wildernesse Moses intreateth for the people Chap. XIX Like as the wicked are euer synnynge more and more so doth the wrath of God neuer ceasse tyll they be destroyed Of them that were punyshed in the tyme of Loth. The first Chapter O Set youre affeccion vpoÌ„ wyszdome ye that be iudges of the earth Haue a good opinion of the LORDE seke him in the synglenesse of hert For he will be fouÌ„de of them that tempte him not and appeareth vnto soch as put their trust in him As for frowarde thoughtes they separate from God but vertue yf it be alowed refourmeth y e vnwyse And why wyszdome shall not entre in to a frowarde soule ner dwell in the body that is subdued vnto synne For the holy goost abhorreth fayned nurtoure withdraweth himself froÌ„ y e thoughtes that are without vnderstondinge where wickednes hath the vpper haÌ„de he flieth from thence For the sprete of wyszdome is louynge gentle and gracious and wil haue no pleasure in him that speaketh euell with his lippes For God is a witnesse of his reynes a true searcher out of his hert and an hearer of his tonge For the sprete of y e LORDE fylleth the rounde compasse of the worlde and y e same that vpholdeth all thinges hath knowlege also of the voyce Therfore he that speaketh vnrighteous thinges can not be hydd nether maye he escape the iudgmeÌ„t of reprofe And why inquysicion shal be made for the thoughtes of the vngodly and the reporte of his wordes shal come vnto God so that his wickednes shal be punished For the eare of gelousy heareth all thinges and the noyse of the grudginges shal not be hydd Therfore bewarre of murmuringe which is nothinge worth and refrayne youre tonge from slauÌ„der For there is no worde so darck and secrete that it shall go for naught and the mouth that speaketh lyes slayeth the soule O seke not youre owne death in y e erroure of youre life destroye not youre selues thorow the workes of youre awne handes For God hath not made death nether hath he pleasure in the destruccion of the lyuynge For he created all thinges that they might haue their beynge yee all the people of the earth hath he made that they shulde haue health that there shulde be no destruccion in them and that the kyngdome of hell shulde not be vpon earth for righteousnesse is euerlastinge and immortall but vnrighteousnes bringeth death Neuerthelesse the vngodly call her vnto them both w t wordes workes whyle they thinke to haue a frende of her they come to naught for the vngodly that are confederate with her and take hir parte are worthy of death The II. Chapter FOr y e vngodly talke ymagin thus amonge them selues but not right The tyme of oure life is but short tedious when a man is once gone he hath nomore ioye ner pleasure nether knowe we eny man y t turneth agayne from death for we are borne of naught we shal be herafter as though we had neuer bene For oure breth is as a smoke in oure nostrels y e wordes as a sparck to moue oure herte As for o r body it shal be very aszshes y t are queÌ„ched o r soule shal vanish as y e soft ayre Oure life shall passe awaye as y e trace of a cloude come to naught as y e myst y t is dryueÌ„ awaye w t the beames of y e Sonne put downe w t the heate therof Oure name also shal be forgotten by litle litle no man shal haue oure workes in remembraunce For o r tyme is a very shadow y t passeth awaye after o r ende there is no returnynge for it is fast sealed so y t no maÌ„ coÌ„meth agayne Come on therfore let vs enioye y e pleasures y t there are let vs soone vse y e creature like as in youth We wil fyll oure selues w t good wyne oyntment there shal no floure of the tyme go by vs. We wil crowne o r selues w t roses afore they be wythered There shal be no fayre medowe but o r lust shall go thorow it Let euery one of you be partaker of oure volupteousnes Let vs leaue some token of o r pleasure in euery place for y t is oure porcion els gett we nothinge Let vs oppresse the poore righteous let vs not spare the wyddowe ner olde man let vs not regarde y e heades y t are gray for age Let y e lawe of vnrighteousnesse be oure auctorite for y e thinge y t is feble is nothinge worth Therfore let vs defraude the righteous whyâ—he is not for o r profit yee he is cleane coÌ„trary to o r doinges He checketh vs for offendinge agaynst y e lawe slaundreth vs as transgressours of all nurtor. He maketh his boost to haue y e knowlege of God yee he calleth him self Gods sonne He is the bewrayer of oure thoughtes It greueth vs also to loke vpon him for his lyfe is not lyke other mens his wayes are of another fashion He counteth vs but vayne personnes he w t draweth him self from o r wayes as from fylthynes he coÌ„mendeth greatly y e latter ende of the iust maketh his boast y t God is his father Let vs se then yf his wordes be true let vs proue what shal come vpon him so shal we knowe what ende he shal haue For yf he be y e true sonne of God he will receaue him delyuer him from the handes of his enemies Let vs examen him with despitefull rebuke and tormentinge that we maye knowe his dignite proue his pacience Let vs condemne him with the most shamefull death for like as he hath spoken so shal he be rewarded Soch thinges do the vngodly ymagin go astraye for their owne wickednes hath blynded them As for the misteries of God they vnderstonde them not they nether hope for the rewarde of righteousnesse ner regarde the worshipe that holy soules shall haue For God created man to be vndestroied yee after the ymage of his awne licknesse made he him Neuerthelesse thorow envye of the deuell came death in to the worlde and they that holde of his syde do as he doth The III. Chapter BVt the soules of y e righteous are in y e hande of God y e payne of death shal not touch theÌ„ In y e sight of the vnwyse they appeare to dye their ende is takeÌ„ for very destruccion The waye of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruccion but they are in rest And though they suffre payne before men yet is their hope full of immortalite They are punished but in few thinges neuerthelesse in many thinges shal they be well rewarded For God proueth them fyndeth theÌ„ mete for himself yee as the golde in the fornace doth he trye them receaueth them as a brent
and rāne violently vpon him all at once and thrust him out of the cite and stoned him And y e witnesses layed downe their clothes at the fete of a yonge man which was called Saul And they stoned Steuen which cryed sayde LORDE Iesu receaue my sprete And he kneled downe cried with a loude voyce LORDE laye not this synne to their charge And whā he had thus spoken he fell a slepe The VIII Chapter SAul had pleasure in his death At y e same tyme there was a greate persecucion ouer the congregacion at Ierusalē And they were all scatered abrode in the regions of Iewrye Samaria excepte the Apostles As for Steuen men y t feared God dressed him and made greate lamentacion ouer him But Saul made hauocke of the congregacion entred in to euery house and drue out men wemen delyuered thē to preson They now y t were scatered abrode wēte aboute preached the worde Thē came Philippe in to a cite of Samaria and preached Christ vnto them And the people gaue hede with one acorde vnto y e thinges that Philip spake hearinge him and seynge the tokēs that he dyd For the vncleane spretes cryed loude and departed out of many y t were possessed And many that were sicke of the palsie and lame were healed And there was greate ioye in the same cite But afore there was in y e same cite a certayne mā called Simon which vsed witche craft and bewitched y e people of Samaria sayenge that he was a man which coulde do greate thinges And they all regarded him from the leest vnto y e greatest sayde This is the power of God which is greate But they regarded him because that of longe tyme he had bewitched them with his sorcery Howbeit whan they beleued Philips preachinge of y e kyngdome of God and of the name of Iesu Christ they were baptysed both mē wemē Then Symon himself beleued also and was baptysed and cleued vnto Philippe And whā he sawe the dedes and tokens that were done he wondred Whan the Apostles which were at Ierusalem herde that Samaria had receaued y e worde of God they sent vnto thē Peter and Ihon. Which whā they were come prayed for thē y t they might receaue the holy goost For as yet he was come vpon none of them but they were baptysed onely in the name of Christ Iesu. Then layed they their hādes on them and they receaued the holy goost But whan Simon sawe that by the layenge on of the Apostles hādes y t holy goost was geuen he offred thē money and sayde Geue me also this power that on whomsoeuer I put the hōdes he maye receaue the holy goost Howbeit Peter sayde vnto him Perishe thou with thy money because thou thinkest that y e gifte of God maye be optayned with money Thou shalt haue nether parte ner felashipe in this worde for y e hert is not righte before God Repente therfore of this y e wickednesse and praye vnto God yf happly the thought of thy hert maye be forgeuē ye. For I se y t thou art full of bytter gall and wrapped in w t vnrighteousnesse Then answered Simon sayde Praye ye vnto the LORDE for me y t none of these thinges wherof ye haue spoken come vpon me And they whā they had testified and spokē the worde of the LORDE turned agayne to Ierusalem and preached the Gospell in many townes of the Samaritanes But the angell of the LORDE spake vnto Philippe and sayde Aryse go towarde the South vnto the waye that goeth downe from Ierusalem vnto Gaza which is deserte And he rose and wente on And beholde a mā of the Morians lōde a chamberlayne and of auctorite with Candace y e quene of the londe of the Morians which had the rule of all hir treasuries y e same came to Ierusalē to worshipe And returned home agayne and satt vpon his charet and red the prophet Esay The sprete sayde vnto Philippe Go neare and ioyne thy selfe to yonder charet Thē ranne Philippe vnto him and herde him rede the prophet Esay and sayde Vnderstōdest thou what thou readest He sayde How can I excepte some mā enfourme me And he desyred Philippe that he wolde come vp and syt with him The tenoure of the scripture which he red was this He was led as a shepe to be slayne and as a lambe voycelesse before his sherer so opened he not his mouth In his humblenesse is his iudgment exalted Who shal declare his generacion for his life is taken awaye from the earth Then answered the chamberlayne vnto Philippe and sayde I praye the of whom speaketh the prophet this of himselfe or of some other man Philippe opened his mouth and beganne at this scripture and preached him the Gospell of Iesus And as they wēte on their waye they came to a water And the chamberlayne sayde Beholde here is water what hyndereth me to be baptysed Philippe sayde Yf thou beleue from thy whole herte thou mayest He answered and sayde I beleue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God And he commaunded to holde styll the charet and they wente downe in to the water both Philippe and the chamberlayne And he baptysed him But whan they were come vp out of the water the sprete of the LORDE toke Philippe awaye And the Chamberlayne sawe him nomore But he wente on his waye reioysinge As for Philippe he was founde at Aszdod and walked aboute and preached the Gospell vnto all the cities tyll he came to Cesarea The IX Chapter SAul was yet breathinge out threatnynges and slaughter agaynst the disciples of the LORDE And wente vnto y e hye preste and desyred of him letters to Damascon vnto the synagoges that yf he foūde eny of this waye whether they were men or wemen he mighte brynge thē bounde vnto Ierusalem And as he was goinge on his iourney it fortuned that he came nye vnto Damascō and sodenly there shyned rounde aboute hī a light frō heauē and he fell to the earth and herde a voyce which sayde vnto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He sayde LORDE who art thou The LORDE sayde I am Iesus whō thou persecutest It shal be harde for y e to kycke agaynst the prycke And he both tremblinge and astonnyed sayde LORDE what wilt thou that I shal do The LORDE sayde vnto him Aryse and go into the cite there shal it be tolde the what thou shalt do As for y e mē that iourneyed w t him they stode and were amased for they herde a voyce but sawe noman Saul rose from the earth and whan he had opened his eyes he sawe noman Neuertheles they toke him by the honde broughte him to Damascō and he was thre dayes without sighte and nether ate ner dranke At Damascon there was a disciple named Ananias and vnto him sayde the LORDE in a vision Ananias And he sayde beholde here am I LORDE
that do I. Yf I do now that I wil not then is it not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me Thus fynde I now by the lawe y t whan I wyl do good euell is present with me For I delite in the lawe of God after the inwarde man but I se another lawe in my membres which stryueth agaynst y e lawe of my mynde and taketh me presoner in y e lawe of synne which is in my membres O wretched man that I am who shal delyuer me from the body of this death I thanke God thorow Iesus Christ oure LORDE So then w t the mynde I serue y e lawe of God but with the flesh the lawe of synne The VIII Chapter THen is there now no damnacion vnto theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the flesh but after y e sprete For y e lawe of y e sprete y t bryngeth life iÌ„ Christ Iesu hath made me fre froÌ„ the lawe of synne death For what vnpossible was vnto y e lawe in as moch as it was weake because of the flesh y t perfourmed God sent his sonne in y e similitude of synfull flesh by synne daÌ„ned synne in y e flesh that the righteousnes requyred of the lawe mighte be fulfylled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the sprete For they that are fleshly are fleshly mynded but they that are goostly are goostly mynded To be fleshly mynded is death but to be goostly mynded is life and peace For to be fleshly mynded is enemyte agaynst God syth it is not subdued vnto y e lawe of God for it can not also As for theÌ„ that are fleshlye they can not please God Howbeit ye are not fleshly but goostly yf so be that the sprete of God dwell in you But who so hath not the sprete of Christ the same is not his Neuertheles yf Christ be in you then is the body deed because of synne But the sprete is life for righteousnes sake Wherfore yf the sprete of him that raysed vp Iesus from the deed dwell in you then shal euen he also that raysed vp Christ from the deed quyckeÌ„ youre mortal bodies because y t his sprete dwelleth in you Therfore brethreÌ„ we are now detters not to the flesh to lyue after the flesh for yf ye lyue after y e fleshe ye must dye but yf ye mortyfye the dedes of the body thorow the sprete ye shal lyue For who so euer are led by the sprete of God are Gods childreÌ„ for ye haue not receaued the sprete of bondage to feare eny more but ye haue receaued y e sprete of adopcion wherby we crye Abba deare father The same sprete certifieth oure sprete that we are the childreÌ„ of God Yf we be childreÌ„ then are we heyres also namely the heyres of God and heyres annexed with Christ yf so be that we suffer together that we maye be also glorified together For I suppose that the affliccions off this tyme are not worthy of y e glorye which shal be shewed vpon vs. For the feruent loÌ„ginge of y e creature loketh for the appearinge of the children of God because the creature is subdued vnto vanyte agaynst hir will but for his wyll that hath subdued her vpon hope For the creature also shal be fre from the bondage of corrupcion vnto the glorious libertye of the childreÌ„ of God For we knowe that euery creature groneth and trauayleth with vs in payne vnto the same tyme. Not they only but we oure selues also which haue the first frutes of the sprete grone within in oure selues for the childshippe and loke for y e delyueraunce of oure bodye For we are sâ—ued iÌ„ dede howbeit iÌ„ hope but y e hope that is sene is no hope for how can a man hope for that which he seyeth But yf we hope for that which we se not theÌ„ do we thorow pacience abyde for it Likewyse the sprete also helpeth oure weaknesse for we knowe not what we shulde desyre as we oughte neuertheles y e sprete it selfe maketh intercession mightely for vs with vnoutspeakable gronynges Howbeit he y t searcheth the hert knoweth what the mynde of the sprete is for he maketh intercession for the sayntes acordinge to the pleasure of God But sure we are that all thinges serue for the best vnto them that loue of God which are called of purpose For those whom he knewe before hath he ordeyned also before y t they shulde be like fashioned vnto y e shappe of his sonne y t he mighte be the first begotteÌ„ amoÌ„ge many brethreÌ„ As for those whom he hath ordeyned before them hath he called also and whom he hath called theÌ„ hath he also made righteous and whom he hath made righteous them hath he glorified also What shal we saye then vnto these thinges Yff God be on oure syde who can be agaynst vs. Which spared not his owne sonne but hath geuen him for vs all how shal he not with him geue vs all thinges also Who wyl laye enythinge to y e charge of Gods chosen Here is God that maketh righteous who wil then condemne Here is Christ that is deed yee rather which is raysed vp agayne which is also on y e righte hande of God and maketh intercession for vs. Who will separate vs from the loue of God Trouble or anguysh or persecucioÌ„ or honger or nakednesse or parell or swerde As it is wrytten For thy sake are we kylled all the daye longe we are counted as shepe appoynted to be slayne Neuerthelesse in all these thinges we ouercome farre for his sake that loued vs. For sure I am that nether death ner life nether angell ner rule nether power nether thinges present nether thinges to come nether heyth ner loweth nether eny other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu oure LORDE The IX Chapter I Saye the trueth in Christ and lye not wherof my conscience beareth me witnesse in the holy goost that I haue greate heuynesse contynuall sorowe in my hert I haue wyszhed my selfe to be cursed from Christ for my brethren that are my kynsmen after the flesh which are off Israel vnto whom pertayneth the childshippe and the glory and the couenauntes and lawe and the seruyce of God and the promyses whose are also the fathers off whom after the flesh commeth Christ which is God ouer all blessed for euer Amē· But I speake not these thinges as though the worde of God were of none effecte for they are not all Israelites which are of Israel nether are they all children because they are the sede of Abraham but in Isaac shal the sede be called vnto the that is They which are children after the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promes are counted for the sede For this is a worde of the promes
reputed in my sighte this daye so let y e LORDE repute my soule in his sighte delyuer me from all trouble Saul saide vnto Dauid Blessed be thou Dauid my sonne thou shalt do it be able But Dauid wente his waye and Saul turned agayne vnto his place The XXVII Chapter DAuid thoughte in his hert One of these dayes shal I fall in to the handes of Saul It is better that I get me my waye in to y e londe of y e Philistynes that Saul maye leaue of from sekynge me in all the coastes of Israel so shall I escape his handes And he gat him vp and wente ouer with the sixe hundreth men that were with him vnto Achis the sonne of Maoch kynge of Gath. So Dauid remayned by Achis at Gath with his mē euery one with his housholde and Dauid with his two wyues Ahinoam the Iesraelitisse and Abigail Nabals wife of Carmel And whan worde came to Saul that Dauid was fled vnto Gath he soughte him nomore And Dauid sayde vnto Achis Yf I haue founde grace in thy sighte then let there be geuen me a place in one of the cities of the londe that I maye dwell therin Wherfore shulde thy seruaunt dwell in the kynges cite with the Then Achis gaue him Siclag the same daye Therfore belongeth Siclag to the kynges of Iuda vnto this daye The tyme that Dauid dwelt in the londe of the Philistynes is foure monethes Dauid wente vp with his men and fell in to the londe of the Gessurites and Girsites and Amalechites for these were the inhabiters of this londe of olde as thou commest to Sur vnto the lōde of Egipte But whā Dauid smote y e londe he let nether man ner woman lyue and toke the shepe oxen asses Camels and rayment and returned and came to Achis So whan Achis spake Whither fell ye in to daye Dauid sayde Towarde the south parte of Iuda towarde y e south parte of the Ierahmielites towarde the south parte of the Kenites But Dauid let nether man ner woman come lyuynge vnto Geth and thoughte They mighte peraduēture speake reporte agaynst vs thus dyd Dauid and this was his maner as longe as he dwelt in y e londe of the Philistynes Therfore Achis gaue credence vnto Dauid and thoughte he hath made him selfe stynke before his people of Israel therfore shal he be my seruaunt for euer The XXVIII Chapter IT fortuned at y e same tyme that the Philistynes gathered their hoost together to the battayll to go agaynst Israel And Achis sayde vnto Dauid Thou shalt knowe that thou and thy men shal go forth with me in the hoost Dauid sayde vnto Achis Well thou shalt se what thy seruaūt shal do Achis saide vnto Dauid Therfore wyll I ordene the to be the keper of my heade as longe as I lyue As for Samuel he was deed and all y e people had mourned for him buried him in his cite Ramath So Saul had dryuen the soythsayers and expounders of tokens out of y e londe Now whan the Philistynes gathered them selues together and came and pitched their tentes at Sunem Saul gathered all the people together they pitched at Gilboa But whan Saul sawe the hoost of the Philistynes he was afrayed and his hert was discoraged and he axed councell at the LORDE But y e LORDE gaue him no answere nether by dreames ner by the lighte ner by prophetes Thē sayde Saul vnto his seruauntes Seke me a womā which hath a sprete of soythsayēge that I maye go vnto her and axe at her His seruauntes sayde vnto him Beholde at Endor is there a woman which hath a sprete of soythsayenge And Saul chaunged his clothes and put on other and wente his waye and two men with him and came by nighte vnto the woman and sayde Prophecye vnto me I pray the thorow the sprete of soythsayenge and brynge me him vp whom I shal name vnto the. The womā saide vnto him Beholde thou knowest what Saul hath done how he hath roted out the soythsayers witches from the londe wherfore wilt thou brynge my soule then in to y e nett that I maye be slayne But Saul sware vnto her by y e LORDE and sayde As truly as the LORDE lyueth there shall no harme happen vnto the for this Then sayde y e woman Whom shal I brynge vp vnto the He sayde Brynge me vp Samuel Now whan y e woman sawe Samuel she cryed loude and sayde vnto Saul Wherfore hast thou begyled me Thou art Saul And the kynge sayde vnto her Feare not what seist thou The woman sayde vnto Saul I se goddes cōmynge vp out of y e earth He sayde How is he shapened She sayde There commeth vp an olde man and is clothed with a longe garment Then perceaued Saul that it was Samuel bowed him selfe downe w t his face to the grounde and worshiped him Samuel saide vnto Saul Why hast thou disquyeted me to cause me be broughte vp ▪ Saul sayde I am sore troubled the Philistynes fighte against me God is departed fro me geueth me no answere nether by prophetes ner by dreames therfore haue I called the y t thou mightest shewe me what I shal do Samuel sayde What wilt thou axe at me seynge the LORDE is departed from the and is become thine enemye The LORDE shal do vnto the euen as he spake by me and shall plucke the kyngdome out of thy hande and geue it vnto Dauid thy neghboure because thou hast not herkened vnto the voyce of the LORDE ner perfourmed the displeasure of his wrath agaynst Amalek Therfore hath the LORDE done this now vnto the. Morouer the LORDE shal delyuer Israel with the also in to the handes of the Philistynes tomorow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me And the hoost of Israel shal the LORDE delyuer in to the handes of the Philistynes Then fell Saul immediatly vnto the earth for he coulde not stonde and was sore afrayed at these wordes of Samuel so that there was nomore strength in him for he had eaten no bred all that daye and all that night And the woman wente in to Saul sawe that he was sore vexed and sayde vnto him Beholde thy handmayde hath herkened vnto thy voyce and I haue put my soule in my hande so that I haue herkened vnto y e wordes which thou spakest vnto me Therfore folowe thou also the voyce of thy handmayde I wil set a morsell of bred before the to eate that thou mayest come to thy strength go y e waye But he refused and sayde I wil not eate Then his seruauntes the woman cōpelled him so that he herkened vnto their voyce And he rose vp from y e grounde and sat vpon the bed The woman had a fat calfe at home so she made haist and kylled it and toke meell and dyd kneet it and baked swete cakes broughte them forth before Saul before his seruauntes And whan they had eaten
thou LORDE of thy goodnesse haddest made my hill so stronge But as soone as thou turnedest thy face fro me I was brought in feare TheÌ„ cried I vnto y e O LORDE yee vnto y e LORDE made I my prayer What profit is there in my bloude yf I go downe to corrupcion Maye the dust geue thankes vnto ye Or shal it declare thy faithfulnesse Heare O LORDE and haue mercy vpon me LORDE be thou my helper And so thou hast turned my heuynesse in to ioye thou hast put of my sack cloth gyrded me w t gladnesse That my hono r might synge prayses vnto the w t out ceassynge O LORDE my God I wil geue thankes vnto the for euer The XXX A psalme of Dauid IN the O LORDE is my trust let me neuer be put to coÌ„fucion but delyuer me in thy rightuousnesse Bowe downe thine eare to me make haist to delyuer me be thou my stronge rocke and a house of defence that thou mayest saue me For thou art my stronge holde my castell O be thou my gyde lede me for thy names sake Drawe me out of the nett y t they haue layed priuely for me for thou art my streÌ„gth Into thy hondes I commende my sprete thou hast â—â—lyuered me O LORDE thou God of treuth I hate them that holde of vanities and my trust is in the LORDE I will be glad and reioyse in thy mercy for thou hast considred my trouble thou hast knowne my soule in aduersite Thou hast not delyuered me ouer in to the hoÌ„des of the enemie but hast set my fete in a large rowme Haue mercy vpon me O LORDE for I am in trouble myne eye is consumed for very heuynesse yee my soule and my body My life is waxen olde with heuynesse and my yeares w t mournynge My streÌ„gth fayleth me because of my aduersite and my bones are corrupte I am become a very reprofe amonge all myne enemies my neghbours they of myne owne acquauntaunce are afrayed of me they y t seme in the strete coÌ„veye them selues fro me I am clene forgotten and out of mynde as a deed man I am become like a broken vessell For I haue herde the blasphemy of the multitude euery man abhorreth me they haue gathered a councel together agaynst me and are purposed to take awaye my life But my hope is in y e O LORDE I saye thou art my God My tyme is in thy honde delyuer me from the honde of myne enemies from them y t persecute me Shewe thy seruaunt the light of thy countenaunce helpe me for thy mercies sake Let me not be confounded o LORDE for I call vpon the let the vngodly rather be put to confucion and brought vnto the hell Let the lyenge lippes be put to sylence which cruelly diszdanedly despitefully speake agaynst the rightuous O how greate and manifolde is thy good which thou haist hyd for them that feare y e O what thinges bringest thou to passe for them that put their trust in the euen before the sonnes of men Thou hydest them priuely by thine owne presence from the proude men thou kepest them secretly in thy tabernacle from the strife of tonges Thankes be to the LORDE for he hath shewed me maruelous greate kyndnesse in a stronge cite For when the sodane feare came vpon me I sayde I am cast out of thy sight Neuertheles thou herdest myne humble prayer when I cried vnto the. O loue the LORDE all ye his sayntes for the LORDE preserueth the faith full and plenteously rewardeth he the proude doer Be stroÌ„ge therfore take a good herte vnto you all ye that put youre trust in the LORDE The XXXI A psalme of Dauid BLessed are they whose vnrightuousnesse is forgeuen and whose synnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the LORDE imputeth no synne in whose sprete there is no gyle For whyle I helde my tonge my bones consumed awaye thorow my daylie complaynynges And because thy hande was so heuy vpon me both daye and night my moysture was like the drouth in Sommer Sela. Therfore I confessed my synne vnto the and hyd not myne vnrightuousnesse I saide I will knowlege myne offence and accuse my self vnto the LORDE and so thou forgauest me the wickednesse of my synne Sela. For this shal euery saynte make his prayer vnto the in due season therfore shall not the greate water floudes come nye him Thou art my defence in the trouble that is come aboute me O coÌ„passe thou me aboute also with the ioye of delyueraunce Sela. I wil enforme the and shewe the the waye wherin thou shalt go I wil fasten myne eyes vpon the. Be not ye now like horses mooles which haue no vnderstondinge Whose mouthes thou must holde with bytt brydle yf they wil not obeie the. Greate plages shall y e vngodly haue but who so putteth his trust in the LORDE mercy shall compasse him on euery syde Be glad o ye rightuous and reioyse in the LORDE be ioyfull all ye that are true of herte The XXXII A psalme of Dauid EEioyse in y e LORDE o ye rightuous for it becommeth well the iust to be thankfull Prayse the LORDE with harpe synge psalmes vnto him with the lute and instrument of ten strynges Singe him a new songe yee synge lustely vnto him with a good corage For the worde of y e LORDE is true and all his workes are faithfull He loueth mercy iudgment y e earth is full of the goodnesse of the LORDE By the worde of the LORDE were the heauens made all the hoostes of them by y e breth of his mouth He gathereth y e waters together as it were in a bottell laieth vp the depe in secrete Let all the earth feare the LORDE and let all them that dwell in the worlde stoÌ„de in awe of him For loke what he sayeth it is done and loke what he coÌ„mauÌ„deth it stondeth fast The LORDE bryngeth the councell of the Heithen to naught and turneth the deuyces of the people But the couÌ„cell of the LORDE endureth and the thoughtes of his hert from generacion to generacion Blessed are the people that holde the LORDE for their God blessed are the folke whom he hath chosen to be his heretage The LORDE loketh downe from heauen beholdeth all the children of men from his stronge seate he considreth all them y t dwell in the worlde He only hath fashioned all the hertes of them knoweth all their workes A kynge is not helped by his owne greate hoost nether is a giaunte saued thorow the might of his owne streÌ„gth A horse is but a vayne thynge to saue a man it is not the power of his streÌ„gth that can delyuer him Beholde the eye of the LORDE loketh vnto them that feare him 〈◊〉 put their trust in his mercy That he maye delyuer their soules from death and to fede them
vp the grounde But myne eyes loke vnto y e o LORDE God in the is my trust oh cast not out my soule Kepe me froÌ„ y e snare which 〈…〉 me and froÌ„ the trappes 〈…〉 Let the vngodly fall 〈…〉 nettes together vntill I be 〈…〉 them The CXLI A psalme of Dauid I Crie vnto the LORDE with my voyce yee eueÌ„ vnto the LORDE do I make my supplicacion I poure out my complaynte before him and shewe him of my trouble When my sprete is in heuynesse for thou knowest my path in the waye where in I walke haue they preuely layed a snare for me I loke vpon my right honde se there is no man that wil knowe me I haue no place to fle vnto no man careth for my soule Therfore do I crie vnto the o LORDE and saye thou art my hope and my porcion in the londe of the lyuynge CoÌ„sidre my complaynte for I am brought very lowe Oh delyuer me fro my persecuters for they are to stronge for me Brynge my soule out of preson that I maye geue thaÌ„kes vnto thy name which thinge yf thou wilt grauÌ„te me then shal the rightuous resorte vnto my coÌ„pany The CXLII A psalme of Dauid HEare my prayer o LORDE considre my desyre answere me for thy treuth rightuousnesse sake And entre not in to iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shal no man lyuynge be iustified For the enemie persecuteth my soule he smyteth my life downe to the grounde he layeth me in the darcknesse as the deed men of the worlde Therfore is my sprete vexed within me and my herte within me is desolate Yet do I remeÌ„bre the tymes past I muse vpoÌ„ all y e workes yee I exercise my self in the workes of thy hondes I stretch forth my hondes vnto the my soule crieth vnto the out of the thyrstie londe Sela. Heare me o LORDE and that soone for my sprete waxeth faynte hyde not y e face fro me lest I be like vnto theÌ„ that go downe in to the graue Oh let me heare thy louynge kyndnesse by tymes in the mornynge for in the is my trust shewe thou me the waye that I shulde walke in for I lift vp my soule vnto the. Delyuer me o LORDE fro myne enemies for I resorte vnto the. Teach me to do the thinge that pleaseth the for thou art my God let thy louynge spreâ—e lede me forth vnto the londe of rightuousnesse QuyckeÌ„ me o LORDE for thy names sake and for thy rightuousnesse sake brynge my soule out of trouble And of thy goodnesse scater myne enemies abrode and destroye all them that vexe my soule for I am thy seruaunt The CXLIII A psalme of Dauid BLessed be the LORDE my refuge which teacheth my haÌ„des to warre my fyngers to fight My hope and my castell my defence and my delyuerer my shylde in whom I trust which gouerneth the people that is vnder me LORDE what is maÌ„ that thou hast soch respecte vnto him Or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him Man is like a thinge of naught his tyme passeth awaye like a shadowe Bowe thy heaueÌ„s o LORDE come downe touch the mountaynes y t they maye smoke withall â–ª Sende forth the lightenynge scater theÌ„ shute out thine arowes and consume them Sende downe thine hande from aboue delyuer me and take me out of y e greate waters from the hande of straunge childreÌ„ Whose mouth talketh of vanite their right haÌ„de is a righthande of falsede That I maye synge a new songe vnto the o God synge prayses vnto the vpon a tenstrynged luck Thou that geuest victory vnto kynges and hast delyuered Dauid thy seruaunt from the parell of the swerde Saue me and delyuer me from the honde of straunge childreÌ„ whose mouth talketh of vanite and their right hande is a right hande of falsede That 〈◊〉 sonnes maye growe vp as the yoÌ„ge plantes and that oure doughters maye be as the polished corners of the temple That o r garners maye be full and plenteous with all maner of stoare that o r shepe maye brynge forth thousandes and hundreth thousands in oure villages That oure oxen maye be stronge to laboure that there be no myschaunce 〈◊〉 decaye and no complayninge in oure stretes â–ª Happie are the people that be in soch a â—â—se yee blessed are the people which haue the LORDE for their God The CXLIIII A psalme of Dauid I Wil magnifie the o my God kyngeâ— I wil prayse y e name for euer euer Euery daye wil I geue thankes vnto the and prayse y e name for euer and euer Greate is the LORDE maruelous worthy to be praysed there is no ende of his greatnesse One generacion shal prayse thy wâ—kes vnto another and declare thy power As for me I wil be talkiÌ„ge of thy worshipe thy glory thy prayse and woÌ„derous workes â–ª So that men shal speake of the might of thy maruelous actes and tell of y e greatnes â–ª The memoriall of y e abundaunt kyndneâ— shal be shewed and meÌ„ shal synge of thy righteousnesse The LORDE is gracious and mercifull longe sufferynge of greate goodnesse The LORDE is louynge vnto euery man and his mercy is ouer all his workes All thy workes prayse the o LORDE and thy sayntes geue thankes vnto the. They shewe the glory of thy kyngdome and talke of y e power That y e power thy gloâ—â— mightynesse of thy kyngdome migâ—◠〈◊〉 knowne vnto men Thy kyngdome is an euerlastinge kyngdome thy dominion endureth thorow out all ages The LORDE vpholdeth all soch as shulde fall and lifteth vp all those that be downe The eyes of all wayte vpon the and thou geuest them their meate in due season Thou openest thine haÌ„de and fyllest all thinges lyuynge with plenteâ—usnesse The LORDE is righteous in all his wayes holy in all his workes The LORDE is nye vnto all them that call vpon him yee all soch as call vpon him faithfully He fulfilleth the desyre of them that feare him he heareth their crie and helpeth them The LORDE preserueth all them that loue him but scatereth abrode all the vngodly My mouth shal speake the prayse of the LORDE And let all flesh geue thankes vnto his holy name for euer and euer Halleluya The CXLâ— psalme PRayse the LORDE o my soule whyle I lyue wil I prayse the LORDE yee as loÌ„ge as I haue eny beynge I wil synge prayses vnto my God O put not yo r trust in prynces ner in the childe of man for there is no helpe in theÌ„ For when y e breth of man goeth forth he shal turne agayne to his earth and so all his thoughtes perishe Blessed is he that hath y e God of Iacob for his helpe and whose hope is in the LORDE his God Which made heauen and earth y t see and all that therin is which kepeth his promise for euer Which helpeth them to right y t suffre wronge which fedeth y e
wil not be the better for wordes for though he vnderstonde yet wil he not regarde them Yf thou seyst a man that is haistie to speake vnaduysed thou mayest trust a foole more then him He that delicately bryngeth vp his seruaunt from a childe shal make him his master at length An angrie man stereth vp strife and he that beareth euell wyll in his mynde doth moch euell After pryde commeth a fall but a lowly sprete bryngeth greate worshipe Who so kepeth company w t a thefe hateth his owne soule he heareth blasphemies telleth it not forth He that feareth men shal haue a fall but who so putteth his trust in the LORDE shal come to honor. Many there be that seke y e prynces fauoure but euery mans iudgment commeth from the LORDE The rightuous abhorre the vngodly but as for those that be in y e right waye y e wicked hate them The XXX Chapter The wordes of Agur the sonne of Iake THe prophecie of a true faithfull man whō God hath helped whom God hath cōforted norished For though I am y e leest of all haue no mās vnderstōdīge for I neuer lerned wiszdome yet haue I vnderstōdinge am wel enfourmed in godly thinges Who hath clymmed vp ī to heauen Who hath come downe from thence Who hath holden y e wynde fast in his hāde Who hath cōprehended y e waters in a garment Who hath set all the endes of y e worlde What is his name or his sonnes name Canst thou tell All the wordes of God are pure cleane for he is a shylde vnto all them that put their trust in him Put thou nothinge therfore vnto his wordes lest he reproue the and thou be founde as a lyar Two thinges I requyre of the that thou wilt not denye me before I dye Remoue fro me vanite and lyes geue me nether pouerte ner riches only graunte me a necessary lyuynge Lest yf I be to full I denye y e saye what felowe is y e LORDE And lest I beinge constrayned thorow pouerte fall vnto stealinge and forsweare the name of my God Accuse not a seruaunt vnto his master lest he speake euell of the also and thou be hurte He that bryngeth vp an euell reporte vpō the generacion of his father and mother is not worthy to be commended The generacion that thynke them selues cleane shal not be clensed from their fylthynesse There are people y t haue a proude loke and cast vp their eye lyddes This peoples tethe are swerdes and with their chaft bones they consume and deuoure the symple of the earth and the poore from amonge mē This generacion which is like an horsleche hath two doughters y e one is called fetch hither the other brynge hither There be thre thinges that are neuer satisfied and the fourth saieth neuer hoo The hell a womans wombe and the earth hath neuer water ynough As for fyre it sayeth neuer hoo Who so laugheth his father to scorne and setteth his mothers commaūdement at naught the rauens pycke out his eyes in the valley and deuoured be he of the yongle Aegles There be thre thinges to hye for me and as for the fourth it passeth my knowlege The waye of an Aegle in y e ayre y e waye of a serpent ouer y e stone y e waye of a shippe in y e see y e waye of a mā w t a yonge womā Soch is the waye also of a wyfe y t breaketh wedlocke which wypeth hir mouth like as whā she hath eatē sayeth As for me I haue done no harme Thorow thre thinges the earth is disquieted the fourth maye it not beare Thorow a seruaūt y t beareth rule thorow a foole y t hath greate riches thorow an ydle houswife thorow an handmayden y t is heyre to hir mastres There be foure thinges in the earth the which are very litle but in wyszdome they exceade the wyse The Emmettes are but a weake people yet gather they their meate together in y e haruest The conyes are but a feble folke yet make they their couches amonge the rockes The greshoppers haue not a gyde yet go they forth together by heapes The spyder laboureth w t hir hādes y t in y e kynges palace There be thre thinges y t go stiftly but the goinge of the fourth is the goodliest of all A Lyon which is kynge of beastes geueth place to no man A cock ready to fight A rāme And a kynge y t goeth forth w t his people Yf thou be so foolish to magnifie y e self or medlest w t eny soch thinge thē laye thine hāde vpon y e mouth Who so chyrneth mylck maketh butter he that rubbeth his nose maketh it blede and he that causeth wrath bryngeth forth strife The XXXI Chapter THese are the wordes of Kynge Lamuel y e lesson y t his mother taught him My sonne thou sonne of my body O my deare beloued sonne geue not ouer thy substaunce mynde vnto women which are the destrucciō euē of kynges O Lamuel geue kinges no wyne geue kynges prynces no stronge drynke lest they beinge dronken forget the lawe regarde not y e cause of the poore of all soch as be in aduersite Geue stronge drynke vnto soch as are condempned to death wyne vnto those y t mourne that they maye drynke it forget their misery aduersite Be thou an aduocate stonde in iudgment thyself to speake for all soch as be dōme sucourles With y e mouth defende y e thinge y t is laufull and right and y e cause of y e poore and helplesse Who so fyndeth an honest faithful womā she is moch more worth thē perles The herte of hir husbande maye safely trust in her so that he shal haue no nede of spoyles She wil do him good not euel all y e dayes of hir life She occupieth woll flax laboureth gladly w t hir handes She is likē a marchauntes shippe that bryngeth hir vytayles from farre She is vp in y e night season to prouyde meate for hir housholde foode for hir maydens She considreth lōde byeth it and w t the frute of hir handes she planteth a vynyarde She gyrdeth hir loynes with strength and courageth hir armes And yf she perceaue that hir houswifrie doth good hir candle goeth not out by night She layeth hir fyngers to the spyndle hir hande taketh holde of y e rocke She openeth hir hande to y e poore yee she stretcheth forth hir hādes to soch as haue nede She feareth not y t the colde of wynter shal hurte hir house for all hir housholde folkes are duble clothed She maketh hir self fayre ornamētes hir clothīge is whyte sylke purple Hir huszbāde is moch set by in y e gates whē he sytteth amonge y e rulers of y e londe She maketh cloth of sylke selleth it and delyuereth a gyrdle vnto y e
anothers Chap. XIX The captiuyte off the kyngâ—s of Iuda The crueltie of kinges and princes Chap. XX. The greate vnthanfulnesse off the people Agayne the merciful longe sufferaunce of God Chap. XXI The swearde prophecyed to come vpon Israel and the Ammonites by the kynge of Babilon Chap. XXII The synnes wherfore IerusaleÌ„ was punished both the prophetes prestes rulers and comon people Chap. XXIII The Idolatry or whordome of Samaria and Ierusalem Chap. XXIIII The destruccion off Ierusalem and captiuyte of the people signified by the pot Chap. XXV Agaynst Ammon Moab Seir and the Palestynes Chap. XXVI He mourneth vpon the cite off Tyre otherwyse called Zor for the destruccion that was to come vpon her Chap. XXVII XXVIII Agaynst the prince of Tyre and agaynst Sidon Chap. XXIX XXX.XXXI.XXXII Plages vpon Egipte and the kynges therof Chap. XXXIII The office off a preacher The worde of God must be folowed in very 〈◊〉 and not only in mouth Chap. XXXIIII Agaynst euell shepherdes Christ the only true shepherde is promised Chap. XXXV Agaynst the mount Seir that is agaynst the Edomites Chap. XXXVI A promyse of the delyueraunce of Israel Chap. XXXVII A consolacion for the Israelites and a figure of the generall resurreccioÌ„ signified by the drye bones Chap. XXXVIII XXXIX Of Gog and Magog with their destruccion Chap. XL. From this chapter vnto the ende the prophet seith in a vision the buyldinge agayne of IerusaleÌ„ aÌ„d the temple Wherby is descrybed the mystery off the church off christ and saluacion of the faithfull in hiâ— â–ª The first Chapter IT chauÌ„sed in the xxx yeare the fifth daye off the fourth Moneth that I was amonge the presoners by the ryuer off Cobar where the heauens opened I sawe a vision of God Now the fifth daye off the Moneth made out the fyfth yeare off kynge Ioachims captiuyte At the same tyme came y e worde off the LORDE vnto Ezechiel the sonne off Buzi prest in the londe off the Caldees by the water of Cobar where the honde off the LORDE came vpoÌ„ him And I loked beholde a stormy wynde came out off the north with a greate doude full of fyre which w t his glistre lightened all rounde aboute And in y e myddest off the fyre it was all cleare and as it were the licknesse of foure beastes which were fashioned like a man sauynge that euery one had foure faces and foure wynges Their legges were straight but their fete were like bullockes fete and they glistred as it had bene fayre scoured metall Vnder their wynges vpon all the foure corners they had mens hondes Their faces and the it wynges were towarde the foure corners yet were the wynges so that one euer touched another When they wente they turned them not aboute but ech one wente straight forwarde Vpon the rightside off these foure their faces were like the face off a man and the fa off a Lyon But vpon the left side they had the face off an oxe and the face off an Aegle Their faces also and their wynges werespred out aboue so that two wynges off one touched euer two wynges off another and with the other two they couered their bodie Euery one when it wente it wente straight forwarde Where as the sprete led them thither they wente and turned not aboute in their goynge The fashion and countenauÌ„ce of the beestes was like hote coales off fyre euen as though burnynge cresshettes had bene amonge the beestes and the fyre gaue a glistre and out off the fyre there wente lighteninge WheÌ„ y e beestes weÌ„te forwarde backwarde one wolde haue thought it had lightened Now wheÌ„ I had well considered the beestes I sawe a worke off wheles vpon the earth with foure faces also like the beestes The fashion worke of the wheles was like the see The foure wheles were ioyned and made to loke vpon as it had bene one whele in another When one wente forwarde they wente all foure and turned theÌ„ not aboute iÌ„ their goinge They were large greate and horrible to loke vpon Their bodies were full off eyes rounde aboute them all foure WheÌ„ the beestes weÌ„te the wheles wente also with them And when the beestes lift them selues vp from y e earth the wheles were lift vp also Whyther so euer the sprete wente thither wente they also y e wheles were lift vp folowed theÌ„ for y e sprete of life was in the wheles When y e beestes weÌ„te forth stode still or lift them selues vp from the earth then the wheles also wente stode still were lift vp for y e breth off life was in the wheles Aboue ouer y e heades of the beestes there was a firmament which was fashioned as it had bene off the most pure Christall that was spred out aboue vpon their heades vnder the same firmament were their wynges layed abrode one towarde another and two wynges couered the body of euery beest And when thy wente forth I herde the noyse off their wynges like the noyse of greate waters as it had bene the voyce off the greate God and a russhinge together as it were off an hoost off men And when they stode still they let downe their winges Now when they stode still and had letten downe their wynges it thondred in the firmament that was aboue their heades Aboue the firmament that was ouer their heades there was the fashion off a seate as it had bene made off Saphir Apon the seate there sat one like a maÌ„ I behelde him and he was like a cleare light as it had bene all of fyre with in from his loynes vpwarde And beneth when I loked vpon him vnder y e loynes me thought he was like a shyninge fyre that geueth light on euery syde Yee the shyne and glistre y t lightened rounde aboute was like a raynbowe which in a raynie daye apeareth in the cloudes EueÌ„ so was the similitude wherin the glory off the LORDE apeared WheÌ„ I sawe it I fell vpon my face and herkened vnto the voyce off him that spake The II. Chapter THen sayde he vnto me Stonde vp vpon thy fete O thou sonne of maÌ„ and I will talke with the. And as he was commonynge with me the sprete came in to me and set me vp vpon my fete so that I marcked the thinge that he sayde vnto me And he sayde Beholde thou sonne off man I will sende the to the children off Israel to those runnagates and obstinate people for they haue takeÌ„ parte agaynst me and are runne a waye fro me both they and their forefathers vnto this daye Yee I will sende y e vnto a people y t haue rough vysages and stiff stomackes vnto whom thou shalt saye on this maner This the LORDE God himselff hath spoken y t whether they be obedient or no for it is a frauwarde housholde they maye knowe yet that there hath bene a prophet amonge them Therfore thou sonne off man feare theÌ„ not
thus saieth the LORDE God As truly as I lyue I will haÌ„dle the acordinge to thy wrath and gelousy like as thou hast dealt cruelly with them that I maye be knowne amoÌ„ge them how I haue punyshed the. Yee and that thou also mayest be sure that I the LORDE haue herde all thy despyteful wordes which thou hast spokeÌ„ agaynst the mountaynes of Israel sayenge Lo they are made waist and geuen vs to deuoure Thus with youre mouthes ye haue made youre boost agaynst me yee multiplied youre pronde wordes agaynst me which I haue herde altogether Where vnto thus saieth y e LORDE God when the whole worlde is in wealth then wil I make the waist And like as thou o mount Seir wast glad because the heretage of the house of Israel was destroyed euen so wil I do vnto the also that thou and whole Edom shall be destroyed knowe that I am the LORDE The XXXVI Chapter THou sonne of man prophecie vpon the mountaynes of Israel speake Heare the worde of the LORDE o ye mountaynes of Israel Thus saieth the LORDE God Because yo r enemie hath sayde vpon you A ha y e hie euerlastynge places are now become ours prophecy therfore speake thus saieth y e LORDE God Seinge ye be waisted trodeÌ„ downe on euery syde become a possession vnto y e resydue of y e GeÌ„tiles which haue bâ—ought you in to meÌ„s mouthes vnto an euel name amonge y e people Therfore heare the worde of the LORDE God o ye mountaynes of Israel Thus saieth the LORDE God vnto the mountaynes and hilles valleys dales to the voyde wildernesses desolate cities which are spoyled and had in deâ—ision on euery syde amonge the resydue of the HeitheÌ„ Yee eueÌ„ thus saieth the LORDE God In the â—yre of my gelousy haue I taken a deuyce agaynst the resydue of the GeÌ„tiles and agaynst all Edom which haue takeÌ„ in my loÌ„de vnto theÌ„ selues for a possession which also reioysed froÌ„ their whole herte w t a despiteful stomacke to waist it and to spoyle it Prophecy therfore vpon the londe of Israel speake vnto y e mountaynes and hilles to valleys and dales thus saieth the LORDE God Beholde this haue I deuysed in my gelousy and terrible wrath For so moch as ye haue suffred reprofe of the Heithen therfore thus saieth the LORDE God I haue sworne that the Gentiles which lye aboute you shal beare youre confucion them selues And as for you o mountaynes of Israel ye shall shute out youre braunches and bringe forth youre frute to my people of Israel for it is harde by that it wil come Beholde I come vnto you and vnto you will I turne me that ye maye be tylled and sowen I wil sende you moch people which shal be all of the house of Israel the cities shal be inhabited and y e decayed places shal be repayred againe I wil prouyde you with moch people and catell which shal increase bringe frute I wil restore you also to youre olde estate and shewe you more kindnes theÌ„ euer ye had before wherby ye shal knowe y t I am the LORDE Yee people wil I sende vnto you o my folke of Israel which shal haue the in possession and thou shalt be their inheritaunce so that thou shalt nomore be without them Agayne thus saieth the LORDE God For so moch as they saye vnto you thou art an eater vp of men and a waister of thy people therfore thou shalt eate no mo men nether destroye thy people eny more saieth the LORDE God And I wil not suffre the for to heare thine owne confucion amonge the Gentiles from hensforth Thou shalt not beare the reprofe of the nacions ner cast out thine owne people enymore saieth the LORDE God Morouer the worde of the LORDE came vnto me sayenge O thou sonne of maÌ„ when the house of Israel dwelt vpon their owne grounde they defyled them selues with their owne wayes ymaginacions so that in my sight their waye was like the vnclennesse of a menstruous woman Wherfore I poured my wrothfull displeasure vpon them because of the bloude that they had shed in the londe because of their Idols wherwith they had defyled them selues I scatred them also amonge the Heithen so that they were strowed aboute in the loÌ„des Acordinge to their wayes after their owne inuencions so dyd I punysh them Now when they were gone vnto the Hetthen and come in amonge them they dishonoured my holy name so that it was sayde of them Are these the people of God must go out of their owne londe Then spared I my holy name which y e house of Israel had dishonoured amonge the Gentiles to whom they came Therfore tell y e house of Israel Thus saieth the LORDE God I do not this for yo r sakes O house of Israel but for my holy names sake which ye dishonoured amoÌ„ge the Heithen when ye came to them Therfore I wil halowe my greate name agayne which amonge the GeÌ„tiles is euel spoken of for ye youre selues haue dishonoured it amoÌ„ge them And the Gentiles shal knowe that I am the LORDE when I am honoured in you before their eyes saieth y e LORDE God As for you I wil take you from amonge the Heithen and gather you together out of all countrees and bringe you agayne into youre owne londe Then will I poure cleare water vpon you ye shal be clene Yee from all youre vnclennesse and from all yo r Idols shal I clense you A new herte also wil I geue you and a new sprete wil I put in to you As for that stony hert I will take it out of youre body and geue you a fleszshy herte I wil geue you my sprete amonge you and can se you to walke in my commaundemeÌ„tes to kepe my lawes and to fulfill them And so ye shall dwell in the londe that I gaue to yo r forefathers ye shal be my people and I wil be youre God I wil helpe you out of all youre vncleÌ„nesse I wil call for the corne and wil increase it and wil let you haue no honger I will multiplie the frutes of the trees and y e increase of the felde for you so that ye shal beare no more reprofe of honger amoÌ„ge the HeitheÌ„ Then shal ye remeÌ„bre yo r owne wicked wayes and youre ymaginacioÌ„s which were not good so that ye shal take displeasure at youre owne selues by reason of youre synnes and abhominacions But I wil not do this for youre sakes saieth the LORDE God be ye sure of it Therfore o ye house of Israel be ashamed of youre synnes Morouer thus saieth the LORDE God what tyme as I shal cleÌ„se you from all youre offences then wil I make the cities to be occupied agayne and wil repayre the places that be decayed The desolate londe shal be buylded agayne which afore tyme laye waist in the sight of all them that weÌ„te
Coudest thou not make those that haue bene made and that be now and that are fo◠to come in one that thou mightest shewe thy iudgment the sooner Then answered heme and sayde The creature maye not haist aboue the maker nether maye the worlde holde thē at once that shal be created And I sayde How hast thou sayde then vnto thy seruaunt that thou lyuynge maker hast made the creature lyuynge at once the creature bare it euē so might it now also beare them that be present at once And he sayde vnto me Axe the childeszbed of a womā and saye vnto her Yf thou bringest forth childrē why doest thou it not together but one after another Praye her therfore to brynge forth ten children at once And I sayde she can not but must do it one after another Then sayde he vnto me Euen so haue I geuen a childeszbed vnto the earth for those that be sowne vpon it by processe of tyme. For like as a yonge childe maye not brynge forth the thinges that belonge to the aged euen so haue I ordened the worlde which I made And I axed and sayde Seynge thou hast now geuē me a waye I wyl speake before y e for oure mother of whō thou hast tolde me is yet yonge now she draweth nye vnto age He answered me sayde Axe a woman that beareth children she shal tell the. Saye vnto her wherfore are not they whom thou hast now brought forth like those that were before the but lesse of stature And she shal answere the They y t be borne in the youth of strēgth are of one fashion and they that are borne in the tyme of age whan the childeszbed fayleth are other wyse Cōsidre now thyself how that ye are lesse of stature then those that were before you and so are they that come after you lesse then ye as the creatures which now begynne to be olde and haue passed ouer the strength of youth Then sayde I LORDE I beseke the yf I haue founde fauoure in thy sight shewe thy seruaunt by whom doest thou vyset thy creature The VI. Chapter ANd he sayde vnto me In the begynnynge whan the grounde was made before the worlde stode or euer y e wyndes blew before it thondred and lightened or euer the foundacions of Paradise were layed before the fayre floures were sene or euer the moueable powers were stablished before y e innumerable multitudes of angels were gathered together or euer y e highnesses of y e ayre were lifted vp afore y e measures of the firmament were named or euer y e chymneys in Sion were hote and or the presente yeares were sought out and or euer the invencions of them y t now synne were put asyde before they were sealed that now gather faith for a treasure then dyd I cōsidre and pondre all these thinges and they all were made thorow me and thorow none other by me also they be ended and by none other Then answered I and sayde which shal be the partynge asunder of the tymes Or whan shal be the ende of the first and the begynnynge of it that foloweth And he sayde vnto me From Abrahā vnto Isaac whā Iacob Esau were borne of him Iacobs hande helde first the hele of Esau for Esau is the ende of this worlde and Iacobis the begynnynge of it that foloweth The hande of man betwixte the hele and the hande Other question Eszdras axe thou not I answered then and sayde O LORDE LORDE yf I haue founde fauoure in thy sight I beseke the shewe thy seruaunt the ende of thy tokēs wherof thou shewdest me parte the last night So he answered and sayde vnto me Stōde vp vpon thy fete and heare the perfecte voyce and sounde There shal come a greate mocion but y e place where thou stōdest shal not be moued And therfore whan thou hearest the wordes be not afrayed for of the ende shal the worde and foundacion of y e earth be vnderstonde And why the worde therof trembleth and quaketh for it knoweth that it must be chaunged at the ende And it happened that whā I had herde it I stode vp vpon my fete and herkened and beholde there was a voyce y t spake and the sounde of it was like the sounde of many waters and it sayde Beholde y e dayes come y t I wyl begynne to drawe nye and to vyset them that dwell vpō earth and wyl begynne to make inquysicion of them what they be y t haue hurte equyte w t vnrighteousnes and whan the lowe estate of Sion shal be fulfylled and whan the worlde that shal vanish awaye shal be ouersealed then wyl I do these tokens The bokes shal be opened before the firmament and they shal se all together the children of a yeare olde shal speake w t their voyces the womē with childe shal brynge forth vntymely children of thre or foure monethes olde and they shall lyue and be raysed vp sodēly shal the sowne places appeare as the vnsowne the full store houses shal sodenly be founde emptie and the trompett shal geue a sounde which whā euery man heareth they shal be haistely afrayed At that tyme shall frendes fight one agaynst another like enemies and the earth shal stonde in feare with them The sprynges of the welles shal stonde styll and in thre houres they shal not renne Who so euer remayneth from all these thinge◠that I haue tolde the shal escape and se my saluacion and the ende of youre worlde And the men that are receaued shal se it they that haue not taisted death frō their byrth and the hert of the indwellers shal be chaunged and turned in to another meanynge for euell shal be put out and disceate shal be quenched As for faith it shal florish corrupcion shal be ouercome and the trueth which hath bene so longe without frute shal be declared And it happened whan he talked w t me that I loked demurely vpō him before whō I stode and these wordes sayde he vnto me I am come to shewe y e the tyme of y e night for to come Yf thou wilt praye yet more and fast seuē dayes agayne I shal tel the more thinges greater then before for thy voyce is herde before the Hyest for why the Mightie hath sene thy righteous dealynge he hath sene also thy chastite which thou hast had euer sence thy youth and therfore hath he sent me to shewe the all these thinges and to saye vnto the Be of good comforte and feare not and haist not with y e tymes that are past to thynke vayne thinges and make no haist of the latter tymes And it happened after this y t I wepte agayne and fasted seuen dayes in like maner that I might fulfill the thre wekes which he tolde me In the eight night was my hert vexed within me agayne and I beganne to speake before the Hyest for my sprete was greatly set on fyre and my soule was in distresse
but let the heades be preserued at the last Neuertheles I sawe y t the voyce wente not out of his heades but from the myddest of his body And I nombred his cōtrary fethers beholde there were eight of them And I loked beholde vpon the right syde there arose one fether raigned ouer all the earth And it happened y t whan it raigned the ende of it came the place therof appeared no more So the nexte folowinge stode vp raigned had a greate tyme it happened y t whan it raigned the ende of it came also like as the first so that it appeared nomore Then came there a voyce vnto it sayde Heare thou y t hast kepte in the earth so lōge this I saye vnto the before thou begynnest to appeare nomore There shal none after y e atteyne vnto thy tyme. Then arose the thirde raigned as the other afore appeared nomore also So wēte it with all the residue one after another so y t euery one raigned thē appeared nomore Thē I loked beholde in processe of tyme the fethers y t folowed were set vp vpō the right syde y t they might rule also and some of thē ruled but within a while they appeared nomore for some of thē were set vp but ruled not After this I loked beholde y e xij fethers appeared nomore and the two wynges there was nomore vpon the Aegles body but two heades that rested sixe fethers Then sawe I also y t the sixe fethers were parted in two remayned vnder the heade y t was vpon the right syde for the foure cōtynued in their place So I loked and beholde they that were vnder the wynges thought to set vp them selues and to haue the rule Then was there one set vp but shortly it appeared nomore and the seconde were sooner awaye then the first And I behelde and lo the two thought also by thē selues to raigne whā they so thought beholde there waked one of the heades that were at rest namely it that was in the myddest for that was the greater of the two heades And then I sawe that the two heades were fylled with him and the heade was turned with them y t were by him ate vp y e two vnder wynges y t wolde haue raigned But this heade put y e whole earth in feare and bare rule in it ouer all those y t dwelt vpon earth with moch laboure and he had the gouernaunce of the worlde ouer all the foules that haue bene After this I loked and beholde the heade that was in the middest sodenly appeared nomore like as y e wynges then came the two heades which ruled vpon earth ouer those that dwelt therin And I behelde lo the heade vpon the right side deuoured it that was vpon the left syde And I herde a voyce which sayde vnto me loke before the and considre the thinge that thou seist Then I sawe and beholde as it were a lyon that roareth rennynge haistely out of y e wod and he sent out a mans voybe vnto the Aegle and sayde Heare thou I wyl talke with the and the Hyest shal saye vnto the Is it not thou that hast the victory of the foure beastes whom I made to raigne vpon earth and in my worlde and that y e ende of their times might come thorow thē And the fourth came and ouerwanne all the beastes that were past and had power ouer the worlde with greate fearfulnes and ouer the whole compasse of the earth w t the most wicked laboure and so longe time dwelt he vpon the earth with disceate the earth hast thou iudged not with trueth For thou hast troubled the meke thou hast hurte the peaceable and quyete thou hast loued lyers and destroyed the dwellynges of them that brought forth frute and hast cast downe the walles of soch as dyd the no harme Therfore is thy wrongeous dealynge and blasphemy come vp vnto the Hyest and thy pryde vnto the Mightie The Hyest also hath loked vpō the proude tymes and beholde they are ended and their abhominacions are fulfilled And therfore appeare nomore thou Aegle and thy horrible wynges and thy wicked fethers and thy vngracious heades and thy synfull clawes and all thy vayne body that the earth maye be refreshed and come agayne to herself whan she is deliuered from thy violence and that she maye hope for y e iudgment and mercy of him that made her The XII Chapter ANd it happened whā y e Lyō spake these wordes vnto y e Aegle y e heade y t afore had y e vpperhāde appeared nomore nether dyd y e foure wynges appeare eny more y t came to hī were sett vp to raigne their kyngdome was small full of vproure And I sawe beholde they appeared no more y e whole body of y e Aegle was brēt the earth was in greate feare Then awaked I out of the traunce of my mynde and from greate feare and sayde vnto my sprete Lo this hast thou geuen me in y t thou searchest out the wayes of the Hyest lo yet am I weary in my minde and very weake in my sprete and litle strēgth is there in me for the greate feare that I receaued this night Therfore wil I now beseke the Hyest y t he wyl comforte me vnto the ende I sayde LORDE LORDE yf I haue founde grace before thy sight and yf I am iustified with y e before many other yf my prayer be come vp before thy face cōforte me then and shew me thy seruaunt the interpretacion playne differēce of this horrible sight that thou mayest perfectly cōforte my soule for thou hast iudged me worthy to shew me y e last oftymes And he sayde vnto me this is the interpretacion of this sight The Aegle whom thou sawest come vp from the see is the kingdome which was sene in the vision of thy brother Daniel but it was no expounded vnto him for now I declare it vnto the. Beholde the dayes come that there shal ryse vp a kyngdome vpō earth and it shal be feared aboue all the kyngdomes y t were before it In the same kyngdome shal xij kynges raigne one after another For the secōde shal begynne to raigne and shal haue more tyme thē the other this do y e xij wynges signifie which thou sawest As for the voyce that spake and that thou sawest go out from the heades but not from y e body it betokeneth that after the tyme of that kyngdome there shall aryse greate stryuynges and it shal stonde in parell of fallynge neuertheles it shal not yet fall bot shal be set in to his beginnynge And y e eight vnderwynges which thou sawest hāge vnto y e wynges of hī betokē y t in hī there shal aryse eight kynges whose tyme shal be but small their yeares swift two of them shal beare But whan the middest
the honger shal the swerde destroye the deed shal be cast out as donge there shal be no man to coÌ„forte them For y e earth shal be waisted the cities shal be cast downe there shal be no man left to tyll y e earth to sowe it The trees shal geue frute who shal plucke theÌ„ of gather them The grapes shal be ripe who shal treade theÌ„ For all places shal be desolate of meÌ„ so that one man shal desyre to se another or to heare his voyce For of one whole cite there shal be ten left two in the felde which shall hyde theÌ„selues in the thicke buszshes in the clyffes of stones like as whan there remayne thre or foure olyues vpon the olyue tre or as whan a vynyarde is gathered there are left some grapes of them that diligeÌ„tly sought thorow the vynyarde Euen so in those dayes there shal be thre or foure left for theÌ„ y t search their houses w t the swerde And the earth shal be left waist the feldes therof shall waxe olde and hir wayes and all hir pathes shal growe full of thornes because no man shal trauayle there thorow The daughters shal mourne hauinge no brydegromes the wemen shal make lamentacion hauynge no huszbandes their daughters shal mourne hauinge no helpe of their brydegrome In the warres shall they be destroyed their huszbandes shal perish of honger O ye seruauntes of the LORDE heare these thinges marck theÌ„ Beholde the worde of the LORDE O receaue it beholde the plages drawe nye are not slack in tarienge Like as a trauaylinge woman which after y e ix moneth briÌ„geth forth a sonne whan the houre of the byrth is come an houre two or thre afore that the paynes come vpoÌ„ hir body whan the childe coÌ„meth to the byrth they tary not the twincklynge of an eye EueÌ„ so shall not y e plages be slack to come vpon earth the worlde shal mourne sorowes shal come vpoÌ„ it on euery syde O my people heare my worde make you redy to the battayll in all euell be euen as pylgrems vpon earth He y t selleth let him be as he that flyeth his waye he y t byeth as one that wil lese Who so occupieth marchauÌ„dies as he that wynneth not he that buyldeth as he that shall not dwell therin he that soweth as one y t shal not reape he that twysteth the vynyarde as he that shal not gather the grapes they that mary as they that shall get no children they y t mary not as the wyddowes therfore they y t laboure labo r in vayne For straungers shall reape their frutes spoyle their goodes ouer throwe their houses take their childreÌ„ captyue for in captiuyte honger shal they get children And they that occupie their marchaundies w t robbery how longe decke they their cities their houses their possessions personnes the more wil I punysh them for their synnes sayeth the LORDE Like as an whore enuyeth an honest woman so shall righteousnes hate iniquyte whan she decketh hir self and shall accuse her to hir face whan he coÌ„meth that defendeth which shal make inquysicioÌ„ for all synne vpoÌ„ earth And therfore be not ye like there vnto ner to the workes therof for or euer it be longe iniquite shal be taken awaye out of the earth and righteousnes shal raigne amonge you Let not the synner saye that he hath not synned for coles of fyre shal burne vpon his heade which saieth before the LORDE God his glory I haue not synned Beholde the LORDE knoweth all y e workes of men their ymaginacions their thoughtes their hertes For he spake but the worde let the earth be made it was made let the heaueÌ„ be made it was made In his worde were y e starres made he knoweth the nombre of them He searcheth the grounde of the depe the treasures therof he hath measured the see what it conteyneth He hath shut the see in the myddest of the waters and w t his worde hath he hanged the earth vpon the waters He spredeth out the heauen like a vowte vpon the waters hath he founded it In the deserte and drye wyldernes hath he made sprynges of water and poles vpoÌ„ the toppe of the mountaynes y t the floudes might poure downe from y e stony rockes to water the earth He made man and put his hert in the myddest of y e body and gaue him breth life and vnderstandinge yee and the sprete of y e Allmightie God which made all thinges and hath searched the grouÌ„de of all the secretes of the earth He knoweth youre ymaginacions inueÌ„cions and what ye thynke whan ye synne wolde hyde youre synnes Therfore hath y e LORDE searched and sought out all yo r woâ—kes and he shal bewraye you all And whan yo r synnes are brought forth ye shal be ashamed before men and youre owne synnes shal be youre accusers in that daye What wil ye do Or how will ye hyde youre synnes before God and his angels Beholde God himself is the iudge feare him leaue of from youre synnes and forget youre vnrighteousnesses and medle nomore with them so shal God lede you forth and delyuer you from all trouble For beholde the heate of a greate multitude is kyndled ouer you and they shal take awaye certayne of you and fede the ydle w t Idols and they that coÌ„sent vnto them shal be had in derision laughed to scorne trodden vnder fote For vnto the places there shal be a place and in the next cities a greate insurreccion vpon those that feare y e LORDE They shal be like mad men they shall spare no man they shall spoyle and waist soch as feare the LORDE their goodes shall they take from them and shute them out of their houses Then shall it be knowne who are my chosen they shal be tryed as the golde in the fyre Heare O ye my beloued saieth the LORDE beholde the dayes of trouble are at honde but I wil delyuer you from the same Be not ye afraied dispayre not for God is youre captayne Who so kepeth my coÌ„maundementes and preceptes sayeth the LORDE God let not youre synnes weye you downe let not youre vnrighteousnesses be lift vp Wo be vnto theÌ„ that are subdued vnto their synnes and tangled in their wickednesses like as a felde is hedged in with buszshes and the path therof couered with thornes y t no man maye trauayle thorow and so is he taken and cast in the fyre and brent The ende of the IIII. boke of Eszdras The boke of Tobias What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Of the kynred life and godly conuersacion of Tobias Chap. II The louynge compassion that Tobias sheweth in buryeÌ„ge the deed for the which cause he is hated and persecuted God nurtoureth him with blyndnes His wyfe casteth him in the teth Chap. III. Tobias prayeth
maketh a god of the same claye this doth euen he which a litle afore was made of earth himself and within a litle whyle after whan he dyeth turneth to earth agayne Notwithstandinge he careth not y e more because he shal labo r ner because his life is shorte but stryueth to excell goldsmythes y e syluer smythes copper smithes and taketh it for an hono r to make vayne thinges For his hert is ashes his hope is but vaine earth his life is more vyle then claye for so moch as he knoweth not his awne maker that gaue him his soule to worke and brethed in him the breth of life They counte oure life but a pastyme and oure conuersacion to be butt a market and that men shulde euer be gettinge yee and that by euell meanes Now he y t of earth maketh frayle vessell and ymages knoweth himself to offende aboue all other All the enemies of thy people and y t holde them in subieccion are vnwyse vnhappie and exceadinge proude vnto their owne soules for they iudge all the Idols of the HeitheÌ„ to be goddes which nether haue eyesight to se ner noses to smell ner eares to heare ner fingers of handes for to grope as for their fete they are to slowe to go For man made them and he that hath but a borowed sprete fashioned them But no man can make a God like vnto him for seinge he is but mortall himself it is but mortall that he maketh with vnrighteous handes He himself is better then they whom he worshippeth for he lyued though he was mortall but so dyd neuer they Yee they worshippe beestes also â–ª which are most miserable for compare thinges that can not fele vnto them they are worse then those Yet is there not one of these beestes that with his sight caÌ„ beholde eny good thinge nether haue they geuen prayse ner thankes vnto God The XVI Chapter FOr these and soch other thinges haue they suffred worthy punyshment thorow y e multitude of beestes are they roted out Insteade of y e which punishmentes thou hast graciously ordred thine awne people geuen them their desyre that they loÌ„ged for a new straunge taist preparinge them quales to be their meate to the intent y t by the thinges which were shewed and sent vnto them they y t were so gredy of meate might be withdrawen euen from the desyre that was necessary But these within shorte tyme were brought vnto pouerte and taisted a new meate For it was requisite y t without eny excuse destruccion shulde come vpoÌ„ those which vsed tyraÌ„ny to shewe onely vnto the other how their enemies were destroyed For whan the cruell woodnesse of the beestes came vpon them they peryshed thorow the stinges of the cruell serpentes â–ª NotwithstoÌ„dinge y i wrath endured not perpetually but they were put in feare for a litle season y t they might be refourmed hauynge a token of saluacion to remembre the coÌ„maundement of thy lawe For he y t coÌ„uerted was not healed by the thinge y t he sawe but by THE O sauio of all So in this thou shewdest thine enemies y t it is thou which deliuerest froÌ„ all euell As for theÌ„ whan they were bytten w t greshoppers and flyes they died for they were worthy to perish by soch But nether the teth of dragons ner of venymous wormes ouer came y e children for thy mercy was euer by them helped theÌ„ Therfore were they punyshed to remeÌ„bre thy wordes but hastely were they healed agayne lest they shulde fall in to so depe forgetfulnesse that they might not vse thy helpe It was nether herbe ner plaster y t restored theÌ„ to health but thy worde o LORDE which healeth all thinges It is thou o LORDE y t hast the power of life death thou ledest vnto deathes dore bringest vp agayne But man thorow wickednes slayeth his owne soule when his sprete goeth forth it turneth not agayne nether maye he call agayne y e soule y t is takeÌ„ awaye It is not possible to escape y i hande For y e vngodly y t wolde not knowe y e were punyshed by y e streÌ„gth of thine arme w t strauÌ„ge waters hales and raynes were they persecuted thorow fyre were they coÌ„sumed For it was a wonderous thinge that fyre might do more then water which queÌ„cheth all thinges but y e worlde is y e aueÌ„ger of the righteous Some tyme was y e fyre so tame y t the beestes which were sent to punysh y e vngodly brent not y t because they shulde se knowe y t they were persecuted w t the punyshmeÌ„t of God And somtyme brent the fyre in the water on euery syde y t it might destroye y e vnrighteous nacioÌ„ of the earth Againe thou hast fed thine awne people w t angels fode sent theÌ„ bred ready from heaueÌ„ without their labo beynge very pleasauÌ„t well gusted And to shewe thy riches swetnesse vnto thy childreÌ„ thou gauest euery one their desyre so y t euery man might take what liked him best But the snowe yse abode the violeÌ„ce of the fyre melted not y t they might knowe y t the fyre burninge in the hale rayne destroied y e frute of y e enemies y e fyre also forgatt his streÌ„gth agayne y t y e righteous might be norished For y e creature y t serueth y e which art y e maker is fearse in punyshinge y e vnrighteous but it is easy geÌ„tle to do good vnto soch as put their trust in the. Therfore dyd all thinges alter at the same tyme were all obedieÌ„t vnto thy grace which is y e norse of all thinges acordinge to y e desyre of theÌ„ y t had nede therof y t y e childreÌ„ O LORDE whoÌ„ thou louest might knowe y t it is not nature the growinge of frutes y t fedeth meÌ„ but y t it is y e worde which preserueth theÌ„ y t put their trust in the. For loke what might not be destroyed w t the fyre as soone as it was warmed w t a litle Sonne beame it melted y t all men might knowe y t thankes ought to be geuen vnto y e before y e Sonne ryse y t thou oughtest to be worshipped before y e daye sprynge For y e hope of y e vnthankfull shal melt awaie as the wynter yse perishe as water y t is not necessary The XVII Chapter GReate are thy iudgmeÌ„tes o LORDE thy councels can not be expressed therfore men do erre y t wil not be refourmed w t thy wyszdome For whan the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subiecioÌ„ they were bounde w t the bandes of darcknes longe night shutt vnder y e rofe thinkinge to escape y e euerlaâ—tinge wiszdome And whyle they thought to be hyd in y e darcknesse of their synnes they were scatered abrode
nacion with my power haue I troden downe the hertes of all both hye and lowe In all these thinges also I sought rest a dwellinge in some enheritaunce So y e creator of all thinges gaue me a commaundement he that made me appoynted me a tabernacle and saide vnto me Let thy dwellinge be in Iacob and thy inheritaunce in Israel rote thy self amōge my chosen I was created from the begynninge and before the worlde shal not leaue of vnto the worlde to come In the holy habitacion haue I serued before him and so was I stablished in Sion In y e holy cite rested I in like maner in Ierusalem was my power I toke rote in an honourable people euen in the porcion of y e LORDE in his heretage kepte me in y e fulnes of the sayntes I am sett vp an hye like a Ceder vpō Libanus as a Cypers tre vpon the mount Hermon I am exalted like a palme tre in Cades as a rose plāte in Iericho As a fayre olyue tre in the felde am exalted like as a plantayne tre by the water syde I haue geuen a smell in the stretes as y e Cynamom and Balme that hath so good a sauoure yee a swete odoure haue I geuen as it were Myrre of the best I haue made my dwellinges to smell as it were of rosyn Galbanum of Clowes and Incense as Libanus whan it is not hewē downe mine odoure is as the pure Balme As the Terebynte haue I stretched out my braunches and my braunches are the braunches of honoure and louynge fauoure As y e vyne haue I brought forth frute of a swete sauoure and my floures are y e frute of hono and riches I am the mother of bewtye of loue of feare of knowlege of holy hope In me is all grace of life and trueth In me is all hope of life and vertue O come vnto me all ye that be desyrous of me and fyll youre selues with my frutes for my sprete is sweter then hony so is my inheritaunce more then the hony combe the remembraunce of me endureth for euermore They that eate me shal haue the more honger and they that drynke me shal thyrste the more Who so herkeneth vnto me shall not come to confucion and they that worke in me shal not offende They that make me to be knowne shal haue euerlastinge life All these thinges are the boke of life the couenaunt of the Hyest and the knowlege of the trueth Moses commaunded the lawe in the preceptes of righteousnes for an heretage vnto the house of Iacob and cōmitted y e promyses vnto Israel Out of Dauid his seruaūt HE ordened to raise vp a most mightie kinge syttinge in the seate of honoure for euermore This fylleth with wyszdome like as the floude of Phison as y e floude of Tigris whan the new frutes are a growinge This bringeth a plenteous vnderstandinge like Euprates fylleth it vp as Iordane in the time of haruest This maketh nurto r to breake forth as the light as the water Gihon in y e haruest The first hath not knowne her perfectly nomore shal the last seke out y e grounde of her For hir thought is fuller thē the see and hir councell is profounder then the greate depe I wyszdome haue cast out floudes I am as a greate waterbroke out of y e riuer I am as the ryuer Dorix and as a water condyte am I come out of the garden of pleasure I sayde I wyl water the garden of my yonge plantes and fyll the frute of my byrth So my waterbroke became exceadinge greate and my ryuer approched vnto the see For I make doctryne to be vnto all mē as light as the fayre mornynge and I shall make it to be euer the clearer I will pearse thorow all the lower partes of the earth I wyll loke vpon all soch as be a slepe and lighten all thē that put their trust in the LORDE I shal yet poure out doctrine like as prophecy and leaue it vnto soch as seke after wyszdome and their generacions shal I neuer fayle vnto the holy euerlastinge worlde Beholde how that I haue not laboured for my self onely but for all them y t seke after y e trueth The XXV Chapter THre thinges there are y t my sprete fauoureth which be also alowed before God and men The vnyts of brethren the loue of neghbours and man wyfe that agree well together Thre thinges there be which my soule hateth and I vtterly abhorre the life of them A poore man that is proude A rich mā that is a lyar and an olde body that doteth and is vnchaste Yf thou hast gathered nothinge in thy youth what wylt thou fynde thē in thine age O how pleasaūt a thinge is it whā gray headed men are discrete whan the elders can geue good councell O how cōly a thinge is wyszdome vnto aged men yee vnderstondinge and councell is a glorious thinge The crowne of olde men is to haue moch experience y e feare of God is their worshipe There be ix thinges which I haue iudged in my hert to be happie and the tenth wil I tell forth vnto men with my tonge A man y t whyle he lyueth hath ioye of his children and seith y e fall of his enemies Well is him that dwelleth with an houswife of vnderstōdinge and that hath not fallen with his tonge and y t hath not bene faine to serue soch as are vnmete for him Wel is him y t fyndeth a faithfull frende wel is him which talketh of wiszdome to an eare y t heareth him O how greate is he y t fyndeth wyszdome knowlege Yet is he not aboue him that feareth the LORDE The feare of God hath sett itself aboue all thinges Blessed is y e man vnto whō it is graunted to haue the feare of God Vnto whō shal he be lickened y t kepeth it fast The feare of God is the begynnynge of his loue and the begynnynge of faith is to cleue fast vnto it The heuynes of the hert is all the punyshment and the wickednes of a woman goeth aboue all All punyshment plage is nothinge in comparison of the plage of the hert euē so all wickednes is nothinge to the wickednes of a woman What so euer happeneth vnto a man is nothinge in comparison of it y t his euell willers do vnto him and all vengeaunce is nothinge to the vengeaūce of the enemye There is not a more wicked heade then the heade of the serpēt and there is no wrath aboue y e wrath of a woman I wyl rather dwell with a lyon and dragon then to kepe house with a wicked wyfe The wickednesse of a woman chaungeth hir face she shal moffell hir coūtenaunce as it were a Beer as a sack shall she shewe it amonge the neghbours Hir husbande is
thine herte vpon them For dreames haue disceaued many a mā and they fayled that put their truste therin The lawe shal be fulfilled without lyes wyszdome is sufficient to a faithfull mouth A wyse man y t is well instructe vnderstonstondeth moch he y t hath good experiēce can talke of wyszdome He y t hath no experiēce knoweth litle he y t erreth causeth moch wickednes Whan I was yet in erroure I lerned moch also yee I was so lerned that I coude not expresse it all and came oft in parell of death therouer tyll I was delyuered from it Now I se that they which feare God haue the right sprete for their hope stōdeth in him that can helpe thē Who so feareth the LORDE stōdeth in awe of no man and is not afrayed for the LORDE is his hope and comforte Blessed is the soule of him y t feareth the LORDE In whō putteth he his trust who is his strēgth For the eyes of the LORDE haue respecte vnto them that loue him He is their mightie proteccion strōge grounde A defence for the heate a refuge for the hote noone daye a sucore for stomblynge an helpe for fallynge He setteth vp the soule and lighteneth y e eyes He geueth health life and blessynge He that geueth an offeringe of vnrighteous good his offerynge is refused and the scornefull dealinges of the vnrighteous please not God God hath no delyte in the offerynges of y e vngodly nether maye synne be reconcyled in the multitude of oblacions Who so bryngeth an offerynge out of y e goodes of y e poore doth euē as one y t kylleth y e sonne before y e fathers eyes The bred of the nedefull is the life of the poore he y t defraudeth him therof is a man of bloude Who so robbeth his neghbo r of his lyuinge doth as greate synne as though he slew him to death He that defraudeth y e laborer of his hyre is a bloude shedder Whā one buyldeth and another breaketh downe what profit haue they then but laboure Whan one prayeth another curseth whose voyce wyl the LORDE heare He that washeth himself because of a deed body then toucheth the deed agayne what doth his waszshinge So is it with a man that fasteth for his synnes and doth them agayne who wil heare his prayer Or what doth his fastynge helpe him The XXXV Chapter WHo so kepeth the lawe bryngeth offerynges ynough He that holdeth fast the commaundement offreth the right health offrynge He y t is thankfull recompenseth offreth fyne floure Who so is mercifull geueth allmes y t is the right thank offrynge God hath pleasure whā one departeth frō synne to forsake vnrighteousnes recōcileth vs w t him Thou shalt not appeare emptye before y e LORDE for all soch is done because of y e cōmaundemēt The offeringe of y e righteous maketh y e aulter fatt a swete smell is it before y e Hyest The offerynge of the righteous is acceptable vnto God shal neuer be forgottē Geue God his hono with a chearfull eye kepe not backe the firstlinges of y e handes In all thy giftes shew a mery countenaunce halowe thy tithes vnto God w t gladnes Geue vnto God acordinge as he hath enriched prospered their loke what thine hande is able y t geue w t a chearfull eye for the LORDE recompenseth geueth y e seuē tymes as moch againe Geue no vnrighteous giftes for soch wil not he receaue Bewarre of wrongeous offeringes for y e LORDE is a righteous iudge regardeth no mans personne He accepteth not the personne of the poore but he heareth y e prayer of y e oppressed He despyseth not y e desyre of y e fatherles ner y e wyddow whan she poureth out hir prayer before him Doth not God se y e teares y t renne downe y e chekes of the wyddow Or heareth he not the complaynte ouer soch as make her to wep◠▪ Who so serueth God after his pleasure shal be accepted his prayer reacheth vnto the cloudes The prayer of him y t humbleth himself goeth thorow y e cloudes tyll she come nye She wyl not be comforted ner go hir waye tyll y e hyest God haue respecte vnto her geue true sentēce perfourme y e iudgmēt And y e LORDE wil not be slack in cōmynge ner tary longe tyll he haue smyttē in sonder y e backes of y e vnmercyfull auenged himself of y e Heithen tyll he haue takē awaye y e multitude of y e cruell brokē the cepter of the vnrighteous tyll he geue euery man after his workes rewarde them as they haue deserued tyll he haue delyuered his people mayntened their cause reioysed them in his mercy O how fayre a thinge is mercy in the tyme of anguysh trouble It is like a cloude of rayne y t cōmeth in y e tyme of a drouth The XXXVI Chapter HAue mercy vpon vs O LORDE thou God of all thinges Haue respecte vnto vs shew vs the light of thy mercies sende y e feare amōge y e Heithē straūgers which seke not after the y t they maye knowe how y t there is no God but thou and y t they maye shew thy wonderous workes Lift vp thine hande ouer the outlādish Heithen y t they maye lerne to knowe thy might power Like as thou art halowed in vs before them so brynge to passe y t thou mayest be magnified also in them before vs y t they maye knowe the like as we knowe the. For there is none other God but onely thou O LORDE Renue the tokens chaunge the wonderous workes Shewe thine hāde and thy right arme gloriously Rayse thy indignacion poure out thy wrath Take awaye the aduersary smyte the enemye Make y e tyme shorte remembre thy couenaunt that y e wonderous workes maye be praysed Let the wrath of the fyre consume them that lyue so careles and let them perish that do y e people hurte Smyte in sonder the heade of the prynces that be oure enemies and saye there is none other but we Gather all y e trybes of Iacob together againe y t they maie knowe how y t there is none other God but onely thou y t they maie shew thy wonderous workes and be thy people heretage like as from the begynninge O LORDE haue mercy vpon the people y t hath y e name vpō Israel whom thou hast lickened to a first borne sonne O be merciful vnto Ierusalē the cite of thy Sanctuary y e cite of thy rest Fyll Sion with thy vnspeakeable vertues y i people w t thy glory Geue wytnes vnto y e creature whom thou maydest from the begynnynge and rayse vp the prophecies y t haue bene shewed in thy name Rewarde them y t wayte for the y t thy prophetes maye be founde faithfull O LORDE heare the prayer
whyle this voyce came to passe they founde Iesus alone And they kepte it close and tolde no mā in those dayes eny of the thinges which they had sene And it chaunsed on the nexte daye after whan they came downe from the mount moch people met him and beholde a man amonge the people cryed out and sayde Master I beseke the loke vpon my sonne for he is my onely sonne beholde the sprete taketh him and sodenly he crieth and he teareth him that he fometh and with payne departeth he from him whan he hath rente him And I besought thy disciples to cast him out and they coulde not Then answered Iesus and sayde Oh thou vnfaithfull and croked generacion how longe shal I be with you suffre you Brynge hither thy sonne And whan he came to him the deuell rente him and tare him But Iesus rebuked the foule sprete and healed the chylde and delyuered him vnto his father agayne And they were all amased at the mighty power of God And whyle they wondred euery one at all thinges which he dyd he sayde vnto his disciples Comprehende these sayenges in youre eares For the sonne of man must be delyuered in to the hādes of men But they wyst not what that worde meaned and it was hyd from them that they vnderstode it not And they were afrayed to axe him of that worde There came a thought also amonge them which of them shulde be the greatest But whā Iesus sawe the thoughtes of their hert he toke a childe set him harde by him and sayde vnto them Whosoeuer receaueth this childe in my name receaueth me and who so euer receaueth me receaueth him that sent me But who so is leest amōge you all y e same shal be greate Then answered Ihō and sayde Master we sawe one dryue out deuels in thy name and we forbad him for he folowed the not with vs. And Iesus saide vnto him For byd him not for he that is not agaynst vs is for vs. And it fortuned whan the tyme was fulfylled that he shulde be receaued vp from hence he turned his face to go straight to Ierusalem and before him he sent messaungers which wente their waye and came in to a towne of the Samaritans to prepare lodginge for him And they wolde not receaue him because he had turned his face to go to Ierusalē But whan his disciples Iames and Ihon sawe that they sayde LORDE wilt thou that we commaunde that fyre fall downe from heauen and consume them as Elias dyd Neuertheles Iesus turned him aboute and rebuked them and sayde Knowe ye not what maner of sprete ye are of The sonne of man is not come to destroye mens soules but to saue them And they wente in to another towne And it fortuned as they went by the waye one sayde vnto him I wil folowe the whyther so euer thou go And Iesus sayde vnto him The foxes haue holes and the byrdes vnder the heauē haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not wheron to laye his heade And he sayde vnto another Folowe me He sayde Syr geue me leue first to go and burye my father But Iesus sayde vnto him Let the deed burye their deed But go thou thy waye and preach the kyngdome of God And another sayde Syr I will folowe the but geue me leue first to go byd them farwele which are at home in my house Iesus sayde vnto him Who so putteth his hāde to the plowe and loketh backe is not mete for the kingdome of God The X. Chapter AFterwarde the LORDE appoynted out other seuentie and sent them two and two before him in to euery cite and place whither he himself wolde come and sayde vnto them The haruest is greate but the labourers are fewe Praye therfore the LORDE of the haruest to sende forth labourers in to his haruest Go youre waye beholde I sende you forth as the lābes amonge y e wolues Beare nether wallet ner scryppe ner shues and salute no mā by the waye In to what so euer house ye entre first saye Peace be in this house And yf the childe of peace be there youre peace shal rest vpon him Yf no then shal youre peace turne to you agayne But tary ye still in the same house eatinge and drynkinge soch as they haue For the labourer is worthy of his rewarde Go not from house to house And in to what so euer cite ye entre and they receaue you eate soch thinges as are set before you And heale the sicke that are there and saye vnto them The kyngdome of God is come nye vnto you But in to what so euer cite ye come and they receaue you not go youre waye out in to the stretes of the same and saye Euen the very dust which cleaueth vpon vs of youre cite wype we of vpon you But of this ye shal be sure that the kyngdome of God was come nye vnto you I saye vnto you It shal be easyer for Sodome in that daye then for that cite Wo vnto the Chorazin wo vnto the Bethsaida for yf the miracles which haue bene done amonge you had bene done at Tyre and Sidon they had done pennaunce longe agoo syttinge in sack cloth and in asshes Neuertheles it shal be easyer for Tyre and Sidon at the iudgment then for you And thou Capernaum which art exalted vnto the heauen shalt be thrust downe vnto hell He that heareth you heareth me and he that despyseth you despyseth me but who so despyseth me despyseth him y t sent me The seuētye came agayne with ioye and sayde LORDE the deuels also are subdued vnto vs in thy name But he sayde vnto them I sawe Sathan fall downe from heauen as a lightenynge Beholde I haue geuen you power to treade vpon serpētes and scorpions and ouer all power of the enemye and nothinge shall hurte you Neuertheles reioyce not ye in this that the spretes are subdued vnto you but reioyse that youre names are wrytten in heauen At the same houre reioysed Iesus in sprete and sayde I prayse the O father and LORDE of heauen and earth that thou hast hyd these thinges from the wyse and prudent and hast opened them vnto babes Euen so father for so it pleased the. All thinges are geuen ouer vnto me of my father and no man knoweth who the sonne is but onely the father nether who the father is saue onely the sonne and he to whō the sonne wil open it And he turned him vnto his disciples and sayde in especiall Blessed are the eyes which se that ye se. For I saye vnto you Many prophetes and kynges wolde haue sene the thynges that ye se and haue not sene them and to haue herde the thynges that ye heare and haue not herde them And beholde there stode vp a scrybe and tempted him and sayde Master what must I do to inheret euerlastinge life
worlde For his awne brethren also beleued not in him Then sayde Iesus vnto them My tyme is not yet come but youre tyme is allwaye ready The worlde can not hate you but me it hateth because I testifye of it that the workes of it are euell Go ye vp vnto this feast I wyll not go vp yet vnto this feast for my tyme is not yet fulfylled Whan he sayde this vnto them he abode styll in Galile But as soone as his brethren were gone vp then wente he vp also vnto the feast not openly but as it were secretly Then sought him y e Iewes at y e feast and sayde Where is he And there was a greate murmur of him amonge the people Some sayde He is good But other sayde No he doth but disceaue the people Howbeit no man spake frely of him for feare of the Iewes But in the myddes of the feast wēte Iesus vp in to the temple and taught And the Iewes marueyled and sayde How can he y e scrypture seynge he hath not lerned it Iesus answered them and sayde My doctryne is not myne but his that hath sent me Yf eny man wyl do his will he shal knowe whether this doctryne be of God or whether I speake of my self He that speaketh of himself seketh his awne prayse but he that seketh the prayse of him that sent him the same is true there is no vnrighteousnes in him Hath not Moses geuen you the lawe and none of you kepeth the lawe Why go ye aboute to kyll me The people answered and sayde Thou hast the deuell who goeth aboute to kyll the Iesus answered and sayde One worke haue I done and ye all maruayle Moses gaue you the circumcision not because it commeth of Moses but of y e fathers Yet do ye circumcyse a man vpon the Sabbath Yf a man receaue circūcision vpon the Sabbath that the lawe of Moses shulde not be broken diszdayne ye then at me because I haue made a mā euery whyt whole on the Sabbath Iudge not after the vtter appearaūce but iudge righteous iudgment Then sayde some of them of Ierusalem Is not this he whō they go aboute to kyll And beholde he speaketh boldely and they saye nothinge to him Do oure rulers knowe in dede that he is very Christ Howbeyt we knowe whence this is But whā Christ commeth no man shal knowe whence he is Then cryed Iesus in the temple as he taught and sayde Yee ye knowe me and whence I am ye knowe and of my self am I not come but he y t sent me is true whom ye knowe not But I knowe him for I am of him and he hath sent me Then sought they to take him but no mamlayed handes vpon him for his houre was not yet come But many of the people beleued on him and sayde Whan Christ commeth shall he do mo tokens then this doth And it came to the Pharises eares that y e people murmured soch thinges of him And the Pharises and hye prestes sent out seruauntes to take him Then sayde Iesus vnto them I am yet a litle whyle with you and then go I vnto him that hath sent me Ye shal seke me not fynde me and where I am thither can ye not come Then sayde the Iewes amonge them selues Whyther wil he go that we shal not fynde him Wyl he go amōge the Grekes that are scatred abrode and teach the Grekes What maner of sayenge is this that he sayeth ye shal seke me and not fynde me and where I am thither can not ye come But in the last daye which was y e most solempne daye of the feast Iesus stode vp cried and sayde Who so thyrsteth let him come vnto me and drynke He that beleueth on me as the scripture sayeth out of his body shal flowe ryuers of the water of life But this spake he of the sprete which they that beleue on him shulde receaue For the holy goost was not yet there because Iesus was not yet glorifyed Many of the people now whan they herde this sayenge sayde This is a very prophet Other sayde He is Christ. But some sayde Shal Christ come out of Galile Sayeth not the scripture that Christ shal come of the sede of Dauid and out of the towne of Bethleem where Dauid was Thus was there discencion amonge the people for his sake Some of them wolde haue taken him but no man layed handes on him The seruauntes came to the hye prestes and pharises and they sayde vnto them Why haue ye not brought him The seruauntes answered Neuer mā spake as this man doth Then answered them the pharises Are ye also disceaued Doth eny of the rulers or pharises beleue on him But the comon people which knowe not the lawe are cursed Nicodemus sayde vnto them he that came to him by night which was one of them Doth oure lawe iudge eny man before it heare him and knowe what he hath done They answered and sayde vnto him Art thou a Galilean also Searche and loke out of Galile aryseth no prophet And so euery man wente home The VIII Chapter IEsus wente vnto mount Oliuete and early in the mornynge came he agayne in to the temple and all the people came vnto him And he sat downe and taught them And y e scrybes and Pharises brought vnto him a woman taken in aduoutrye and set her there openly and sayde vnto him Master this woman was taken in aduontrye euē as the dede was adoynge Moses in the lawe commaunded vs to stone soch What sayest thou This they sayde to tempte him that they might haue wherof to accuse him But Iesus stouped downe and wrote with his fynger vpō the grounde Now whyle they contynued axynge him he lift him self vp and sayde vnto them He that is amonge you without synne let him cast the first stone at her And he stouped downe agayne and wrote vpon the grounde But whan they herde that they wente out one after another the eldest first and left Iesus alone and the woman stondinge before him Iesus lift himself vp and whan be sawe noman but the woman he sayde vnto her Woman where are thine accusers Hath noman condempned the She sayde LORDE no man Iesus sayde Nether do I cōdempne the Go thy waye and synne nomore Then spake Iesus agayne vnto them and sayde I am the light of the worlde He that foloweth me shal not walke in darknesse but shal haue the light of life Then sayde the Pharises vnto him Thou bearest recorde of thy self thy recorde is not true Iesus answered and sayde vnto them Though I beare recorde of my self yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I came and whither I go but ye can not tell whence I come and whither I go Ye iudge after the flesh I iudge no man but yf I iudge my iudgment is true for I am not alone but
another I holde of Apollo are ye not thē fleshlye What is Paul What is ▪ Apollo Euē mynisters are they by whom ye are come to the beleue and the same acordinge as the LORDE hath geuen vnto euery man I haue planted Apollo hath watred but God hath geuen the increace So then nether is he that planteth eny thinge nether he that watreth but God which geueth the increace As for him that planteth and he that watreth y e one is as the other but yet shal euery one receaue his rewarde acordinge to his laboure For we are Gods labourers ye are Gods huszbandry ye are Gods buyldinge Acordinge to the grace of God which is geuen vnto me as a wyse buylder haue I layed the foundacion but another buyldeth theron Yet let euery man take hede how he buyldeth theron For other foūdacion can noman laye then that which is layed the which is Iesus Christ. But yf enyman buylde vpon this foundacion golde syluer precious stones tymber haye stobble euery mās worke shal be shewed For the daye of the LORDE shal declare it which shal be shewed with fyre and the fyre shal trye euery mās worke what it is Yf eny mans worke that he hath buylde theron abyde he shal receaue a rewarde Yf eny mans worke burne he shal suffre losse but he shal be saued himselfe neuertheles as thorow fyre Knowe ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the sprete of God dwelleth in you Yf eny man defyle the tēple of God him shal God destroye For the temple of God is holy which ye are Let no mā disceaue himselfe Yf eny man thinke himselfe wyse amōge you let him become a foole in this worlde that he maye be wyse For the wyszdome off this worlde is foolishnes with God For it is wrytten He compaseth the wyse in their craftynesse And agayne The LORDE knoweth the thoughtes of the wyse that they are vayne Therfore let no man reioyse in men For all is youres whether it be Paul or Apollo whether it be Cephas or ▪ the worlde whether it be life or death whether it be presente or for to come All is youres but ye are Christes and Christ is Gods The IIII. Chapter LEt euery man this wyse esteme vs euen for the mynisters of Christ and stewardes of the secretes of God Now is there no more requyred of the stewardes then that they be founde faithfull It is but a small thinge vnto me that I shulde be iudged of you or of mans daye nether iudge I myne awne selfe I knowe noughte by my selfe yet am I not therby iustified It is the LORDE that iudgeth me Therfore iudge ye nothinge before y e tyme vntyll the LORDE come which shal brynge it to lighte that is hyd in darknesse and opē the councels of y e hertes and thē shal euery one haue prayse of God These thinges brethren haue I described in myne awne preson in Apollos for youre sakes that ye mighte lerne by vs that noman counte hygher of him self then aboue is wrytten that one be not puft vp agaynst another for eny mans cause For who preferreth the What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Yf thou hast receaued it why makest thou thē thy boost as though thou haddest not receaued it Now ye are full now ye are made riche ye raigne without vs and wolde God ye dyd raigne that we might raigne with you Me thynketh that God hath set forth vs Apostles for the lowest off all euen as those that are appoynted vnto death For we are agasynge stocke vnto y e worlde and to the angels and vnto men We are fooles for Christes sake but ye are wyse in Christ We weake but ye strōge Ye honorable but we despysed Euen vnto this daye we hōger and thyrst and are naked and are boffetted with fystes and haue no certayne dwellinge place and laboure and worke with oure awne handes We are reuyled and yet we blesse we are persecuted and suffre it We are euell spoken of and we praye We are become as it were the very outswepinges of y e worlde yee the of scowringe of all men vnto this tyme. I wryte not this to shame you but as my deare childrē I warne you For though ye haue ten thousande instructours in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers For I haue begotten you in Christ Iesu thorow y e Gospell Wherfore I exhorte you be ye my folowers For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timotheus which is my deare sonne and faithfull in the LORDE that he maye put you in remembraunce of my wayes which are in Christ euē as I teach euery where in all congregacions Some are puft vp as though I wolde come nomore at you But I wil come to you shortly yf the LORDE wyl and wyl knowe not the wordes of thē that are puft vp but y e power For the kyngdome of God is not ī wordes but in power What wil ye Shal I come vnto you w t the rodd or with loue and the sprete of mekenesse The V. Chapter THere goeth a commen reporte that there is whordome amōge you and soch whordome as is not once named amōge the Heythen that one shulde haue his fathers wife And ye are puft vp and haue not rather sorowed that he which hath done this dede mighte be put frō amōge you For I verely as absent in body but present in sprete haue determyned allready as though I were present cōcernynge him that hath done this dede in y e name of oure LORDE Iesus Christ whā ye are gathered together with my sprete and with the power of oure LORDE Iesus Christ to delyuer him vnto Sathan for the destruccion of the flesh that the sprete maye be saued in the daye of the LORDE Iesus You re reioysinge is not good Knowe ye not that a litle leuen sowereth the whole lompe of dowe Pourge out therfore the olde leuen that ye maye be new dowe like as ye are swete bred For we also haue an Easter lambe which is Christ that is offred for vs. Wherfore let vs kepe Easter not in y e olde leuen ner in the leuen of maliciousnes and wickednes but in the swete bred of purenesse and of the trueth I wrote vnto you in the Epistle that ye shulde haue nothinge to do with whoremōgers that meant I not at all of the whoremongers of this worlde ether of the couetous or of extorcioners or of thē that worshippe ymages for then must ye nedes haue gone out of the worlde But now haue I wryttē vnto you y t ye shulde haue nothinge to do with them Namely yf there be eny man that is called a brother and is an whoremonger or couetous or a worshipper of ymages ether a raylar or a dronkarde or an extorcioner with soch shal ye not eate For what haue I to do to
iudge them that are without Do ye not iudge thē that are within As for them that are without God shal iudge them Put awaye frō you him that is euell The VI. Chapter HOw dare one off you hauynge busynes with another go to lawe before the vnrighteous and not before the sayntes Do ye not knowe that the sayntes shal iudge the worlde Yf the worlde then shal be iudged off you are ye not good ynough to iudge small matters Knowe ye not that we shal iudge the angels how moch more thinges that pertayne to the tēporall life Therfore yf ye haue iudgmentes of temporall matters take them that are despysed in the congregacion and set them to be iudges This I saye to youre shame Is there vtterly no wyse man amōge you What not one at all that can iudge betwene brother brother but one brother goeth to lawe with another and that before the vnbeleuers Now therfore is there vtterly a faute amōge you that ye go to lawe one with another Why rather suffre ye not wronge Why suffre ye not youre selues rather to be defrauded but ye youre selues do wrōge and defraude and that euen the brethrē Knowe ye not that y e vnrighteous shal not inheret the kyngdome of God Be not disceaued Nether whoremongers ner worshippers off ymages ner breakers off wedlocke ner weaklinges nether abusers of them selues with mankynde ner theues nether the couetous ner drōkardes ner cursed speakers ner extorcioners shal inheret the kyngdome of God And soch haue some of you bene but ye are waszhed ye are sanctified ye are made righteous by the name of the LORDE Iesus and by the sprete of oure God I maye do all thinges but all thinges are not profitable I maye do all thinges but I wil be broughte vnder no mās power Meates are ordeyned for y e bely the bely for meates But God shal destroye both it and them The body belongeth not vnto whordome but vnto the LORDE and the LORDE vnto the body God hath raysed vp the LORDE and shal rayse vs vp also by his power Knowe ye not that youre bodies are the mēbres of Christ Shal I now take the membres of Christ and make them the membres of an harlot God forbyd Or do ye not knowe that he which cleueth vnto an harlot is one body For they shal be two sayeth he in one fleszhe But he that cleueth vnto the LORDE is one sprete Fle whordome All synnes y t a man doth are without the body But he that commytteth whordome synneth agaynst his awne body Or knowe ye not that youre body is the temple of the holy goost Whom ye haue of God and are not youre awne For ye are dearly boughte Prayse ye God therfore in yo body in yo sprete which are Gods The VII Chapter AS concernynge the thinges wherof ye wrote vnto me I answere It is good for a man not to touche a woman Neuertheles to avoyde whordome let euery man haue his awne wife and let euery woman haue hir awne huszbande Let the mā geue vnto the wife due beneuolence likewyse also the wife vnto y e man The wife hath not power ouer hir awne body but the huszbande likewyse the man hath not power ouer his awne body but the wife Withdrawe not yo selues one frō another excepte it be with the consent of both for a tyme that ye maye geue youre selues vnto fastinge and prayer and thē come together agayne lest Sathan tempte you for yo incontynēcye But this I saye of fauoure and not of commaundemēt Howbeit I wolde rather y t all mē were as I am Neuertheles euery one hath his proper gifte of God one thus another so To them verely y t are vnmaried and to wedowes I saye It is good for thē that they abyde also as I do But yf they cannot absteyne let them mary For it is better to mary then to burne But vnto them that are maried commaunde not I but the LORDE that the wife separate not her selfe from the huszbande but yf she separate her selfe y t she remayne vnmaried or be reconcyled to hir huszbande and let not the huszbande put awaye his wife from him As for the other vnto thē saye I not y e LORDE Yf eny brother haue an vnbeleuynge wife and she is content to dwell with him let him not put hir awaye And yf a woman haue an vnbeleuynge huszbande and he is content to dwell with her let her not put him awaye For the vnbeleuynge huszbande is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleuynge wife is sanctified by the huszbande or els were youre children vncleane but now are they holy But yf the vnbeleuynge departe let him departe A brother or a sister is not boūde in soch cases but God hath called vs in peace For what knowest thou O womā whether thou shalt saue y e mā Or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt saue the woman But euen as God hath distributed vnto euery one and as the LORDE hath called euery man so let him walke and so orden I in all congregacions Yf eny man be called beynge circumcysed let him take no Heythenshippe vpon him Yf eny man be called in the Heythenshippe let him not be circumcysed Circumcision is nothinge and vncircumcision is nothinge but the kepynge of the commaundementes of God Let euery one abyde in the callynge wherin he is called Art thou called a seruaūt care not for it neuertheles yf thou mayest be fre vse it rather For he that is called in the LORDE beynge a seruaūte is a freman of the LORDE Likewyse he that is called beynge fre is a seruaūt of Christ. Ye are dearly boughte be not ye the seruauntes of men Brethren let euery one wherin he is called therin abyde with God As concernynge virgins I haue no commaundement of the LORDE neuertheles I saye my goodmeanynge as I haue optayned mercy of the LORDE to be faithfull I suppose it is good for y e present necessite for it is good for a man so to be Art thou bounde vnto a wife seke not to be lowsed Art thou lowsed frō a wife seke not a wife But yf thou take a wife thou synnest not And yf a virgin mary she synneth not Neuertheles soch shal haue trouble in the fleszhe But I fauoure you Howbeit this I saye brethren the tyme is shorte Farthermore this is the meanynge y t they which haue wyues be as though they had none and they that wepe be as though they wepte not and they that reioyse be as though they reioysed not they that bye be as though they possessed not they that vse this worlde be as though they vsed it not For the faszhion off this worlde passeth awaye But I wolde that ye shulde be without care He that is syngle careth for the thinges of the LORDE how he maye please the LORDE But he that is
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
remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me For as oft as ye shal eate of this bred drynke of this cuppe ye shal shewe the LORDES death vntyll he come Wherfore who soeuer shal eate off this bred and drynke off this cuppe of the LORDE vnworthely shal be giltye of the body and bloude of the LORDE But let a man examen himselfe and so let him eate of this bred and drynke of this cuppe For he that eateth and drynketh vnworthely eateth drynketh his awne damnacion because he maketh no differeÌ„ce of the LORDES body Therfore are there so many weake and sicke amoÌ„ge you and many slepe For yf we iudged oure selues we shulde not be iudged But whan we are iudged we are chastened of y e LORDE that we shulde not be dâ—ned with the worlde Wherfore my brethren whan ye come together to eate tary one for another But yf eny man honger let him eate at home that ye come not together vnto coÌ„dempnacion As for other thinges I wil set them in order whan I come The XII Chapter AS concernynge spirituall giftes brethren I wolde not that ye were ignoraunt Ye knowe that ye were HeytheÌ„ and wente youre wayes vnto doÌ„me Idols eueÌ„ as ye were led Wherfore I declare vnto you that no man speakynge thorow the sprete of God defyeth Iesus And no man can saye that Iesus is the LORDE but by the holy goost There are dyuerse giftes yet but one sprete and there are dyuerse offices yet but one LORDE and there are dyuerse operacions yet is there but one God which worketh all in all The giftes of the sprete are geuen vnto euery man to profit the coÌ„gregacion To one is geuen thorow the sprete the vtteraunce of wiszdome to another is geuen the vtteraunce of knowlege acordinge to the same sprete to another faith in the same sprete to another the giftes of healinge in the same sprete to another power to do miracles to another prophecienge to another iudgment to discerne spretes to another dyuerse tunges to another the interpretacion of tunges These all doth y e same onely sprete worke and distributeth vnto euery man acordinge as he will For as the body is one and hath yet many membres neuertheles all the membres of the body though they be many are yet but one body euen so Christ also For we are all baptysed in one sprete to be one body whether we be Iewes or Gentyles whether we be bonde or fre and haue all dronkeÌ„ of one sprete For the body also is not one membre but many Yf the fote saye I am not y e hande therfore am I not a membre of the body is he therfore not a membre of y e body And yf the eare saye I am not the eye therfore am I not a membre of the body is he therfore not a membre of the body Yf all the body were an eye where were then the hearinge Yf all were hearinge where then the smellinge But now hath God set the membres euery one seuerally in the body as it hath pleased him Neuertheles yf all the meÌ„bres were one membre where were then the body But now are the membres many yet is the body but one The eye can not saye vnto the hande I haue no nede of the or agayne the heade vnto the fete I haue no nede of you but rather a greate deale the meÌ„bres of the body which seme to be most feble are most necessary and vpon those membres of the body which we thinke least honest put we most honestie on and oure vncomly partes haue most beutye on For oure honest membres neade it not But God hath so measured y e body and geuen most honoure vnto that meÌ„bre which had nede that there shulde be no stryfe in the body but that the membres shulde indifferently care one for another And yf one membre suffre all the membres suffre with him and yf one membre be had in honoure all the membres are glad with him also But ye are the body of Christ and membres euery one of another And God hath ordeyned in the congregacion first the Apostles secoÌ„dly prophetes thirdly teachers then doers of miracles after that the giftes of healinge helpers gouerners dyuerse tunges Are they all Apostles Are they all prophetes Are they all teachers Are they all doers of miracles Haue they all the giftes of healinge Speake they all with tunges Can they all interprete But covet ye the best giftes And yet shewe I you a more excellent waye The XIII Chapter THough I spake with the tunges of men and angels and yet had not loue I were euen as sowndinge brasse or as a tynklinge Cymball * And though I coulde prophecy vnderstode all secretes and all knowlege and had all faith â–ª so * that I coulde moue mouÌ„taynes out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothinge And though I bestowed all my goodes to fede y e poore and though I gaue my body euen that I burned and yet haue not loue it profiteth me nothinge Loue is pacient curteous loue envyeth not loue doth not frowardly is not puft vp dealeth not dishonestly seketh not hir awne is not prouoked vnto anger thynketh not euell reioyseth not ouer iniquytâ— but reioyseth in the trueth beareth all thinges beleueth all thinges hopeth all thinges suffreth all thinges Though prophecienges fayle or tunges ceasse or knowlege perishe yet loue falleth neuer awaye For oure knowlege is vnparfecte and oure prophecienge is vnparfecte But whaÌ„ that which is perfecte commeth then shal the vnparfecte be done awaye Whan I was a childe I spake as a childe I vnderstode as a childe I ymagined as a childe But as soone as I was a man I put awaye childishnes Now we se thorow a glasse in a darke speakynge but theÌ„ shal we se face to face Now I knowe vnperfectly but theÌ„ shal I knowe eueÌ„ as I am knowne Now abydeth faith hope loue these thre but the greatest of these is loue The XIIII Chapter LAboure for loue Couet spirituall giftes but specially that ye maye prophecye For he y t speaketh with tunges speaketh not vnto men but vnto God for no man heareth him Howbeit in y e sprete he speaketh misteries But he that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifienge to exhortacion and to coÌ„forte He that speaketh with tunges edifieth himselfe but he that prophecieth edifieth the coÌ„gregacion I wolde that ye all spake with tunges but rather that ye prophecied For greater is he that prophecieth then he that speaketh w t tuÌ„ges excepte he also expounde it that the congregacion maye haue edifienge But now brethren yf I come vnto you and speake with tunges what shal I profet you excepte I speake vnto you ether by reuelacion or by knowlege or by prophecienge or by doctryne Likewyse is it also in y e thinges that geue sounde and yet lyue not whether it be a pype or an harpe excepte they geue distyncte soundes from
true preacher is diligent he corruppeth not the worde of God he preacheth not himselfe but seâ—eth the honoure of Christ yee though it be with the parell of his life Chap. V. The rewarde for suffringe trouble Chap. VI. An exortacion to receaue the worde of God with thank fulnesse and amendmeÌ„t of life The diligence of Paul in the gospell and how he warneth them to eschue the company of the Heythen Chap. VII He exorteth theÌ„ to receaue the promises of God than fully The CorinthiaÌ„s are commended for their obedieÌ„ce and loue towarde Paul Chap. VIII IX He putteth them in remembraunce to helpe the poore sayntes at Ierusalem acordinge as the Macedonians dyd Chap. X. He toucheth the false apostles and defendeth his auctorite and callynge Chap. XI Paul vnder sufferauÌ„ce coÌ„mendeth himselfe and defendeth his auctorite agaynst the false prophetes Chap. XII Paul is takeÌ„ vp in to the thirde heauen and heareth wordes not to be spoken off Chap. XIII He promiseth to come vnto them and exhorteth them so to ordre them selues that he maye fynde them parfecte and of one mynde The seconde Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Corinthians The first Chapter PAul an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the will of God and brother Timotheus Vnto the congregacion of God which is at CorinthuÌ„ with all the sayntes which are iÌ„ all Achaia Grace be with you and peace froÌ„ God oure father and from the LORDE Iesus Christ. Blessed be God the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ the father of mercy and y e God of all comforte which comforteth vs in all oure trouble in so moch y t we are able to comforte them that are in eny maner of trouble with the same comforte wherwith we oure selues are comforted of God For as the affliccioÌ„s of Christ are plenteous in vs euen so is o coÌ„solacion plenteous by Christ. But whether we haue trouble or comforte it is done for youre welth Yf it be trouble it is done for youre coÌ„forte and health which health sheweth hâ—r power in that ye suffre the same affliccions which we suffre Yf it be comforte it is done also for youre comforte and health Therfore is oure hope fast for you in as moch as we knowe that like as ye are partakers of the affliccioÌ„s so shal ye be partakers also of the consolacion Brethren we wolde not haue you ignoraunt of oure trouble which happened vnto vs in Asia for we were greued out off measure passynge strength so that we euen dispared of life and had concluded in oure selues y t we must nedes dye But this was done because we shulde not put oure trust in oure selues but in God which rayseth vp the deed to life agayne which delyuered vs from so greate a death and yet delyuereth daylie On whom we trust that he wil delyuer vs here after also by the helpe of youre prayer for vs that on oure behalfe many thankes maye be geuen by many personnes for the gifte that is geuen vs. For oure reioysinge is this euen the testimony of oure conscience that in synglenes godly purenesse not in fleshlye wyszdome but in the grace of God we haue had oure conuersacion in the worlde but most of all with you For we wryte nothinge els vnto you then that ye rede and also knowe Yee I trust that ye shal fynde vs vnto the ende euen as ye haue founde vs partly For we are youre reioysinge eueÌ„ as ye also are oure reioysinge in y e daye of the LORDE Iesus And in this confidence was I mynded the other tyme to come vnto you that ye mighte haue yet another pleasure more to passe by you into Macedonia to come againe out of Macedonia vnto you to be led forth to Iewrye warde of you Whan I thus wyse was mynded dyd I vse lightnesse Or are my thoughtes fleshly Not so but with me yee is yee and nay is naye O faitfull God that oure worde vnto you hath not bene yee and naye For Gods sonne Iesus Christ which was preached amonge you by vs namely by me and Siluanus and Timotheus was not yee and naye but in him it was yee For all the promyses of God are yee in him are AmeÌ„ in him to the prayse of God by vs. But it is God which stablysheth vs w t you in Christ and hath anoynted us and sealed us and geuen the ernest of the sprete in oure hertes The II. Chapter BVt I call God to recorde vnto my soule that to fauoure you withall I came not agayne vnto Corinthum Not that we are lordes ouer youre faith but we are helpers of youre ioye for ye stonde in faith But I determyned this w t my selfe that I wolde not come agayne to you in heuynes For yf I make you sory who is it that shal make me glad but the same which is made sory by me And the same haue I wrytten vnto you lest whaÌ„ I come I shulde take heuynes of them of whom I oughte to reioyse for somoch as I haue this confidence in you all that my ioye is the ioye of you all For in greate trouble and anguysh of hert wrote I vnto you with many teares not y t ye shulde be sory but that ye mighte perceaue the loue which I haue most specially vnto you But yf eny man haue caused sorowe the same hath not made me sory but partely lest I shulde greue you all It is sufficient that the same man is so rebuked of many so that from hence forth ye oughte the more to forgeue him and to comforte him lest he be swalowed vp in ouer moch heuynesse Wherfore I exhorte you that ye shewe loue vpoÌ„ him For therfore dyd I wryte vnto you also that I mighte knowe the profe of you whether ye were obedieÌ„t in all thinges But loke vnto whoÌ„ ye forgeue eny thinge I forgeue hiÌ„ also For I also yf I forgeue ought vnto eny maÌ„ that forgeue I for youre sakes in the rowme of Christ lest we shulde be preuented of Sathan For his thoughtes are not vnknowne vnto vs. But whaÌ„ I came to Troada to preach y e Gospell of Christ and a dore was opened vnto me in y e LORDE I had no rest in my sprete because I founde not Titus my brother but I toke my leue of them and wente awaye into Macedonia Yet thankes be vnto God which allwaye geueth vs the victory in Christ and openeth y e sauoure of his knowlege by vs in euery place For we are vnto God the good sauoure of Christ both amonge theÌ„ y t are saued amonge theÌ„m y t perishe To these y e sauoure of death vnto death but vnto y e other the sauoure of life vnto life And who is mete therto For we are not as many are which choppe chaunge w t the worde of God but eueÌ„ out of purenesse and out of God in y e sighte of God so speake we
in Christ. The III. Chapter· BEgynne we then agayne to prayse o selues Or nede we as some other of pistles of commēdacion vnto you or letters of commēdacion from you Ye are oure epistle wrytten in oure hertes which is vnderstonde and red of all mē in that ye are knowne how that ye are y e epistle of Christ mynistred by vs and wryttē not with ynke but with the sprete of the lyuynge God not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the hert Soch trust haue we thorow Christ to God warde not that we are sufficient of oure selues to thynke eny thinge as of oure selues but oure ablenesse commeth of God which hath made vs able to be mynisters of the new Testament not of the letter but of the sprete For the letter kylleth but the sprete geueth life But yf the mynistracion y t kylleth thorow the letter and was figured in stones was glorious so that the childrē of Israel mighte not beholde the face of Moses for y e clearnesse of his countenaūce which glory neuertheles is done awaye how shal not y e mynistracion of y e sprete be moch more glorious For yf the office that preacheth damnacion be glorious moch more doth the office that preacheth righteousnes exceade in glory For y e other parte that was glorified is nothinge glorified in respecte of this exceadinge glory For yf that which is done awaye be glorious moch more shal y t which remayneth be glorious Seynge then that we haue soch trust we vse greate boldnesse and do not as Moses which put a vayle before his face so that y e children of Israel mighte not se the ende of it that is done awaye But their myndes are blynded For vnto this daye remayneth the same coueringe vntakē awaye in the olde Testament whan they rede it which in Christ is put awaye But euen vnto this daye whan moses is red the vayle hangeth before their hertes Neuertheles whā they turne to the LORDE the vayle shal be taken awaye For the LORDE is a sprete where the sprete of the LORDE is there is libertye But now the glory of y e LORDE apeareth in vs all with open face and we are chaunged into the same ymage from one clearnes to another euē as of the sprete of the LORDE The IIII. Chapter THerfore seynge we haue soch an office euen as mercy is come vpon vs we faynte not but cast from vs the clokes of vnhonestye and walke not in craftines nether corruppe we the worde of God but open the trueth and reporte oure selues to euery mans conscyence in the sighte of God Yf oure Gospell be yet hyd it is hyd in them that are lost amonge whom the God of this worlde hath blynded y e myndes of them which beleue not that y e lighte of the Gospell of the glory of Christ which is the ymage of God shulde not shyne vnto them For we preach not o r selues but Iesus Christ to be the LORDE and oure selues youre seruauntes for Iesus sake For God that cōmaunded the light to shyne out of darcknesse hath geuen a cleare shyne in oure hertes y t by vs y e light of y e knowlege of the glory of God mighte come forth in the face of Iesus Christ. But this treasure haue we in earthen vessels that y e power which excelleth might be of God and not of vs. We are troubled on euery syde yet are we not without shift We are in pouertie but not vtterly without somwhat We are persecuted but we are not forsaken We are oppressed neuertheles we perish not We allwayes be are aboute in oure body the dyenge of the LORDE Iesus y t the life also of the LORDE Iesus might appeare in oure body For we which lyue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might appeare in oure mortall flesh Therfore is death now mightie in vs but life in you But seynge that we haue the same sprete of faith acordinge as it is wrytten I beleued and therfore haue I spokē we also beleue therfore we speake for we knowe that he which raysed vp y e LORDE Iesus shal rayse vs vp also by y e meanes of Iesus and shal set vs with you For all thinges do I for youre sakes that the plēteous grace by the thākesgeuynge of many maye redounde to the prayse of God Therfore are we not weery but though o r outwarde man be corrupte yet the inwarde is renewed daye by daye For oure trouble which is but temporall and lighte worketh an exceadinge and an eternall weighte of glorye vnto vs which loke not on the thinges that are sene but on them which are not sene For y e thinges which are sene are temporall but the thinges that are not sene are eternall The V. Chapter WE knowe surely y t yf oure earthy house of this dwellynge were destroyed we haue a buyldynge ordeyned of God an house not made with handes but euerlastynge in heauen And in the same sighe we also after oure māsion which is from heauen and longe to be clothed therwith so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked For as longe as we are in this tabernacle we sighe and are greued for we had rather not be vnclothed but to be clothed vpon that mortalite might be swalowed vp of life But he that hath ordeyned vs for this is God which hath geuen vs the earnest of the sprete Therfore are we allwaye of good cheare and knowe that as longe as we dwell here in the body we are not at home with the LORDE for we walke in faith and se him not Neuertheles we are of good comforte and had leuer to be absent from the body to be at home with the LORDE Wherfore whether we be at home or frō home we endeuoure oure selues to please him For we must all appeare before the iudgment seate of Christ y t euery one maye receaue in his body acordinge to y t he hath done whether it be good or bad Seynge then that we knowe how that the LORDE is to be feared we fare fayre with men but we are knowne well ynough vnto God I trust also that we are knowne in youre consciences We prayse not oure selues agayne vnto you but geue you an occasion to reioyse of vs y t ye maye haue to reioyse agaynst them which reioyse after the outwarde appearaunce and not after the hert For yf we do to moch we do it vnto God yf we kepe measure we do it for youre sakes For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs in as moch as we thus iudge that yf one be deed for all then are all deed And therfore dyed he for all that they which lyue shulde not hence forth lyue vnto them selues but vnto him which dyed for them and rose agayne Therfore hence forth knowe we noman after y
forbyd that I shulde reioyse saue onely in the crosse of oure LORDE Iesus Christ wherby the worlde is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde For in Christ Iesu nether circūcision avayleth eny thinge ner vncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke acordynge to this rule peace and mercy be vpon thē and vpon Israel of God From hence forth let no man put me to busynesse for I beare in my body the markes of the LORDE Iesu. Brethren the grace of oure LORDE Iesu Christ be with youre sprete Amen Vnto the Galathians sent from Rome The Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Ephesians The summe of this Epistle Chap. I. The euerlastinge ordinaunce and eleccion of God in sauynge all men thorow Christ Iesus his sonne We are ordened vnto good workes The dominion of Christ. Chap. II. Paul sheweth them what maner of people they were before their conuersion and what they are now in Christ. Chap. III. He sheweth the cause of his presonment desyreth them not to faynte because of his trouble and prayeth God to make thē stedfast in his sprete Chap. IIII. He exhorteth them vnto mekenes longe sufferinge vnto loue and peace euery one to serue and edifie another with the gifte that God hath geuē him to bewarre of straunge doctrine to laye asyde the olde conuersacion of gredy lustes and to walke in a new life Chap. V. He exhorteth them vnto loue warneth them to bewarre of vnclennes cuvetounesse foolish talkynge and false doctryne to be circumspecte to avoyde dronkennesse to reioyse and to be thankfull towarde God to submytt thēselues one to another He teacheth how wemen shulde obeye their huszbōdes and how louyngly men ought to intreate their wyues Chap. VI. How children shulde behaue themselues towarde their fathers and mothers Likewyse fathers towarde their children Seruauntes towarde their masters Agayne masters towarde their seruaūtes An exhortacion to the spirituall battayll and what weapens christen men shulde fight withall The Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Ephesians The first Chapter PAul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God To y e sayntes which are Ephesus to thē that beleue on Iesus Christ. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father frō the LORDE Iesus Christ. Blessed be God the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs w t all maner of spirituall blessynge in heauenly thynges by Christ acordinge as he had chosen vs by him or euer the foundacion of the worlde was layed that we shulde be holy and without blame before him in loue ordeyned vs before to receaue vs as children thorow Iesus Christ acordinge to the pleasure of his will vnto the prayse of the glory of his grace wherby he hath made vs accepted in the Beloued in whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloude namely the forgeuenes of synnes acordynge to y e riches of his grace which he hath shed vpon vs abundauntly in all wyszdome and prudēce and hath opened vnto vs the mystery of his wil acordinge to his pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe y t it shulde be preached whā the tyme was fullcome that all thinges shulde be gathered together by Christ both the thinges which are in heauen and also the thinges that are vpon earth euen by him by whom also we are come to the inheritaunce we that were therto predestinate before acordinge to y e purpose of him which worketh all thinges after y e councell of his owne wyll that we mighte be to the prayse of his glory euen we that before beleued on Christ on whō also ye beleued after that ye herde the worde of trueth namely y e Gospell of youre saluacion wherin whan ye beleued ye were sealed with the holy sprete of promes which is the ernest of oure inheritaunce to oure redempcion that we mighte be his owne to the prayse off his glory Wherfore I also in so moch as I haue herde of the faith which ye haue in y e LORDE Iesu and of youre loue vnto all y e sayntes ceasse not to geue thankes for you and make mencion of you in my prayers that y e God of oure LORDE Iesus Christ the father of glory maye geue vnto you the sprete of wyszdome and open vnto you the knowlege of himselfe and lighten the eyes of youre vnderstondinge that ye maye knowe what is the hope of youre callynge and what the riches of his glorious enheritaunce is vpon the sayntes what is the exceadinge greatnesse of his power towarde vs which beleue acordinge to y e workynge of his mightie power which he wroughte in Christ whan he raysed him vp frō the deed and set him on his righte hāde ī heauēly thinges aboue all rule power and mighte and dominaciō and aboue all that maye be named not onely in this worlde but also in y e worlde to come And hath put all thinges vnder his fete and hath made him aboue all thinges the heade of the cōgregacion which is his body and the fulnesse of him that fylleth all in all The II. Chapter ANd quyckened you also whan ye were deed thorow trespaces and synnes in the which in tyme past ye walked acordinge to the course off this worlde and after the prynce that ruleth in the ayre namely after y e sprete which now worketh in the children of vnbeleue amonge whom we also had oure conuersacion in tyme past in the lustes of oure flesh and dyd the wyll of the flesh and of the mynde and were naturally the children of wrath euen as well as other But God which is riche in mercy thorow his greate loue wherwith he loued vs euē whā we were deed in synnes hath quyckened vs in Christ for by grace are ye saued and hath raysed vs vp with him and set vs with him in heauēly thinges thorow Christ Iesus y t in tymes to come he mighte shewe the exceadinge riches of his grace in kyndnesse to vs warde in Christ Iesu. For by grace are ye saued thorow faith and that not of youre selues For it is y e gifte of God not of workes lest eny mā shulde boast him selfe For we are his workmanshippe created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes to y t which God ordeyned vs before that we shulde walke in them Wherfore remēbre that ye which afore tyme were Gentyles after the flesh and were called vncircumcision of thē that are called circumcision after the flesh which circumcision is made with the hande that ye at the same tyme were without Christ and reputed aleauntes from the comen welth of Israel and were straungers from the Testamentes of promes therfore had ye no hope and were without God in this worlde But now ye that be in Christ Iesu and afore tyme were farre of are now made nye by the bloude of Christ. For he is o peace which of both hath made one and hath broken downe the
wall that was a stoppe betwene vs and hath also thorow his flesh put awaye the cause off hatred namely the lawe of the commaundemeÌ„tes contayned in the lawe wrytten that of twayne he mighte create one new man in him selfe and make peace and to reconcyle both vnto God in one body thorow the crosse and so he slewe y e hatred thorow his owne selfe and came and preached peace in the Gospell vnto you which were afarre of and to theÌ„ that were nye For thorow him we both haue intraunce in â—ne sprete vnto the father Now therfore ye are nomore gestes and straungers but citesins with the sayntes of the housholde of God buylded vpon y e foundacion of y e Apostles and prophetes where Iesus Christ is y e heade corner stone in whom euery buyldinge coupled together groweth to an holy temple in the LORDE in whom ye also are buylded together to be an habitacion of God in the sprete The III. Chapter FOr this cause I Paul am a presoner of Iesus Christ for you Heythen acordinge as ye haue herde of y e office of the grace of God which is geuen me to you warde For by reuelacion was this mystery shewed vnto me as I wrote abouâ— in fewe wordes wherby whan ye rede it 〈◊〉 maye perceaue myne vnderstondynge in y e mystery of Christ which mystery in tymes past was not opened vnto the childreÌ„ of meÌ„ as it is now declared to his holy Apostles and prophetes by the sprete namely that the Heythen shulde be inheritours also and of the same body and partakers of his promes in Christ by the Gospell wherof I am made a mynister acordynge to the gifte of the grace of God which is geueÌ„ me acordinge to the workynge of his power Vnto me the leest of all sayntes is this grace geuen that I shulde preach amonge the HeytheÌ„ y e vnsearcheable riches of Christ and to make all men se what is the fellishippe of the mystery which froÌ„ the begynnynge of the worlde hath bene hyd in God which made all thiÌ„ges thorow Iesus Christ to the intent that now vnto the rulers and powers in heaueÌ„ mighte be knowne by the congregacion the manifolde wyszdome off God acordinge to y e eternall purpose which he hath shewed in Christ Iesu oure LORDE by whom we haue boldnesse and intraunce in all confideÌ„ce thorow faith on him Wherfore I desyre that ye faynte not because of my tribulacions y t I suffre for you which is youre prayse For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which is the true father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he graunte you acordinge to y e riches of his glory to be strengthed with power by his sprete in y e inwarde maÌ„ that Christ maye dwell in youre hertes by faith that ye beynge roted and grounded in loue maye be able to coÌ„prehende with all sayntes what is the bredth and the length and the deepth and the heyth and to knowe the loue of Christ which loue yet passeth all knowlege that ye maye be fylled with all maner of fulnesse of God Vnto him that is able to do exceadinge abundauntly aboue all that we axe or vnderstonde acordinge to y e power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacion which is in Christ Iesu at all tymes for euer and euer Amen The IIII. Chapter I Therfore which am presoner in the LORDE exhorte you that ye walke as it becoÌ„meth yo r callinge wherin ye are called with all humblenes off mynde and mekenes and longe sufferinge forbearinge one another in loue and be diligent to kepe the vnite of the sprete thorow the bonde of peace One body and one sprete eueÌ„ as ye are called in one hope of youre callynge One LORDE one faith one baptyme one God and father of vs all which is aboue all and thorow all and in you all Vnto euery one of vs is geuen grace acordinge to the measure off the gifte off Christ. Therfore sayeth he He is gone vp an hye and hath led awaye captiuyte captyue and hath geueÌ„ giftes vnto men That he wente vp what is it but that he first came downe in to y e lowest partes of y e earth He that came downe is euen the same which is gone vp aboue all heauens to fulfill all And y e same hath set some to be Apostles some to be prophetes some to be Euangelistes some to be shepherdes teachers wherby the sayntes mighte be coupled together thorow comen seruyce to the edifienge of y e body of Christ tyll we all come vnto one maner of faith and knowlege of the sonne of God and become a perfecte man in to the measure of the perfecte age of Christ that we be nomore children waueringe caried aboute with euery wynde of doctryne thorow the wickednes of men and craftynes wherby they laye awayte for vs to disceaue vs. But let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thinges growe in him which is the heade euen Christ in whom all the body is coupled together and one membre hangeth by another thorow out all y e ioyntes Wherby one mynistreth vnto another acordinge to the operacion as euery membre hath his measure and maketh that y e body groweth to the edifienge of it selfe in loue This I saye therfore and testifye in the LORDE that ye walke nomore * as y e other Heythen walke in the vanite of their mynde blynded in their vnderstondinge beynge straungers froÌ„ the life which is in God thorow the ignoraunce that is in them because of the blyndnes of their hert which beynge past repentaunce haue geueÌ„ them selues ouer vnto wantonnes to worke all maner of vnclennes euen with gredynesse But ye haue not so learned Christ yf so be that ye haue herde of him are taught in him euen as the trueth is in Iesu. So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tyme past laye from you that olde man which marreth himselfe thorow disceauable lustes but be ye renued in the sprete of youre mynde and put on that new man which is shapen after God in true righteousnes and holynes Wherfore put awaye lyenge and speake euery man the trueth vnto his neghboure for as moch as we are membres one of another Be angrie but synne not Let not y e Sonne go downe vpoÌ„ youre wrath nether geue place to the bacbyter He that hath stollen let him steale nomore but let him laboure rather and do some good with his hondes that he maye haue to geue vnto him that nedeth Let no filthy communicacion proceade out of youre mouth but that which is good to edifye withall whaÌ„ nede is that it be gracious to heare And greue not the holy sprete of God wherwith ye are sealed vnto y e daye of redempcion Let all bytternes and fearsnes and wrath and
whom he calleth dogges and enemies of Christ and reproueth maÌ„s owne righteousnesse Chap. IIII. He saluteth certayne of them exhorteth them to be of honest conuersacion and thanketh them because of the prouysion that they made for him beynge in preson The first Chapter PAul and Timotheus the seruauntes of Iesu Christ. Vnto all the sayntes in Iesu Christ which are at Philippos with the Biszhoppes and mynisters Grace be with you and peace from God oure father and from the LORDE Iesus Christ. I thanke my God as oft as I remeÌ„bre you which I allwayes do in all my prayers for you all and praye with gladnesse because of youre fellishippe which ye haue in the Gospell from the first daye vnto now and am surely certified of this y t he which hath begonne that good worke in you shal go forth with it untyll y e daye of Iesus Christ as it becommeth me to iudge of you all because I haue you in my hert as those that are partakers with me of grace in my bondes in defendinge and stablyshinge of the Gospell For God is my recorde how I loÌ„ge after you all euen froÌ„ the very hert rote in Iesus Christ. And for the same I praye y t yo loue maye increace more more in all maner of knowlege and in all experience y t ye maye proue what is best that ye maye be pure soch as hurte no mans conscience vnto the daye of Christ fylled with the frutes of righteousnes which come by Iesus Christ vnto the glorye and prayse of God I wolde ye vnderstode brethren that my busynes is happened vnto the greater furtheraunce of the Gospell so that my bondes in Christ are manifest thorow out all y e iudgmeÌ„t hall and in all other places In so moch that many brethren in the LORDE are boldened thorow my boÌ„des and darre more largely speake the worde without feare Some no doute preach Christ of enuye and stryfe but some of good wil. The one parte preacheth Christ off stryfe and not purely supposynge to adde more aduersite vnto my bondes The other parte of loue for they knowe that I lye here for the defence of the Gospell What then So that Christ be preached all maner of wayes whether it be done by occasion or of true meaninge I reioyce therin and wil reioyce For I knowe that the same shal chaunce to my saluacion thorow youre prayer and mynistrynge of the sprete of Iesu Christ as I loke for and hope that in nothinge I shal be ashamed but y t with all coÌ„fidence as allwayes in tymes past eueÌ„ so now Christ shal be magnified in my body whether it be thorow life or thorow death For Christ is to me life death is to me auâ—â—ge But in as moch as to lyue in y e 〈◊〉 frutefull to me for the worke 〈…〉 what I shal chose for both these 〈…〉 harde vpon me I desyre to 〈…〉 be with Christ which thinâ—◠〈…〉 forme but to abyde 〈…〉 nedefull for you And this am I sure of that I shal abyde and contynue with you all for the furtheraunce and ioye of youre faith that ye maye abundauntly reioyse in Christ Iesu thorow me by my coÌ„mynge to you agayne Onely let youre conuersacion be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come se you or els be absent I maye yet heare of you that ye coÌ„tynue in one sprete and one soule labourynge as we do to mayntayne the faith of the Gospell and in nothinge fearinge youre aduersaries which is to them a token off perdicion but vnto you of saluacion and that of God For vnto you it is geuen not onely that ye shulde beleue on Christ but also suffre for his sake and to haue euen the same fighte which ye haue sene in me and now heare of me The II. Chapter YF there be amonge you eny consolacion in Christ yf there be eny comforte of loue yf there be eny fellishippe off the sprete yf there be eny compassion and mercy fulfyll my ioye that ye drawe one waye hauynge one loue beynge of one accorde and of one mynde that there be nothinge done thorow stryfe and vayne glory but that thorow mekenesse of mynde euery man esteme another better then himselfe and let euery maÌ„ loke not for his awne profet but for the profet of other Let the same mynde be in you that was in Christ Iesu which beyinge in the shappe of God thought it not robbery to be equall with God but made himselfe of no reputacion and toke vpon him the shappe of a seruaunt became like another man and was founde in his apparell as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen vnto the death of the crosse Therfore hath God also exalted him and geuen him a name which is aboue all names that in the name of Iesus euery kne shulde bowe both of thinges in heauen of thinges vpoÌ„ earth and of thinges vnder the earth and that all tunges shulde confesse that Iesus Christ is the LORDE vnto 〈◊〉 prayse of God the father Wherfore my dearly beloued as ye haue 〈…〉 obeyed not onely in my presence 〈…〉 so moch more in my absence euen 〈…〉 youre awne saluacion with 〈…〉 For it is God which 〈…〉 the wyll and the deed euen of his owne good wyll Do all thinges without murmurynges and disputinges that ye maye be fautles and pure and the childreÌ„ of God without rebuke in the myddes of y e croked and peruerse nacion amonge whom se that ye shyne as lightes in the worlde holdinge fast the worde of life vnto my reioysinge in the daye of Christ that I haue not runne in vayne nether laboured in vayne Yee and though I be offred vp vpoÌ„ the offerynge sacrifice of youre faith I am glad and reioyce with you all be ye glad also and reioyce ye with me I trust in the LORDE Iesus to sende Timotheus shortly vnto you that I also maye be of good comforte whan I knowe what case ye stonde in For I haue no man that is so like mynded to me which with so pure affeccioÌ„ careth for you for all other seke their awne not that which is Iesus Christes But ye knowe the profe of him for as a childe vnto the father so hath he mynistred vnto me in the Gospell Him I hope to sende as soone as I knowe how it wyll go with me But I trust in the LORDE that I also my selfe shal come shortly Neuertheles I thoughte it necessary to sende vnto you the brother Ephraditus which is my companyon in laboure and felowe soudyer and youre Apostell and my mynister at my nede for so moch as he longed after you all and was full of heuynes because ye had herde that he was sicke And no doute he was sicke and that nye vnto death but God had mercy on him and not on him onely but on me also lest I shulde
in the coÌ„myng â–ª of the LORDE shal not come yer they which slepe For the LORDE himselfe shal come downe froÌ„ heauen with a shoute and voyce of y e Archangell and with the trompe of God and the deed in Christ shal aryse first then shal we which lyue and remayne be caught vp w t them also in the cloudes to mete the LORDE in the ayre and so shal we euer be with the LORDE Wherfore comforte youre selues one another with these wordes The V. Chapter BVt of y e tymes and seasons brethreÌ„ it is no nede to wryte vnto you For ye youreselues knowe perfectly that the daye of the LORDE shal come euen as a thefe in the nighte For whan they shal saye â–ª Tush It is peace there is no daunger then shall soden destruccion come vpoÌ„ theÌ„ euen as the payne of a woman trauaylinge with childe and they shal not escape But ye brethren are not in darknes that that daye shulde come on you as a thefe Ye are alltogether children of lighte and children of the daye We are not of the night nether of darknesse Therfore let vs not slepe as do other but let vs watch and be sober For they that slepe slepe in the nighte and they that be dronken are dronken in the nighte But let vs which are of the daye be sober armed w t the brestplate of faith and loue and with y e helmet of hope to saluacion For God hath not appoynted vs vnto wrath but to optayne saluacion by y e meanes of oure LORDE Iesu Christ â–ª which dyed for vs that whether we wake or slepe we shulde lyue together with him Wherfore comforte youre selues together and edifye one another euen as ye do We beseke you brethren that ye knowe them which laboure amonge you and haue the ouersighte of you in the LORDE and geue you exhortacion that ye haue theÌ„ the more in loue for their workes sake and be at peace with them We desyre you brethreÌ„ warne them that are vnruly coÌ„forte the feble mynded forbeare the weake be pacient towarde all men * So that none recompence euell for euell vnto eny man but euer folowe that which is good both amoÌ„ge youre selues and to all men Reioyse alwaye praye contynually in all thinges be thankfull for this is the wyll of God in Christ Iesu towarde you QueÌ„ch not y e sprete despyse not prophecieÌ„ges proue all thiÌ„ges kepe y t which is good Abstayne froÌ„ all suspicious thinges The very God â—f peace sanctifye you thorow out And I â—raye God that youre whole sprete soule â—ody be kepte blameles vnto y e coÌ„mynge of â—ure LORDE Iesus Christ. Faithfull is he which hath called you which wil also do it Brethren praye for vs. Grete all the brethreÌ„ with an holy kysse I charge you by y e LORDE that this epistle be red vnto all y e holy brethren The grace of oure LORDE Iesus Christ be with you Amen The first Epistle to the Tessalonians sent from Athens The seconde Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Tessalonians The summe of this epistle Chap. I. He thanketh God for their faith and loue and prayeth for the increase of the same Chap. II. He sheweth them that the daye of the LORDE shal not come till the departinge froÌ„ the faith come first and therfore he exhorteth them not to be disceaued but to stonde stedfast in the thinges that hâ— hath taught them Chap. III. He desyreth them to praye for him that the gospell maye prospere and geueth theÌ„ warnynge to reproue the ydle and yf they wil not laboure with their handes that they shal not eate The first Chapter PAVL and Siluanus and Timotheus To the congregacion of y e TessaloniaÌ„s in God oure father and in the LORDE Iesus Christ. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father and from the LORDE Iesus Christ. We are bounde to thanke God allwayes for you brethren as it is mete because that youre faith groweth exceadingly and the loue of euery one of you increaseth towarde another amoÌ„ge youre selues so that we oure selues make oure boast of you in the congregacions of God of youre pacieÌ„ce and faith in all youre persecucions and troubles that ye suffre which is a token of the righteous iudgment of God that ye are counted worthy of the kyngdome of God for the which ye also suffre For it is a righteous thinge with God to recoÌ„pence tribulacion vnto theÌ„ y t trouble you but vnto you which are troubled rest with vs whaÌ„ the LORDE Iesus shal shewe himselfe from heauen with the angels of his power and with flammynge fyre to geue vengeauÌ„ce vnto them that knowe not God and to them that obeye not the Gospell of oure LORDE Iesus Christ. Which shal be punyshed with euerlastinge damnacion from y e presence of the LORDE and from the glory of his power whan he shal come to be glorified in his sayntes and to be come maruelous in all them that beleue because ye haue beleued oure testimony vnto you of the same daye * Wherfore we praye allwayes for you that oure God make you worthy of y e callynge and fulfill all delectacion of goodnes and the worke of faith in power that y e name of oure LORDE Iesus Christ maye be praysed in you and ye in him acordinge to the grace of oure God and of the LORDE Iesus Christ. The II. Chapter WE beseke you brethren by the commynge of o r LORDE Iesus Christ and in that we shal assemble vnto him that ye be not sodenly moued froÌ„ youre mynde and be not troubled nether by sprete nether by wordes ner yet by letter which shulde seme to be sent from vs as though y e daye of Christ were at hande Let noman disceaue you by eny meanes For the LORDE commeth not excepte the departynge come first and that that Man of synne be opened euen the sonne of perdicion which is an aduersary and is exalted aboue all y t is called God or Gods seruyce so that he sytteth as God in the temple of God and boasteth himselfe to be God Remembre ye not that whan I was yet with you I tolde you these thinges And now ye knowe what witholdeth it eueÌ„ that it mighte be vttered at his tyme. For the mystery of the iniquyte worketh allready tyll he which now onely letteth be takeÌ„ out of the waye And then shal that wicked be vttered whom the LORDE shal coÌ„sume with y e sprete of his mouth shal destroye with the appearaunce of his commynge euen him whose commynge is after the workynge of Sathan with all lyenge power and signes and wonders and with all deceauablenes of vnrighteousnes amonge them that perishe because they receaued not the loue of y e trueth that they might haue bene saued â–ª Therfore shal God sende them stroÌ„ge deâ—â—sion that they shulde beleue lyes y t all they
Christ hath once suffred for oure synnes y e iust for the vniust for to brynge vs to God was slayne after the flesh but quyckened after the sprete In the which sprete he also wente and preached vnto y e spretes that were in preson which in tyme past beleued not whan God once a bode and suffred pacieÌ„tly in the tyme of Noe whyle the Arke was a preparynge Wherin fewe that is to saye eight soules were saued by water Which signifieth baptyme y t now saueth vs not y e puttinge awaye of the fylth of the flesh but in y t a good coÌ„scieÌ„ce coÌ„senteth vnto God by y e resurreccion of Iesus Christ which is on the righte hande of God and is gone in to heaueÌ„ angels power and mighte subdued vnto him The IIII. Chapter FOr as moch then as Christ hath suffred for vs in y e flesh arme youre selues likewyse with the same mynde For he which suffreth in the flesh ceasseth froÌ„ synne y t heÌ„ce forth as moch tyme as yet remayneth in y e flesh he shulde not lyue after the lustes of meÌ„ but after the wil of God For it is ynough y t we haue spent y e tyme past of the life after the will of y e Heythen whaÌ„ we walked in wantannesse lustes dronkeÌ„nes glotony ryotous drynkynge iÌ„ abhominable Idolatrye And it semeth to theÌ„ a straunge thinge y t ye runne not also w t them vnto the same excesse of ryote speake euell of you Which shal geue acoÌ„ptes vnto hiÌ„ y t is ready to iudge y e quycke y e deed For vnto this purpose also was y e Gospell preached vnto the deed y t they shulde be iudged like other meÌ„ iÌ„ y e flesh but shulde lyue vnto God in y e sprete The ende of all thiÌ„ges is at haÌ„de Be ye therfore sober watch vnto prayers but aboue all thinges haue feruent loue amonge you one to another For loue couereth the multitude of synnes Be ye herberous one to another without grudginge mynister one to another eueryone with the gifte y t he hath receaued as good stewardes of the manifolde grace of God Yf eny maÌ„ speake let hiÌ„ speake it as y e wordes of God Yf eny man haue an office let him execute it as out of the power y t God mynistreth vnto hiÌ„ y t God maye be praysed in all thinges thorow Iesus Christ To whoÌ„ be hono and domynion for euer and euer Amen Derely beloued maruell not at this heate which is come amoÌ„ge you to trye you as though some strauÌ„ge thinge happened vnto you but reioyce in as moch as ye are partakers of Christes passioÌ„s y t whaÌ„ his glory appeareth ye maye be mery glad Yf ye be reuyled for y e name of Christ blessed are 〈…〉 y e sprete which is y e sprete of glory 〈…〉 resteth vpon you On their parte 〈…〉 spoken of but on yo parte he is 〈…〉 But se that none of you 〈…〉 or as a thefe or as an euell doer or as a busy body in other mens matters Yf eny man suffre as a Christen man let him not be ashamed but let him prayse God on this behalfe For y e tyme is come that iudgmeÌ„t must begynne at the house of God Yf it first begynne at vs what shal the ende be of theÌ„ which beleue not the Gospell of God And yf y e righteous scacely be saued where shal y e vngodly synner appeare Wherfore let them that suffer acordynge to the will off God commytte their soules vnto him with well doynge as to the faithfull creator The V. Chapter THe Elders which are amonge you I exhorte which am also an Elder and a witnes off the affliccions in Christ and partaker of the glory that shal be opened Fede Christes flocke which is amonge you and take the ouerfighte of theÌ„ not as though ye were coÌ„pelled therto but wyllingly not for the desyre of filth ye lucre but of a good mynde not as though ye were lordes ouer the parisheÌ„s but that ye be an ensample to the flocke whan the chefe shepherde shal appeare ye shal receaue the vncorruptible crowne of glory Likewyse ye yoÌ„ger submytte youre selues vnto the elder Submytte youre selues euery man one to another and knyt yo r selues together in lowlynes of mynde For God resisteth the proude but geueth grace to the humble Submytte yo selues therfore vnder the mightie hande of God that he maye exalte you whan the tyme is come Cast all youre care on him for he careth for you Be sober and watch for yo r aduersary y e deuell walketh aboute as a roaringe lyon sekynge whom he maye deuoure whom resiste stedfast in the faith and knowe that youre brethren in the worlde haue euen the same affliccions But y e God of all grace which hath called you to his euerlastinge glory in Christ Iesu shal his owne selfe make you perfecte which suffre a litle season eueÌ„ he shal settle strength and stablish you To him be prayse and domynion for euer and euer Amen By Siluanus youre faithfull brother as I suppose haue I wrytteÌ„ vnto you breuely exhortinge and testifyenge how that this is the true grace of God wherin ye stoÌ„de The companyons of youre eleccion that are at 〈…〉 salute you and Marcus my sonne 〈…〉 one another with the kysse of loue 〈…〉 with you all which are in Christ 〈…〉 The seconde Epistle of the Apostle S. Peter The summe of this epistle Chap. I. For so moch as the power of God hath geuen them all thinges pertayninge vnto life he exhorteth theÌ„ to flye the corrupcion of worldly lust to make their callynge â—ore with good workes and frutes of faith He maketh mencion of his owne death declaringe the LORDE Iesus to be the true sonne of God as he himself hath sene vpon the mount Chap. II. He prophecieth of false teachers and sheweth their punyshment Chap. III. He exhorteth men to bewarre of soch as wolde make theÌ„ beleue that the dayâ— of the LORDE were slacke in commynge prayeth them to lede a godly life and to loke verely for the commynge of the LORDE whose â—â—ge tarienge is saluacion and because he wolde haue no man lost but wolde receaue all 〈◊〉 to repentaunce The first Chapter SYmon Peter a seruauÌ„t and an Apostle of Iesus Christ. Vnto theÌ„ which haue optayned like faith with vs in the righteousnes that commeth of oure God and Saâ—oure Iesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied with you thorow the knowlege of God and of Iesus Christ oure LORDE For so moch as his godly power hath geuen vs all thinges that pertayne vnto life and godlynes thorow the knowlege of him that hath called vs by his owne glorie and power wherby the excellent and most greate promyses are geueÌ„ vnto vs namely that ye by the same shulde be partakers of the godly nature yf ye
faith and heyres of the kyngdom which he promysed to theÌ„ that loue him But ye haue despised the poore Are not the rych they which oppresse you they which drawe you before iudges Do not they speake euell of that good name after which ye be named Yf ye fulfill the royall lawe acordinge to the scripture which saith Thou shalt loue thyne neghbour as thy selfe ye do well But yf ye regarde one person more then another ye coÌ„mit synne and are rebuked of the lawe as trâ—aÌ„gressours Whosoeuer shal kepe the whole lawe and yet fayle in one poynt he is gyltie in all For he that sayde Thou shalt not commit adulterie sayed also thou shalt not kyll Though thou do none adulterie yet yf thou kill thou art a transgresser of the lawe So speake ye and so do as they that shal be iudged by the lawe of libertie For ther shal be iudgement merciles to him that sheweth no mercy mercy reioiseth against iudgment What a vayleth it my brethreÌ„ though a man saye he hath faith when he hath no dedes Can faith saue him If a brother or a sister be naked or destitute of dayly fode one of you saye vnto them Departe in peace God sende you warmnes and fode not withstoÌ„dinge ye geue them not tho thinges which are nedfull to the body what helpeth it them Euen so faith yf it haue no dedes is deed in it selfe Ye a man might saye Thou hast faith and I haue dedes Shewe me thy faith by thy dedes and I wil shewe the my faith by my dedes Beleuest thou y t ther is one God Thou doest well The deuils also beleue and tremble Wilt thou vnderstoÌ„de o thou vayne man that faith with out dedes is deed Was not Abraham oure father iustified thorow workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter Thou seist how y t faith wrought with his dedes and through y e dedes was the faith made perfect the scripture was fulfilled which faith AbrahaÌ„ beleued God and it was reputed vnto him for rightewesnes and he was called y e frende of God Ye se then how that of dedes a man is iustified and not of faith only Likewise also was not Raab the harlot iustified thorow workes when she receaued the messengers and sent them out another waye For as the body with oute the sprete is deed euen so faith w t out dedes is deed The III. Chapter MY brethreÌ„ be not euery man a master remeÌ„brynge how that we shall receaue the more damnacion for in many thinges we synne all Yf a man synne not in worde the same is a parfecte man able to tame all the body Beholde we put bittes into the horses mouthes y t they shulde obeye vs and we turne aboute all the body Beholde also y e shyppes which though they be so gret and are dryuen of fearce windes yet are they turned about with a very smale helme whither soeuer the violence of the gouerner wyll Euen so the toÌ„ge is a lyttell member and bosteth great thinges Beholde how gret a thinge a lyttell fyre kyndleth and the tonge is fyre and a worlde of wyckednes So is the tonge set amonge oure membres that it defileth the whole body and setteth a fyre all that we haue of nature and is it selfe set a fyre euen of hell All the natures of beastes and of byrdes and of serpentes and thinges of the see are meked and tamed of the nature of maÌ„ But the toÌ„ge can no man tame Yt is an vnruely euell full of deedly poyson Therwith blesse we God the father and therwith cursse wemen which are made after the similitude of God Out of one mouth proceadeth blessynge and cursynge My brethreÌ„ these thinges ought not so to be Doth a fountayne sende forth at one place swete water and bytter also Can the fygge tree my Brethren beare oliue beries ether a vyne beare fygges So can no fountayne geue bothe salt water and freszhe also If eny man be wyse and endued with learnynge amonge you let him shewe the workes of his good coÌ„uersacion in meknes that is coupled with wiszdome But yf ye haue bitter enuyenge and stryfe in yo r hertes reioyce not nether belyars agaynst the trueth This wiszdome descendeth not from aboue but is erthy and naturall and dyuelishe For where enuyenge and stryfe is there is vnstablenes and all maÌ„ner of euell workes But the wiszdom that is froÌ„ aboue is fyrst pure theÌ„ peasable gentle and easy to be entreated full of mercy and good frutes without iudgynge and without simulacion yee and the frute of rightewesnes is sowen in peace of theÌ„ that mayntene peace The IIII. Chapter FRom whence commeth warre and fightynge amonge you come they not here hence euen of yo r volupteousnesses that rayne in youre meÌ„bres Ye lust and haue not Ye envie and haue indignacion and can not obtayne Ye fight warre and haue not because ye axe not Ye axe receaue not because ye axe amysse eueÌ„ to coÌ„sume it vpoÌ„ yo r voluptuousnes Ye aduouterars wemeÌ„ that breke matrimonie knowe ye not how that the frenshippe of y e worlde is ennimite to godwarde Whosoeuer wil be a frende of the worlde is made y e enemie of god Ether do ye thinke y t the scripture sayth in vayne The sprete y t dwelleth in you lusteth euen contrary to enuie but geueth more grace Submit youre selues to God and resist the deuell he wil flye froÌ„ you Drawe nye to God he wil drawe nye to you Clense yo r hondes ye synners and pourge youre hertes ye wauerynge mynded Suffre affliccions sorowe ye and wepe Let youre laughter be turned to mornynge and youre ioye to heuynes Cast downe youre selues before the LORDE and he shal lift you vp Backbyte not one another brethren He that backbyteth his brother and he y t iudgeth his brother backbyteth the lawe and iudgeth the lawe But and yf thou iudge the lawe thou art not an obseruer of the lawe but a iudge There is one lawe geuer which is able to saue and to distroye What art thou that iudgest another man Go to now ye that saye to daye to morow let vs go into soche a citie and continue there a yeare and bye and sell and wynne yet caÌ„ not tell what shal happeÌ„ to morowe For what thinge is youre life It is euen a vapoure that apereth for a lytell tyme and theÌ„ vanysheth awaye For that ye ought to say yf the LORDE wil and yf we liue let vs do this or that But nowe ye reioyce in youre bostinges All soche reioysynge is euell Therfore to him that knoweth how to do good and doth it not to him it is synne The V. Chapter BOo to now ye riche men Wepe and howle on yo wretchednes that shal come vpon you You re riches is corrupte youre garmeÌ„tes are motheaten Youre golde