cruell violence He with punyshinge and nurturinge off them rowneth them in the eares warneth them to leaue of from their wickednesse and to amende Yf they now will take hede and be obedient they shall weere out their dayes in prosperite and their yeares in pleasure ād ioye But yff they will not obeye they shall go thorow the swearde perish or euer they be awarre As for soch as be fayned dyssemblers and ypocrytes they heape vp wrath for them selues for they call not vpon him though they be his presoners Thus their soule perisheth in foolishnesse and their lyfe w t y e condēned The poore delyuereth he out of his straytnesse and comforteth soch as be in necessite and trouble Euen so shall he kepe the yf thou wilt be content from the bottomlesse pytte that is beneth yf thou wilt holde the quyete he shal fyll thy table with plenteousnesse Neuerthelesse thou hast condemned the iudgment of the vngodly yee euen soch a iudgment and sentence shalt thou suffre For then shal not thy cause be stilled with crueltie ner pacified with many giftes Hath God ordened then that the glorious life off the all soch mightie men shulde not be put downe Prolonge not thou the tyme till there come a night for the to set other people in thy steade But bewarre that thou turne not asyde to wickednesse and synne which hyther to thou hast chosen more then mekenesse Beholde God is of a mightie hye power Where is there soch a gyde and lawegeuer as he Who wil reproue him of his waye who wil saye vnto him thou hast done wronge O considre how greate and excellent his workes be whom all men loaue and prayse yee wondre at him and yet they se him but afarre of Beholde so greate is God that he passeth oure knowlege nether are we able to come to y e experiēce of his yeares He turneth y e water to smal droppes he dryueth his cloudes together for to rayne so that they poure downe and droppe vpon men He can sprede out the cloudes a couerynge off his tabernacle and cause his light to shyne vpō them and to couer the botome of the see By these thinges gouerneth he his people and geueth thē abundaunce of meate In y e turnynge of a hande he hydeth the light at his commaundement it commeth agayne The rysinge vp therof sheweth he to his frendes and to the catell The XXXVII Chapter AT this my hert is astonnied and moued out of his place Heare then the sounde of his voyce and the noyse y t goeth out of his mouth He gouerneth euery thinge vnder the heauen and his light reacheth vnto the ende of the worlde A roaringe voyce foloweth him for his glorious magesty geueth soch a thondre clappe that though a man heare it yet maye he not perceaue it afterwarde It geueth an horrible sownde when God sendeth out his voyce greate thinges doth he which we can not cōprehende When he commaundeth the snowe it falleth vpon the earth As soone as he geueth the rayne a charge Immediatly the showers haue their strength and fall downe He sendeth feare vpon euery man that they might knowe their owne workes The beestes crepe in to their dennes take their rest Out of the south commeth the tempest and colde out of the north At the breth of God the frost commeth the waters are shed abrode The cloudes do their laboure in geuynge moystnesse the cloudes poure downe their rayne He distributeth also on euery syde acordinge as it pleaseth him to deale out his workes that they maye do what so euer he commaundeth thē thorow the whole worlde whether it be to punysh eny londe or to do good vnto them that seke him Herken vnto this o Iob stonde still and considre the wonderous workes of God Art thou of coūcel with God when he doth these thinges When he causeth the light to come forth of his cloudes Art thou of his coūcell when he spredeth out the cloudes Hast thou the perfecte knowlege of his wonders and how thy clothes are warme whē the lōde is still thorow the south wynde hast thou helped him to spred out the heauen which is to loke vpō as it were cast of cleare metall Teach vs what we shal saye vnto hī for we are vnmete because of darcknes Shal it be tolde him what I saye Shulde a man speake or shulde he kepe it backe For euery mā seith not the light y t he kepeth cleare in the cloudes which he clenseth whan he maketh the wynde to blowe Golde is brought out of the north but the prayse and honoure off Gods feare commeth frō God himself It is not we that can fynde out the allmightie for in power equite and rigtuousnesse he is hyer then can be expressed Seinge then that euery body feareth him why shulde not all wyse men also stōde in feare of hī Chap. XXXVIII THen spake the LORDE vnto Iob out of the storme and sayde what is he that hydeth his mynde with foolysh wordes Gyrde vp thy loynes like a mā for I will question the se thou geue me a dyrecte answere Where wast thou when I layed y e foundacions of the earth Tell planely yff thou hast vnderstondinge Who hath measured it knowest thou Or who hath spred y e lyne vpon it Where vpon stōde the pilers of it Or who layed y e corner stone where wast thou when the mornynge starres gaue me prayse ād when all the angels of God reioysed Who shutt the see with dores when it brake forth as a childe out off his mothers wombe When I made the cloudes to be a coueringe for it and swedled it with y e darcke when I gaue it my cōmaundement makynge dores barres for it sayenge Hither to shalt thou come but no further and here shalt thou laye downe thy proude and hye wawes Hast thou geuē the mornynge his charge as soone as thou wast borne and shewed the dayespringe his place y t it might take holde of the corners of the earth y t the vngodly might be shakē out Their tokēs weapēs hast thou turned like claye set thē vp agayne as the chaunginge of a garment Yee thou hast spoyled the vngodly off their light brokē the arme of the proude Camest thou euer in to the groūde of the see Or hast thou walked in y e lowe corners of y e depe Haue the gates of death bene opened vnto the or hast thou sene the dore of euerlastīge treasure Hast thou also perceaued how brode y e earth is Now yf thou hast knowlege of all thē shewe me where light dwelleth and where darcknes is y t thou mayest bringe vs vnto their quarters yf thou cāst tell the waye to their houses Knewest thou when thou wast borne how olde thou shuldest be Wentest thou euer in to the treasuries off the snowe or hast thou sene y e secrete places of the hale which I haue
with the synne for yf thorow the synne of one many be deed yet moch more plenteously came the grace and gifte of God vpon many by the fauoure that belonged vnto one man Iesus Christ. And the gifte is not onely ouer one synne as death came thorow one synne of one that synned For the iudgment came of one synne vnto condempnacion but the gifte to iustifye fro many synnes For yf by y e synne of one death raigned by the meanes of one moch more shal they which receaue the abūdaunce of grace and of the gifte vnto righteousnes raigne in life by y e meanes of one Iesus Christ. Likewyse thē as by the synne of one condemnacion came on all men euen so also by the righteousnes of one came the iustififienge off life vpon all men For as by the disobedience of one many became synners euen so by the obedience of one shal many be made righteous But the lawe in the meane tyme entred that synne shulde increace Neuertheles where abundaunce of synne was there was yet more plenteousnes of grace that like as synne had reigned vnto death euē so mighte grace reigne also thorow righteousnes to euerlastinge life by the meanes of Iesus Christ. The VI. Chapter WHat shal we saye then Shal we contynue in synne that there maye be abundaunce of grace God forbyd How shal we lyue in synne y t are deed from it Knowe ye not that all we which are baptysed in to Iesu Christ are baptysed in to his death Therfore are we buried w t him by baptyme in to death that like as Christ was raysed vp from the deed by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new life For yf we be grafted w t him vnto like death then shal we be like the resurreccion also For so moch as we knowe that oure olde man is crucified with him that the synfull body mighte ceasse that hence forth we shulde serue synne nomore For he that is deed is made righteous frō synne But yf we be deed with Christ we beleue that we shal lyue also with him and are sure that Christ raysed from the deed dyeth nomore Death shal haue nomore power ouer him For as touchinge that he dyed he dyed cōcernynge synne once but as touchinge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Likewyse ye also counte youre selues to be euen deed concernynge synne and to lyue vnto God thorow Iesus Christ oure LORDE Let not synne reigne therfore in youre mortall bodye that ye shulde obeye vnto the lustes of it Nether geue ye ouer youre membres vnto synne to be wapens of vnrighteousnes but geue ouer youre selues vnto God as they that off deed are become lyuynge and youre membres vnto God to be wapēs off righteousnes For synne shal not haue power ouer you in so moch as ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace How then Shal we synne because we are not vnder y e lawe but vnder grace God forbyd Knowe ye not that loke vnto whō ye geue ouer youre selues as seruauntes to obeye his seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of synne vnto death or of obediēce vnto righteousnes But God be thanked that though ye haue bene the seruauntes of synne ye are now yet obedient of herte to the ensample off the doctryne whervnto ye are commytted For now that ye are made fre from synne ye are become the seruauntes of righteousnes I wil speake grosly because of the weaknes of youre flesh Like as ye haue geuen ouer youre membres to the seruyce of vnclennesse from one wickednesse to another Euē so now also geue ouer youre membres to the seruyce of righteousnesse that they maye be holy For whan ye were the seruauntes of synne ye were lowse from righteousnes What frute had ye at that tyme in those thinges wherof ye are now ashamed For the ende of soch thinges is death But now that ye be fre from synne and are become the seruauntes of God ye haue youre frute that ye shulde be holy but the ende is euerlastinge life For death is the rewarde of synne but the gifte of God is euerlastinge life The VII Chapter KNowe ye not brethren for I speake vnto them that knowe the lawe how that y e lawe hath power vpon a man as longe as he lyueth For the woman y t is in subieccion to the man is bounde vnto the lawe whyle the man lyueth but yf the man dye then is she lowsed from the lawe that concerneth the man Yf she be now with another man whyle the manlyneth she shal be called a wedlocke breaker But yf the man be deed then is she fre from the lawe so that she is no wedlocke breaker yf she be with another man Euen so my brethren ye also are deed vnto the lawe by the body of Christ that ye shulde be with another namely w t him which is raysed vp from the deed that we shulde brynge forth frute vnto God For whan we were in the flesh the synfull lustes which were stered vp by the lawe were mightie in oure membres to brynge forth frute vnto death But now are we lowsed from the lawe and deed vnto it that helde vs captyue so that we shulde serue in a new conuersacion of the sprete and not in the olde conuersacion of the letter What shal we saye then Is the lawe synne God forbyd Neuertheles I knewe not synne but by y e lawe For I had knowne nothinge of lust yf the lawe had not sayde Thou shalt not lust But then toke synne occasion at the commaundement and stered vp in me all maner of lust For without the lawe synne was deed As for me I lyued some tyme without lawe Howbeit whan the commaundement came synne renyued but I was deed And the very same commaundement that was geuen me vnto life was founde to be vnto me on occasion of death For synne toke occasion at the cōmaundement and disceaued me and slewe me by the same commaundement The lawe in dede is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good Is that then which is good become death vnto me God forbyd But synne that it mighte appeare how y t it is synne hath wroughte me death thorow good that synne mighte be out of measure synfull by the commaundement For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I knowe not what I do For I do not y t I will but what I hate y t do I. Yf I do now that which I wil not thē graunte I that the lawe is good So then it is not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me for I knowe that in me y t is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thinge To wyll is present w t me but to perfourme y t which is good I fynde not For y e good that I wyll do I not but the euell which I wil not
VIII Chapter ANd the LORDE talked with Moses sayde Speake to Aaron saye vnto him Whan thou settest vp y e lāpes thou shalt set thē so that they maye all seuē geue light aboue vpō y e candilsticke And Aaron dyd so set y e lampes vpō y e candilsticke as y e LORDE cōmaunded Moses The worke of y e cādilsticke was of beatē golde both y e shaft floures therof Acordynge to y e visiō that the LORDE had shewed Moses euen so made he the candelsticke And the LORDE spake vnto Moses and sayde Take the Leuites frō amonge the children of Israel clense them But thus shalt thou do with them that thou mayest clense them Thou shalt sprenkle purifienge water vpon them and lett a rasure go ouer their whole body and washe their clothes and then are they cleane Then shall they take a yonge bullocke and his meat offerynge of fyne floure myngled with oyle And another yonge bullocke shalt thou take for a synofferinge And thou shalt brynge the Leuites before the Tabernacle of wytnesse and gather together the whole congregacion of y e children of Israel and brynge the Leuytes before the LORDE And the children of Israel shall laye their handes vpon the Leuites And Aaron shal waue y e Leuites before the LORDE for the children of Israel that they maye mynistre in the seruyce of the LORDE And the Leuites shall laye their handes vpon the heedes of the bullockes and the one shal be made a synn offerynge the other a burnt offeringe vnto the LORDE to make an attonement for the Leuites And thou shalt set the Leuites before Aaron and his sonnes and waue them before the LORDE and so shalt thou separate them from y e children of Israel that they maye be myne Thē shall they go in that they maye do seruyce in the Tabernacle of witnesse Thus shalt thou clense thē waue them for they are my gifte of the children of Israel and I haue taken them vnto me for all that openeth the Matrix namely for the first borne of all the children of Israel For euery first borne amonge the children of Israel is myne both of men and of catell sens the tyme that I smote all the first borne in the lande of Egipte and sanctified them vnto myself and toke the Leuites for all the first borne amonge the childrē of Israel and gaue them for a gifte vnto Aarō and his sonnes from amonge the children of Israel y t they shulde do the seruyce of the children of Israel in the Tabernacle of witnesse to make attonemēt for the children of Israel that there be not a plage amonge the children of Israel yf they wyll come nye y e Sanctuary And Moses with Aaron and the whole congregaciō of the childrē of Israel dyd w t the Leuites all as the LORDE had commaūded Moses And they purified the Leuites and waszshed their clothes And Aaron waued them before the LORDE and made attoment for them that they might be cleane After that wente they in to do their office in the Tabernacle of witnesse before Aaron and his sonnes as the LORDE commaūded Moses concernynge the Leuites euen so dyd they with them And the LORDE spake vnto Moses sayde This is it that belongeth vnto the Leuites From fyue and twentye yeare and aboue shal they go in to the office of the Tabernacle of witnesse But frō fyftie yeare forth they shal ceasse from the waitinge of the seruyce therof and shall mynister nomore but shal appoynte their brethren to waite and to serue in the Tabernacle of wytnesse but the office shal not they execute Thus shalt thou do with the Leuites in their seruyces that euery one maye wayte vpon his awne charge The IX Chapter ANnd the LORDE spake vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai in y e first moneth of the seconde yeare that they were departed out of the lande of Egipte ▪ sayde Let the children of Israel kepe Easter in his season euen vpon the fourtene daye of this moneth at euen in his season shall they kepe it acordynge to all the statutes lawes therof And Moses spake to y e childrē of Israel y t they shulde kepe Easter And they kep Easter vpō the fourtene daye of the first moneth at euen in the wildernes of Sinai Acordinge to all that the LORDE cōmaunded Moses euen so dyd the children of Israel Then were there certayne men defyled of a deed man so that they coulde not kepe Easter vpon that daye these came before Moses and Aaron the same daye and sayde vnto him We are defiled of a deed mā wherfore shulde we be despysed that we must not bringe oure giftes in his season amonge the children of Israel Moses sayde vnto them Stonde styll I wil heare what the LORDE commaundeth you And the LORDE spake vnto Moses and sayde Speake vnto the children of Israel saie Whā eny man is defyled of a deed coarse or is gone farre from you ouer the felde or is amonge youre kynszfolkes yet shall he kepe Easter but in the seconde moneth vpō y e fourtene daye at euen and they shal eate it with vnleuended bred and sowre sawse and shall leaue none of it vntyll the mornynge ner breake eny bone therof and shal kepe it acordinge to all y e maner of y e Easter But he that is cleane and not gone in a iourney and is negligent to kepe the Easter the same soule shal be roted out from amōge his people because he brought not his gifte to the LORDE in his season he shal beare his synne And whan there dwelleth a straunger amonge you he shal kepe Easter also vnto the LORDE shal holde it acordinge to y e ordinaunce and lawe of y e Easter This statute shal be vnto you alike to the straunger as to him that is borne in the londe And y e same daye y t the Habitacion was set vp a cloude couered it vpō the Tabernacle of witnesse at euen there was a symilitude of fyre vpon the Habitacion vntill the mornynge So came it to passe allwaye y t the cloude couered it by daye the symilitude of fyre by night And whan the cloude was takē vp from the Habitacion then the children of Israel wente on their iourney And loke in what place the cloude abode there the childrē of Israel pitched their tentes Acordinge to the worde of the LORDE toke the children of Israel their iourney and acordinge to his worde pitched they their tentes So longe as the cloude abode vpon the Habitacion they laye styll And whan the cloude taried many dayes vpon the Habitacion the childrē of Israel wayted vpon the LORDE wente not on their iourney And whan it chaunced that the cloude abode vpō y e Habitacion eny space of dayes then pitched they acordinge to the worde of the LORDE after the worde of the LORDE wente they on their iourney Whan the
Thyne owne frende and thy fathers frende se thou forsake not but go not in to thy brothers house in tyme of thy trouble Better is a frende at hōde then a brother farre of My sonne be wyse and thou shalt make me a glad herte so that I shal make answere vnto my rebukers A wyse man seynge the plage wyl hyde him self as for fooles they go on still and suffer harme Take his garment that is suertie for a straunger take a pledge of him for the vnknowne mans sake He that is to hastie to praise his neghboure aboue measure shal be taken as one y t geueth him an euell reporte A brawlynge woman and the rofe of the house droppynge in a raynie daye maye well be compared together He that refrayneth her refrayneth the wynde and holdeth oyle fast in his hōde Like as one yrō whetteth another so doth one man comforte another Who so kepeth his fyge tre shal enioye the frutes therof he that wayteth vpon his master shal come to honoure Like as in one water there apeare dyuerse faces euē so dyuerse men haue dyuerse hertes Like as hell destruccion are neuer full euen so the eyes of mē can neuer be satisfied Syluer is tryed in the moulde golde in the fornace so is a man whan he is openly praysed to his face Though thou shuldest bray a foole w t a pestell in a morter like otemeell yet wil not his foolishnesse go from him Se y t thou knowe the nombre of thy catell thy self and loke well to thy flockes For riches abyde not allwaye the crowne endureth not for euer The hay groweth y e grasse cōmeth vp herbes are gathered in y e mountaines The lambes shal clothe the for the goates thou shalt haue money to y e huszbondry Thou shalt haue goates mylck ynough to fede the to vpholde thy husholde to susteyne thy maydens The XXVIII Chapter THe vngodly flyeth no man chasynge him but the rightuous stondeth stiff as a lyon Because of synne y e londe doth oft chaunge hir prynce but thorow men of vnderstondinge wyszdome a realme endureth longe One poore man oppressinge another by violence is like a contynuall rayne that destroyeth y e frute They that forsake the lawe prayse y e vngodly but soch as kepe the lawe abhorre them Wicked men discerne not the thinge y t is right but they that seke after the LORDE discusse all thinges A poore man ledynge a godly life is better then the riche that goeth in frowarde wayes Who so kepeth the lawe is a childe of vnderstondinge but he y t fedeth ryotous men shameth his father Who so increaseth his riches by vaūtage wynnynge let him gather them to helpe the poore withall He that turneth awaye his eare from hearinge y e lawe his prayer shal be abhorred Who so ledeth y e rightuous in to an euell waye shal fall in to his owne pytt but y e iust shal haue the good in possession The rich man thynketh him self to be wyse but the poore that hath vnderstondinge cā perceaue him wel ynough When rightuous men are in prosperite thē doth honoure florish but when the vngodly come vp y e state of men chaungeth He that hydeth his synnes shall not prospere but who so knowlegeth them and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Well is him that stōdeth all waye in awe as for him that hardeneth his herte he shal fall in to mischefe Like as a roaringe lyon and an hongrie beer euen so is an vngodly prynce ouer the poore people Where the prynce is without vnderstondinge there is greate oppression wronge but yf he be soch one as hateth couetousnesse he shal longe raigne He that by violēce sheddeth eny mans bloude shal be a rennagate vnto his graue and no man shal be able to suco r him Who so leadeth a godly and an innocēt life shal be safe but he that goeth frowarde wayes shall once haue a fall He y t tylleth his londe shal haue plenteousnesse of bred but he that foloweth ydilnesse shal haue pouerte ynough A faithfull man is greatly to be commēded but he that maketh to moch haist for to be riche shal not be vngiltie To haue respecte of personnes in iudgment is not good And why he will do wronge yee euen for a pece of bred He that will be rich all to soone hath an euell eye and considereth not that pouerte shall come vpon him He that rebuketh a man shall fynde more fauoure at y e last thē he that flatreth him Who so robbeth his father and mother and sayeth it is no synne the same is like vnto a mortherer He that is of a proude stomacke stereth vp strife but he that putteth his trust in y e LORDE shal be well fedd He that trusteth in his owne hert is a foole but he that dealeth wisely shal be safe He that geueth vnto the poore shal not wante but he that turneth awaye his eyes from soch as be in necessite shall suffre greate pouerte himself Whan the vngodly are come vp men are fayne to hyde them selues but whē they perish the rightuous increase The XXIX Chapter HE that is stiffnecked wyll not be refourmed shal sodenly be destroyed w t out eny helpe Where y e rightuous haue the ouer hande y e people are in prosperite but where the vngodly beareth rule there y e people mourne Who so loueth wyszdome maketh his father a glad man but he y t kepeth harlottes spēdeth awaye y t he hath With true iudgment y e kynge setteth vp the londe but yf he be a man y t taketh giftes he turneth it vpsyde downe Who so flatreth his neghbo r layeth a nette for his fete The synne of y e wicked is his owne snare but y e righteous shal be glad and reioyse The righteous considreth the cause of the poore but the vngodly regardeth no vnderstondynge Wicked people brynge a cite in decaye but wyse men set it vp agayne Yf a wyse man go to lawe with a foole whether he deale with him frendly or roughly he getteth no rest The bloudethyrstie hate the rightuous but the iust seke his soule A foole poureth out his sprete alltogether but a wyse man kepeth it in till afterwarde Yf a prynce delyte in lyes all his seruauntes are vngodly The poore and the lender mete together the LORDE lighteneth both their eyes The seate of the kinge y t faithfully iudgeth the poore shal continue sure for euermore The rodde and correccion mynistre wyszdome but yf a childe be not loked vnto he bryngeth his mother to shame When the vngodly come vp wickednesse increaseth but the rightuous shall se their fall Nurtoure thy sonne with correccion and he shal comforte the yee he shal do the good at thine hert Where no prophet is there the people perishe but well is him that kepeth the lawe A seruaūt
acceptinge of personnes shal he vndoo him self Some man promiseth his frende a gift for very shame and getteth an enemye of him for naught A lye is a wicked shame in a man yet shall it be euer in the mouth of the vnwyse A thefe is better then a man that is accustomed to synne but they both shal haue destruccion to heretage The condicions of lyers are vnhonest and their shame is euer with them A wyse man shall brynge himself to honoure with his wordes and he that hath vnderstondinge shall be sett by amonge greate men He that tylleth his londe shal increase his heape of corne he that worketh righteousnes shall be exalted he that pleaseth greate men shall escape moch euell Rewardes and giftes blynde the eyes of the wyse and make him domme that he can not tell mē their fautes Wyszdome that is hyd and treasure that is hoorded vp what profit is in them both Better is he that kepeth his ignoraunce secrete then a man that hydeth his wyszdome The XXI Chapter MY sonne yf thou hast synned do it nomore but praye for thy foresynnes that they maye be for geuen the. Fle from synne euen as from a serpent for yf thou commest to nye her she wyll byte the. The teth therof are as the teth of a lyon to slaye the soules of men The wickednes of man is as a sharpe two edged swerde which maketh soch woundes that they can not be healed Stryfe and wrongeous dealinge shall waist awaye a mans goodes thorow pryde a rich house shal be brought to naught so the riches of the proude shal be roted out The prayer of the poore goeth out of the mouth and commeth vnto the eares and his vengeaunce or defence shall come and y t haistely Who so hateth to be refourmed it is a token of an vngodly personne but he that feareth God wyl remembre himself A mightie man is knowne afarre of by his tonge but he that hath vnderstondinge perceaueth that he shal haue a fall Who so buyldeth his house with other mens cost is like one that gathereth stones in wynter The congregacion of the vngodly is like stubble gathered together their ende is a flamme of fyre The waye of the vngodly is sett with stones but in their ende is hell darcknes and paynes He that kepeth the lawe wyll holde fast the vnderstandinge therof and the ende of the feare of God is wyszdome He that is not wyse wyll not be taught in good but the vnwyse man aboundeth in wickednes and where bytternes is there is no vnderstōdinge The knowlege of the wyse shall flowe like water that renneth ouer and his councell is like a fountayne of life The hert of a foole is like a brokē vessell he can kepe no wyszdome Whan a man of vnderstondinge heareth a wyse worde he shal commende it and make moch of it But yf a volupteous man heare it he shall haue no pleasure therin but cast it behynde his back The talkynge of a foole is like an heuy burthen by the waye but to heare a wyse man speake it is a pleasure Where a doute is in the congregacion it is axed at the mouth of the wyse and they shal pondre his wordes in their hertes Like as a house that is destroyed euen so is wyszdome vnto a foole As for the knowlege of the vnwyse it is but darck wordes Doctryne is vnto him y t hath no vnderstandinge euen as fetters aboute his fete and like mannicles vpon his right hande A foole lifteth vp his voyce w t laughter but a wyse man shall scarse laugh secretly Lernynge is vnto a wyse man a Iewell of golde and like an armlett vpō his right arme A foolish mans foote is soone in his neghbours house but one that hath experience shall be ashamed at the personne of the mightie A foole wyll pepe in at y e wyndow in to the house but he that is well nourtured wyll stonde without A foolish man stondeth herkenynge at the dore but he that is wyse wyll be ashamed The lippes of the vnwyse wylbe tellynge foolish thinges but y e wordes of soch as haue vnderstandinge shal be weyed in the balaunce The hert of fooles is in their mouth but the mouth of the wyse is in their hert Whan the vngodly curseth the blasphemer he curseth his owne soule A preuy accuser of other men shal defyle his owne soule and be hated of euery man but he that kepeth his tonge and is discrete shall come to honoure The XXII Chapter A Slouthfull body is moulded of a stone of claie he that toucheth him must wash his handes agayne A mysnurtored sonne is the dishonoure of the father A foolish daughter shal be litle regarded A wyse daughter is an heretage vnto hir husbande but she that commeth to dishonesty bringeth hir father in heuynes A daughter that is past shame dishonoureth both hir father hir huszbande the vngodly shal regarde her but they both shal despise her the playenge of Musick is not mete where heuynes is euen so is the correcciō doctryne of wyszdome euer vnpleasaunt vnto fooles Who so teacheth a foole is euen as one that gleweth a potsherde together as one that telleth a tayle to him that heareth him not and as one that rayseth a mā out of an heuy slepe Who so telleth a foole of wyszdome is euen as a man which speaketh to one y t is a slepe Whā he hath tolde his tayle he sayeth what is the matter Whā one dyeth lamentacion is made for him because the light fayleth him euē so let mē mourne ouer a foole for he wanteth vnderstandinge Make but litle wepinge because of the deed for he is come to rest but the life of the foole is worse then the death Seuen dayes do men mourne for him that is deed but the lamentacion ouer the vnwyse and vngodly shulde endure all the dayes of their life Talke not moch with a foole and go not with him that hath no vnderstondinge Bewarre of him lest it turne the to trauayle thou shalt not be defyled with his synne Departe from him and thou shalt fynde rest shalt not be drawē back in to his foolishnes What is heuyer then leade And what shulde a foole be called els but leade Sōde salt a lōpe of yron is easier to beare then an vnwyse foolish and vngodly man Like as the band of wodd bounde together in the foundacion of the house can not belowsed euē so is it with y e hert y t is stablished in y e thought of coūcell The thought of the wyse shal nether feare ner be offended at eny tyme. Like as a fayre playstred wall in a winter house an hye buyldinge maye not abyde y e wīde storme euē so is a fooles hert afraied in his ymaginacion he feareth at euery thinge and can not endure He that nyppeth a mans eye bryngeth forth teares and he that
you preach another Iesus whom we haue not preached or yf ye receaue another sprete y t ye haue not receaued or another Gospell which ye haue not accepted ye might right well haue bene cōtent For I suppose that I am no lesse thē the hye Apostles are And though I be rude in speakynge yet am I not rude in knowlege Howbeit amōge you I am knowne to the vttemost Or dyd I synne therin because I submytted my selfe that ye mighte be exalted For I preached vnto you the Gospell of God frely and robbed other cōgregacions and toke wages of thē to preach vnto you And whan I was present with you and had nede I was greuous to no man for y t which was lackynge vnto me the brethren which came fro Macedonia suppleed And in all thinges I kepte myselfe so y t I shulde not be greuous to you so wyl I kepe my selfe As surely as the trueth of Christ is in me this reioysinge shal not be taken fro me in the regions of Achaia Wherfore because I shulde not loue you God knoweth Neuertheles what I do and wyl do that do I to cut awaye occasion from thē which seke occasion that they mighte boast thē selues to be like vnto vs. For soch false Apostles disceatfull workers fashion them selues like vnto the Apostles of Christ. And that is no maruell for Sathan himselfe is chaunged into y e fashion of an angell of light Therfore is it no greate thinge though his my misters fashion them selues as though they were the preachers of righteousnes whose ende shal be acordinge to their dedes I saye agayne lest eny man thynke that I am folish or els take me euen now as a fole y t I maye boast myselfe a litle also That I speake now that speake I not after the LORDE but as it were in folishnes whyle we are now come to boastinge Seynge that many boaste them selues after y e flesh I wil boast my selfe also For ye suffre foles gladly in so moch as ye youre selues are wyse For ye suffre euen yf a man brynge you in to bondage yf a man put you to dishonesty yf a man take ought frō you yf a man exalte himselfe ouer you yf a man smyte you on the face I speake concernynge rebuke as though we were weake Wherin so euer now eny man darre be bolde I speake folishly therin darre I be bolde also They are Hebrues so am I. They are Israelites euen so am I. They are the sede of Abraham so am I. They are the mynisters of Christ I speake as a fole I am more in laboures more abūdaunt in strypes aboue measure in presonmentes more plenteously in death oft Of the Iewes receaued I fyue tymes fortye strypes one lesse Thryse was I beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffred thryse shypwracke nighte and daye haue I bene in the depe of the see I haue oft iourneyed I haue bene oft in parels of waters in parels amonge murthurers in parels amonge the Iewes in parels amonge the Heythen in parels in cities in parels in the wylderners in parels vpon the See in parels amonge false brethrē in laboure trauayle in moch watchinges in honger and thyrst in moch fastinges in colde and nakednesse Besyde those thynges which are outwarde namely my daylie combraunce my daylie care for all cōgregacions Who is weake and I be not weake Who is offended I burne not Yf I must nedes make my boast I wil boast my selfe of myne infirmyte God y e father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which is blessed for euer knoweth that I lye not At Damascon the gouernoure of y e people vnder kynge Aretas kepte y e cite of the Damascenes wolde haue taken me and at a wyndowe was I let downe in a basket thorow the wall so escaped his handes The XII Chapter IT profiteth me nothinge no doute to boaste Neuertheles I wil come to y e visions and reuelacions off the LORDE I knowe a man in Christ aboue fourtene yeares a goo whether he was in y e body I can not tell or whether he was out of the body I can not tell God knoweth the same was taken vp in to the thirde heauen and I knowe the same man whether he was in y e body or out of the body I can not tell God knoweth how that he was takē vp in to Paradise and herde wordes not to be spoken which no man can vtter Here of will I boast but of my selfe wil I make no boast excepte it be of myne infirmyties And though I wolde boast myself I dyd not foolishly for I wolde saye the trueth But I refrayne my selfe lest eny mā shulde thinke of me aboue y t he seyth in me or heareth of me And lest I shulde exalte my selfe out of measure because of the hye reuelacions there is a warnynge geuen vnto my flesh euen y e messaunger of Satan to buffet me that I shulde not exalte my selfe out off measure for y e which I besoughte the LORDE thryse that it mighte departe fro me And he sayde vnto me My grace is sufficiēt for the. For my strength is made perfecte thorow weaknes Very glad therfore wil I reioyse in my weaknesses that the strength of Christ maye dwell in me Therfore am I contente in infirmities in rebukes in necessities in persecucions in anguyszhes for Christes sake for whā I am weake thē am I strōge I am become a fole ī boastinge my selfe Ye haue cōpelled me For I oughte to be cōmended of you in so moch as I am in nothinge inferior to y e hye Apostles Though I be nothinge yet are y e tokens of an Apostles wrought amōge you with all paciēce with signes with wōders with mightie dedes For what is it wherin ye are inferiours to the other congregacions excepte it be y t I haue not bene greuous vnto you Forgeue me this wrōge Beholde I am ready the thirde tyme to come vnto you and wyl not be chargeable vnto you For I seke not youres but you For y e childrē ought not to gather treasure for the elders but the elders for the children I wil very gladly bestowe and wyl be bestowed for youre soules though y e more I loue you the lesse am I loue◠agayne But let it be so that I greued you not neuertheles for so moch as I was craftye I toke you w t gyle Haue I defrauded you by eny of thē whō I sent vnto you I desyred Titus with him I sent a brother dyd Titus defraude you Haue we not walked in one sprete Wēte we not in like fotesteppes Agayne thynke ye y t we excuse oure selues We speake in Christ in the sighte off God But all this dearly beloued is done for yo r edifyenge For I feare lest whan I come I shal not fynde you soch as I wolde and lest ye shal fynde me soch as ye wolde not lest
his brethren that he mighte be mercyfull and a faithfull hye prest in thinges concernynge God to make agrement for the synnes of y e people For in that he himselfe suffred and was tempted he is able to sucker them that are tempted The III. Chapter WHerfore holy brethren ye that are partakers of the heauēly callynge consyder the Embasseatour and hye prest of o r profession Christ Iesus which is faithfull to him that ordeyned him euen as was Moses in all his house But this man is worthy of greater honoure then moses in as moch as he which prepareth the house hath greater honoure in it then the house it selfe For euery house is prepared of some mā but he that ordeyned all thinges is God And Moses verely was faithfull in all his house as a mynister to beare witnes of those thinges which were to be spoken afterwarde But Christ as a sonne hath rule ouer his house whose house are we yf we holde fast the confidence and reioysinge of that hope vnto the ende Wherfore as y e holy goost sayeth Todaye yf ye shal heare his voyce harden not youre hertes as in the prouokynke in the daye of temptacion in the wyldernes where youre fathers tempted me proued me and sawe my workes fortye yeares longe Wherfore I was greued w t that generacion and sayde They erre euer in their hertes But they knewe not my wayes so that I sware in my wrath that they shulde not enter into my rest Take hede brethren that there be not in eny of you an euell hert of vnbeleue to departe from the lyuynge God but exhorte youre selues daylie whyle it is called to daye lest eny of you waxe harde harted thorow y e disceatfulnes of synne For we are become partakers of Christ yf we kepe sure vnto y e ende the begynnynge of the substāce so longe as it is sayde Todaye yf ye shal heare his voyce hardē not youre hertes as in the prouocaciō For some whan they herde prouoked Howbeit not all they y t came out of Egipte by Moses But with whom was he displeased fortye yeares longe Was he not displeased with them y t synned whose carcases were ouerthrowne in y e wyldernesse To whom sware he y t they shulde not enter in to his rest but vnto thē y t beleued not And we se y t they coulde not enter in because of vnbeleue The IIII. Chapter LEt vs feare therfore lest eny of vs forsakynge the promes of entrynge in to his rest shulde seme to come behinde for it is declared vnto vs as well as vnto thē But the worde of preachinge helped not thē whā they that herde it beleued it not For we which haue beleued enter in to his rest acordynge as he sayde Euen as I haue sworne in my wrath They shal not enter in to my rest And that spake he verely lōge after that the workes frō the begynnynge of the worlde were made For he spake in a certayne place of the seuēth daye on this wyse And God rested on the seuenth daye from all his workes And in this place agayne They shal not come in to my rest Seynge it foloweth thē that some must enter there in to and they to whom it was first preached entred not therin for vnbeleues sake therfore appoynteth he a daye agayne after so longe tyme and sayeth Todaye as it is rehearsed by Dauid Todaye yf ye shal heare his voyce then harden not youre hertes For yf Iosua had geuen them rest thē wolde he not afterwarde haue spoken of another daye Therfore remayneth there yet a rest vnto the people of God For he that is entred in to his rest ceasseth from his workes as God doth from his Let vs make haist therfore to enter in to that rest lest eny man fall after the same ensample of vnbeleue For y e worde of God is quycke and mightie in operacion and sharper thē eny two edged swerde and entreth thorow euen to the deuydinge of the soule the sprete and of y e ioyntes the mary and is a iudger of the thoughtes intētes of the hert nether is there eny creature invisible in y e sighte of him But all thinges are naked bare vnto y e eyes of hī of whō we speake The V. Chapter SEynge then that we haue a greate hye prest euē Iesus y e sonne of God which is entred in to heauen let vs holde oure profession For we haue not an hye prest which cā not haue cōpassion on o r infirmities but was in all poyntes tēpted like as we are but without synne Let vs therfore go boldely vnto the seate of grace that we maye receaue mercy and fynde grace to helpe in the tyme of nede For euery hye prest that is taken frō amōge men is ordeyned for men in thinges pertayninge to God to offer giftes and sacrifices for synne which can haue cōpassion on the ignoraunt and on them that are out of the waye for so moch as he himselfe also is compased aboute with infirmyte Therfore is he bounde to offer for synnes as well for him selfe as for y e people And nomā taketh y e honoure vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron Euen so Christ glorified not himselfe to be made hye prest but he y t sayde vnto him Thou art my sonne this daye haue I begotten the. As he sayeth also in another place Thou art a prest for euer after y e order of Melchisedech And in y e dayes of his fleshe he offred vp prayers supplicacions w t strōge cryenge teares vnto him y t was able to saue him frō death was herde also because he had God in honoure And though he was Gods sonne yet lerned he obedience by those thinges which he suffred And he beynge made perfecte became the cause of euerlastinge saluaciō vnto all thē y t obeye him and is called of God an hye prest after the order of Melchisedech Wherof we haue many thinges to saye which are harde to be vttered because ye are dull of hearynge For where as concernynge the tyme ye ought to be teachers yet haue ye nede agayne y t we teach you the first preceptes of the worde of God and are become soch as haue nede of mylke and not stronge meate For euery one that is fed yet with mylte is vnexperte in the worde of righteousnes for he is but a babe But stronge meate belongeth vnto them y t are perfecte which thorow custome haue their wyttes exercysed to iudge both good and euell The VI. Chapter WHerfore let vs leaue the doctryne pertaynynge to the begynnynge of a Christen life and let vs go vnto perfeccion and now nomore laye y e foundacion of repētaunce from deed workes and of faith towarde God of baptyme of doctryne of layenge on of hādes of resurreccion of the deed of eternall iudgment
maye be detter vnto God because y t by y e dedes of the lawe no flesh maye be iustified in his sighte For by the lawe commeth but the knowlege of synne But now without addinge to of y e lawe is the righteousnes which avayleth before God declared hauynge witnesse of y e lawe and the prophetes but I speake of y e righteousnes before God which cōmeth by the faith on Iesus Christ vnto all and vpō all them that beleue For here is no difference For they are all synners and wāte the prayse that God shulde haue of thē but without deseruynge are they made righteous euē by his grace thorow the redempcion that is done by Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth for a Mercyseate thorow faith in his bloude to shewe the righteousnes which avayleth before him in that he forgeueth the synnes which were done before vnder the sufferaunce of God which he suffred that at this tyme he mighte shewe y e righteousnes which avayleth before him y t he onely mighte be righteous the righteous maker of him which is of the faith on Iesus Where is now then thy reioysinge It is excluded By what lawe By the lawe of workes Nay but by the lawe of faith We holde therfore that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Or is God the God of the Iewes onely Is he not also the God of the Heythen Yes verely the God of the Heythen also for so moch as he is the God onely that iustifieth the circumcision which is of faith and the vncircūcision thorow faith Destroys we then the lawe thorow faith God forbyd But we mantayne the lawe The fourth Chapter WHat shal we saye thē that Abrahā o father as pertayninge to y e flesh dyd fynde This we saye Yf Abraham were made righteous thorow workes then hath he wherin to reioyse but not before God But what sayeth y e scripture Abrahā beleued God y t was counted vnto him for righteousnes Vnto hī y t goeth aboute w t workes is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of dutye Howbeit vnto him y t goeth not aboute with workes but beleueth on him y t iustifieth the vngodly is his faith counted for righteousnes Euen as Dauid sayeth also that blessednes is onely that mans vnto whō God counteth righteousnes without addinge to of workes where he sayeth Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnesses are forgeuen and whose synnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the LORDE imputeth no synne Now this blessednes goeth it ouer the circūcision or ouer the vncircumcision We must nedes graunte y t Abrahās faith was coūted vnto hī for righteousnes How was it thē rekened vnto him In the circūcision or in the vncircumcision Doutles not in the circūcision but in the vncircumcision As for the tokē of circūcision he receaued it for a seale off the righteousnes off faith which he had yet in y e vncircūcision y t he shulde be a father of all thē y t beleue beinge in y e vncircūcisiō y t it might be coūted vnto thē also for righteousnes that he might be a father of circumcision not onely of thē that are of y e circumcision but of them also that walke in the fotesteppes of the faith which was in the vncircumcision of oure father Abraham For the promes that he shulde be y e heyre of the worlde was not made vnto Abraham or to his sede thorow the lawe but thorow the righteousnes of faith For yf they which are of the lawe be heyres thē is faith vayne and the promes of none effecte for so moch as the lawe causeth but wrath For where the lawe is not there is also no transgression Therfore was the promes made thorow fayth that it myght come off fauoure wherby the promesse myghte be made sure vnto all the sede not onely vnto him which is off the lawe but also vnto him that is of the faith of Abrahā which is the father of vs all As it is wrytten I haue made the a father of many Heythē before God whom thou hast beleued which quyckeneth the deed and calleth it which is not that it maye be And he beleued vpō hope where nothinge was to hope that he shulde be a father of many Heythen Acordinge as it was sayde vnto him Euen so shal thy sede be And he was not faynte in faith nether cōsidred his awne body which was deed allready whyle he was almost an hundreth yeare olde nether the deed wombe of Sara For he douted not in the promes of God thorow vnbeleue but was strōge in faith and gaue God the prayse was sure that loke what God promyseth he is able to make it good And therfore was it rekened vnto him for righteousnes But this is not wryttē onely for his sake y t it was counted vnto him but also for oure sakes vnto whō it shal be counted yf we beleue on him that raysed vp oure LORDE Iesus from the deed Which was geuen for oure synnes and raysed vp for oure righteousnesse sake The V. Chapter BEcause therfore that we are iustified by faith we haue peace with God thorow oure LORDE Iesus Christ by whō also we haue an intraunce in faith vnto this grace wherin we stonde reioyse in the hope of y e glorye for to come which God shal geue Not onely y t but we reioyse also ī troubles for so moch as we knowe y t trouble bryngeth paciēce paciēce bryngeth experiēce experiēce bryngeth hope As for hope is letteth vs not come to cōfusion because the loue of God is shed abrode in oure hertes by the holy goost which is geuen vnto vs. For whan we were yet weake acordinge to the tyme Christ dyed for vs vngodly Now dyeth there scace eny man for the righteous sake Peraduenture for a good man durst one dye Therfore doth God set forth his loue towarde vs in y t Christ dyed for vs whan we were yet synners Moch more then shal we be saued from wrath by him seynge we are now made righteous thorow his bloude For yf we were recōcyled vnto God by y e death of his sōne whā we were yet enemies moch more shal we be saued by him now y t we are reconcyled Not onely that but we reioyse also in God thorow oure LORDE Iesus Christ by whom we haue now receaued the attonement Wherfore as by one man synned entred in to the worlde and death by y e meanes off synne euen so wente death also ouer all men in so moch as they all haue synned For synne was in y e worlde vnto the lawe but where no lawe is there is not synne regarded Neuertheles death reigned from Adam vnto Moses euen ouer them also that synned not with like transgression as dyd Adam which is y e ymage of him y t was to come But it is not with the gifte as