sowest is not quyckened excepte it dye And what sowest thou thou sowest not y e body that shal be but a bare corne namely of wheate or of some other But God geueth it a body as he wil and vnto euery one of y e sedes his owne body All fleszhe is not one maner of fleszhe but there is one maner fleszhe of men another of beastes another of fiszhes another of byrdes And there are heauenly bodies and there are earthy bodies but the heauenly haue one glory and y e earthy another The Sonne hath one clearnes the Moone hath another clearnesse and the starres haue another clearnesse for one starre excelleth another in clearnesse Euen so the resurreccion of the deed It is sowne in corrupcion and shal ryse in vncorrupcion It is sowne in dishonoure shal ryse in glory It is sowne in weaknesse and shal ryse in power It is sowne a naturall body shal ryse a spirituall body Yf there be a naturall body there is a spirituall body also As it is wrytten The first man Adam was made in to a naturall life and the last Adā in to a spiritual life Howbeit the spirituall body is not the first but y e naturall and then the spirituall The first man is of the earth earthy y e seconde mā is frō heauē heauēly As the earthy is soch are they also that are earthy and as y e heauenly is soch are they also y t are heauenly And as we haue borne the ymage of the earthy so shal we beare the ymage of the heauenly also This I saye brethren that flesh bloude can not inheret y e kyngdome of God nether shal corrupcion inheret vncorrupcion Beholde I saye vnto you a mystery We shal not all slepe but we shal all be chaunged and that sodenly and in the twinklynge of an eye at the tyme of the last trompe For the trompe shal blowe and the deed shal ryse vncorruptible and we shal be chaunged For this corruptible must put on vncorrupcion and this mortall must put on immortalite But whan this corruptible shal put on vncorrupcion and this mortall shal put on immortalite thē shal the worde be fulfylled that is wryttē Death is swalowed vp in victory Death where is thy stynge Hell where is y e victory The stynge of death is synne The strength of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God which hath geuē vs the victory thorow oure LORDE Iesus Christ. Therfore my deare brethrē be ye stedfast vnmoueable allwaye riche in the worke of the LORDE for as moch as ye knowe that youre laboure is not in vayne in the LORDE The XVI Chapter COncernynge the gadderynge that is made for the sayntes as I haue ordeyned in the congregacions of Galacia euen so do ye also Vpon some Sabbath daye let euery one of you put aside by himselfe and laye vp what so euer he thinketh mete that the colleccion be not to gather whan I come Whan I am come whom so euer ye shal alowe by youre letters thē wyll I sende to brynge youre liberalite vnto Ierusalem Neuertheles yf it be mete that I go thither also they shal go with me But I wil come vnto you whan I go thorow Macedonia for thorow Macedonia wyl I take my iourney With you peraduēture wil I abyde or els wynter that ye maye brynge me on my waye whither so euer I go I wyl not se you now in my passage for I hope to abyde a whyle with you yf the LORDE shal suffre me But I wil tary at Ephesus vntyll whitsontyde For a greate and frutefull dore is opened vnto me and there are many aduersaries Yf Timotheus come se that he be without feare with you for he worketh y e worke of the LORDE as I do Let no man therfore despyse him but conuaye him forth in peace that he maye come vnto me for I loke for him with the brethren As for brother Apollo be ye sure that I greatly desyred him to come vnto you with the brethrē And his mynde was not at all to come at this tyme but he wyl come whā he hath oportunyte Watch ye stonde fast in the faith quyte you like men and be stronge let all youre thinges be done in loue But brethren ye knowe the house off Stephana that they are the first frutes in Achaia and that they haue appoynted thē selues to mynister vnto the sayntes I exhorte you to be obedient vnto soche and to all that helpe and laboure I am glad of the cōmynge of Stephana and Fortunatus and Achaicus For loke what was lackynge vnto me on youre parte y t haue they suppleed they haue refreszhed my sprete and youres Knowe them therfore that are soch The congregacions of Asia salute you Aquila and Priscilla salute you moch in the LORDE and so doth the cōgregacion that is in their house All the brethren salute you Salute ye one another with an holy kysse The salutacion of me Paul w t myne awne hande Yf eny mā loue not the LORDE Iesus Christ the same be Anathema Maharan Matha The grace of the LORDE Iesus Christ be with you My loue be with you all in Christ Iesu. Amen The first Epistle to the Corinthians sent out of Asia by Stephana and Fortunatus and Achaicus and Timotheus The seconde Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Corinthians The summe of this Epistle Chap. I. The consolacion of God in trouble The loue of Paul towarde the Corinthians and his excuse that he came not vnto them Chap. II. He sheweth the cause of his absence and exorteth thē to forgeue the man that was fallen and to receaue him agayne with loue Chap. III. He prayseth the preachinge of the Gospell aboue the preachinge of the lawe Chap. IIII. A
the father which without respecte of personnes iudgeth acordynge to euery mans worke se y t ye passe y e tyme of youre pilgremage in feare and knowe that ye were not redemed w t corruptible syluer and golde from youre vayne conuersacion which ye receaued by the tradicioÌ„s of the fathers but with the precious bloude of Christ as of an innoceÌ„t and vndefyled lambe which was ordeyned before the worlde was made but is declared in these last tymes for youre sakes which thorow him beleue on God that raysed him vp from the deed and hath geueÌ„ him the glory that ye might haue faith hope in God Euen ye which haue purifyed youre soules in obeyenge the trueth thorow the sprete for to loue brotherly without faynynge feruently one to loue another w t a pure hert as they that are borne a new not of corruptible sede but of vncorruptible eueÌ„ by the lyuynge worde of God which endureth for euer For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse The grasse withereth the flâ—ure falleth awaye but the worde of the LORDE endureth for euer This is the worde that is preached amonge you The II. Chapter WHerfore laye asyde all maliciousnes and all gyle and ypocrisye and envye and all bacbytinge as new borne babes desyre that reasonable mylke which is without corrupcion that ye maye growe therin yf so be that ye haue taisted how frendly the LORDE is Vnto whom ye are come as to the lyuynge stone which is disalowed of men but chosen of God and precious And ye also as lyuynge stones are made a spirituall house and an holy presthode to offre vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. Wherfore it is conteyned in the scripture Beholde I put in Sion an heade corner stone electe precious and he that beleueth on him shal 〈◊〉 be coÌ„founded Vnto you therfore which 〈…〉 he is precious but vnto them that 〈…〉 is y e same stone which the 〈…〉 made the heade stone in the 〈…〉 one to stomble at and a rock to be offended at namely in theÌ„ which stomble at y e worde and beleue not that wheron they were set But ye are that chosen generacion that kyngly presthode that holy nacion that peculier people y t ye shulde shewe the vertues of him which hath called you out of darknesse in to his maruelous lighte Euen you which in tyme past were not a people but now are the people of God which were not vnder mercy but now haue optayned mercy Dearly beloued I beseke you as straungers and pilgrems absteyne froÌ„ the fleshly lustes which fighte agaynst the soule and lede an honest conuersacion amonge the Heythen that they which bacbyte you as euell doers maye se youre good workes and prayse God in the daye of visitacion Submytte youre selues vnto all maner ordinaunce of men for the LORDES sake whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto y e chefe heade or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punyshment of euell doers but for the prayse of theÌ„ that do well For so is the will of God that ye with well doynge shulde put to sylence the ignoraunce of folishmen as fre and not as hauynge the libertye for a cloke of wickednes but eueÌ„ as the seruauntes of God Honoure all men Loue brotherly fellishippe Feare God Honoure the kynge Ye seruauÌ„tes obey youre masters with all feare not onely yf they be good and curteous but also though they be frowarde For that is grace yf a man for conscience towarde God endure grefe and suffre wronge For what prayse is it yf whaÌ„ ye be buffeted for yo r fautes ye take it paciently But yf whan ye do well ye suffre wronge and take it paciently that is grace with God For herevnto are ye called for so moch as Christ also suffred for vs leauynge vs an ensample that ye shulde folowe his fotesteppes which dyd no synne nether was there gyle founde in his mouth which whan he was reuyled reuyled not agayne whaÌ„ he suffred he threatened not but commyted the cause vnto him that iudgeth righteously which his owne selfe bare oure synnes in his body vpon the tre that we shulde be delyuered from synne shulde lyue vnto righteousnes by whose strypes ye were healed For ye were as shepe goinge astraye but now are ye turned vnto the shepherde and Biszhoppe of youre soules The III. Chapter LIkewyse let the wyues be in subieccion to their huszbandes that euen they which beleue not the worde maye without the worde be wonne by y e coÌ„uersacion of the wyues whan they beholde yo pure conuersacion in feare Whose apparell shal not be outwarde w t broyded heer hanginge on of golde or in puttynge on of gorgious araye but let y e inwarde maÌ„ of y e hert be vncorrupte w t a meke a quyete sprete which before God is moch set by For after this maner in the olde tyme dyd y e holy wemeÌ„ which trusted in God tyer theÌ„selues were obedient vnto their huszbaÌ„des Euen as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him lorde whose doughters ye are as loÌ„ge as ye do well not beynge afrayed for eny trouble Likewyse ye men dwell with them acordinge vnto knowlege geuynge hono vnto the wife as to the weaker vessel as vnto theÌ„ y t are heyres with you of the grace of life that youre prayers be not let But in conclusion be ye all of one mynde one suffre with another loue as brethren be pitefull be curteous RecoÌ„pence not euell for euell nether rebuke for rebuke but coÌ„trary wyse blesse and knowe that ye are called therto euen y t ye shulde be heyres of y e blessynge For who so listeth to lyue and wolde fayne se good dayes Let him refrayne his tonge from euell and his lippes y t they speake no gyle Let him eschue euell do good Let him seke peace and ensue it For y e eyes of the LORDE are ouer the righteous his eares are open vnto their prayers But y e face of the LORDE beholdeth theÌ„ y t do euell And who is it that can harme you yf ye folowe that which is good Not withstoÌ„dinge blessed are ye yf ye suffre for righteousnes sake Feare not ye their threatnynge nether be troubled but sanctifye the LORDE God in youre hertes Be ready allwayes to geue an answere to euery maÌ„ that axeth you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes feare hauynge a good conscience that they which bacbyte you as euell doers maye be ashamed that they haue falsely accused youre good coÌ„uersacion in Christ. For it is better yf the wyll of God be so that ye suffre for well doynge theÌ„ for euell doynge For as moch as