mayde that went with her Neuertheles God turned y â— kinges mynde that he was gentle y t he leaped oute of hys seate for feare and gat her i hys armes and held her vp tyll she came to her selfe againe He gaue her louing wordes also and sayde vnto her Hester what is the matter I am thy brother be of good chere thou shalt not dye for our commaundement toucheth the comoÌ„s not y â— Come nye And with that he helde vp his golden rod and layde it vpon her neck and embraced her frendly sayd talke with me Then sayd she I sawe y â— O Lorde as an Angell of God my hert was troubled for feare of thy magesty and clear nesse For excellent and wonderful art thou O Lorde and thy face is ful of amite But as she was thus speakyng vnto him she fel downe agayne for fayntnes for the whiche cause the kyng was afraied and all his seruauntes comforted her ¶ The Copye of the letters of Arthaxerses wherby he reuoketh those which he fyrst sende forth CAPI XVI THe greate Kynge Artaxerses whiche raineth from Iudia vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundreth and. xxvij landes sendeth vnto the Prices and rulers of the same landes suche as loue him hys frendly salutacion There be many y â— for the sondry frendshippes benefytes which are diuersly done vnto them for theyr worshyppe be euer the more proude and hye mynded vndertake not onely to hurte oure subiectes for plenteous benefytes maye they not suffre and begiÌ„ne to ymagin some thing against those that do them good and take not onely all vnthaÌ„kfulnes awaye froÌ„ men but in pryde and presumpcion as they that be vnmyndfull and vnthankefull for the good dedes they go aboute to escape the iudgemente of God that seyth all thinges whiche iudgement hateth punisheth al wyckednes It happeneth ofte also that they whiche be set in office by the hyer power vnto whom the busynes and causes of the subiectes are committed to be handled waxe proude and defyle them selues with sheddynge of innoceÌ„t bloude which bryngeth them to intollerable hurt Which also with false disceatfull wordes and with lyeng tales disceaue betray the innocent goodnes of Princes Nowe is it profitable and good that we take hede make search therafter and consider not onely what hath happened vnto vs of olde but the shamefull vnhonest noysome thinges that the debites haue now taken in hande before our eyes and therby to beware in tyme to come that we may make the Kyngdome quyete and peaceable for al men and that we myghte some tyme drawe it to chaunge and as for the thynge that nowe is presente before oure eyes to withstande it and to put it downe after the most frendly maner What tyme nowe as Aman the sonne of Amadathu the Macedonian a strauÌ„ger verely of the persians bloude and farre from oure goodnes was come in amonge vs as an aleaunt and had optained the frendship that we beare towarde all people so that he was called oure father and had in hye honoure of euery man as the next and principal vnto y â— King he coulde not forbeare him self froÌ„ his pryde hath vndertake not onely to rob vs of the kyngdome but of our lyfe With manyfolde disceate also hath he desired to destroye Mardocheus our helper preseruer whiche hath done vs good in all thinges and innoceÌ„t Hester the lyke partaker of oure kyngdome with all her people For his mynde was when he had taken theÌ„ oute of the waye and robbed vs of theÌ„ by this meanes to traÌ„slate the kingdome of the Persians vnto theÌ„ of Mocedonia But we fynde that the Iewes which were accused of the wicked that they might be destroyed are no euyll doers but vse reasonable and right lawes and that they be the chyldreÌ„ of the most Hye lyuynge God by whome the kyngdome of vs oure progenitours hath bene wel ordred hytherto Wherfore as for the letters and coÌ„maundementes that were put forth by Aman the sonne of Amadathu ye shall do well yf ye holde them of none effecte for he that set them vp and inuented theÌ„ hangeth at Susis before the port with all his kynted God which hath all thynges in his power hath rewarded hym after hys deseruynge And vpon thys ye shall puplysh and set vp the copy of thys letter in all places that the Iewes may frely and without hinderaunce holde them selues after theyr owne statutes and that they maye be helped and that vpon the. xiij day of the. xij moneth Adar they maye be auenged of them which in the tyme of theyr anguyshe and trouble wolde haue oppressed them For the God that gouerneth all thinges hath turned to ioye the day where in the chosen people shulde haue peryshed Moreouer among the hye soleÌ„pne dayes y â— ye haue ye shall holde thys daye also with al gladnesse that â—ow and in tyme to come thys daye maye be a remembrauÌ„ce to good for al such as loue the prosperite of the Persians but a remembraunce of destruccyon to those that be sedycious vnto vs. All cyties landes that do not thys shal horribly peryshe and be destroyed with the swerde and fyre and shall not onely be nomore inhabyted of men but be abhorred also of the wylde beastes and foules The ende of the reast of the boke of Esther ⧠The booke of wysdome ¶ Howe we ought to searche and enquyre after God and who â—e those that fynde hym Of the holy goost we ought to flye from backbytynge and murmurynge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CAPI I. O Sette your affeccion vpon ryghteousnesse ye that be iudges of the earth Haue a good opinioÌ„ of the Lorde and seke hym in the synglenesse of herte For he wyll be founde of them that tempte hym nat and appereth vnto suche as put theyr truste in hym As for frowarde thoughtes they separate from God but vertue yf it be alowed reformeth y â— vnwyse And why wysdome shall nat entre into a frowarde soule nor dwel in the body that is subdued vnto synne For the holy goost abhorreth fayned nurtoure and withdraweth hym selfe from the thoughtes that are without vnderstandinge and where wyckednes hathe the vpper hande he flyeth froÌ„ thence For the sprete of wysdome is louynge gentle and gracyous wyll haue no pleasure in hym that speaketh euell with his lyppes For God is a wytnesse of hys raynes a true searcher out of his herte and an hearer of his tonge For the sprete of the Lorde fylleth the rounde compasse of the worlde and the same that vpholdeth all thynges hathe knowledge also of the voyce Therfore he that speaketh vnryghteous thynges can not be hyd nether maye he escape the iudgemeÌ„t of reprofe And why inquisicion shal be made for the thoughtes of the vngodly and the reprote of hys wordes shal come vnto God so that his wickednes shal be punished for the eare of gelousy heareth all thynges and the noyse of the grudginges shall
power ouer you For ☞ ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace What then Shall we synne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbyd ✚ Knowe ye not howe that to whom soeuer ye commit youre selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauÌ„tes ye are to whoÌ„ ye obey whether it be of synne vnto death or of obedieÌ„ce vnto rightuousnes God be thaÌ„ked that thoughe ye were the seruauntes of synne ye haue yet obeyed with hert vnto the rule or the doctryne that ye be brought vnto Ye are then made fre from synne and are become the seruauntes of ryghtuousnes ⊢ ✚ I speake grosly because of the infyrmitie or your fleshe As ye haue gyuen your members seruauntes to vnclennes and to iniquitye from one iniquitye to another euen so nowe gyue ouer your members seruauntes vnto ryghtuousnes that ye maye be sanctyfied For when ye were the seruauÌ„tes of sine ye were not vnder rightuousnes What frute had ye then in those thynges wherof ye are nowe shamed For the ende of those thinges is death But nowe are ye desyuered frome synne and made y â— seruauÌ„tes of God haue youre fruyte to be sanctifyed and the ende uerlastynge lyfe For the rewarde of synne is death but eternal lyfe is the gyft of God thorowe Iesus Christe our Lorde ¶ Chryste hath deliuered vs from the lawe and death â—ani sheweth what the flesshe and outward man is and calleth is the lawe of the membres CAPI VII KNow ye not brethreÌ„ I speake to them y â— know the lawe howe that the law hath power ouer a man as longe as it endureth For the woman whiche is in subieccyon to a man is bounde by the lawe to the man as longe as he lyueth But yf the man be dead she is loosed from the lawe of the man So then yf whyle the man liueth she couple her selfe with another man she shal be counted a wedlocke breaker But yf the man be deade she is fre from the lawe of the husbande so that she is no wedlocke breaker though she couple her selfe with another man Euen so ye also my brethren are dead coÌ„cernyng the lawe by the body of Chryst that ye shulde be coupled to another I meane to him that is rysen agayne from death that we shulde bryng forth frute vnto God For when we were in the fleshe the iustes of synne whiche were steryd vp by the lawe raygned in our meÌ„bers to bryng forth frute vnto death But nowe are we delyuered from the lawe and deade vnto it wherunto we were in bondage that we shulde serue in a new conuersacion of the spyryte and not in the olde conuersacyon of the letter What shal we say then is the law sinne God forbyd neuertheles I knewe not â—ine but by the law For I had not knowen what lust had mente excepte the lawe had sayde thou shalte not lust But synne toke an occasyon by the meanes of the commaundement and wrought in me all maner of concupyscence For verely without the law sinne was deade I once lyued without lawe But wheÌ„ the commaundement came synne reuyued and I was deade And the very same commaundemente whyche was ordayned vnto lyfe was founde to be vnto me an occasyon of death For synne toke occasyon by the meanes of the commaundemente and so dysceaued me and by the same flewe me Wherfore the lawe is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good Was that then whiche was good made death vnto me God forbyd Naye it was synne that synne myght appeare by it which was good to worcke death in me that synne by the coÌ„maundement myght be out of measure synfull For we knowe that the lawe is spiritual but I am carnall ☞ solde vnder synne because ☞ I alowe not that which I do For what I wold that to I not but what I hate that do I. If I do nowe that whiche I wolde not I consent vnto the lawe that it is good So then nowe it is not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me For I know that in me that is to saye in my flesshe dwelleth no good thynge For to wyll is presente with me but I fynde no meanes to perfourme that whiche is good For the good that I wolde do I noâ— but the euyl whiche I wold not that do I. Yf I do that I wolde not then is it not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me I fynde then by the Lawe that when I wolde do good euyll is presente wyth me For I delyte in the lawe of God after the inwarde man But I se another lawe in my members rebellynge agaynste the lawe of my mynde and subduyng me vn to the lawe of synne whyche is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall delyuer me from thys bodye subdued vnto death I thanke God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde So then with the mynde I serue the lawe of God but with the fleshe the lawe of synne ¶ The lawe of the spyryte gyueth lyfe The spyryte of God maketh vs Gods chyldren and heyres with Chryste The aboundaune â—our of God can not 〈◊〉 seperated CAPI VIII ✚ THere is then no dampnacyon to them which are in Chryst Iesu whych walke not after the fleshe but after the spyryte For the lawe of the spyryte of lyfe thorowe Iesus Christe hath made me fre from the lawe of synne and death For what the lawe could not do in as much as it was weake because of the fleshe that perfourmed God and sent his sonne in the symylitude of synful flesshe and ☞ by synne damned synne in the flesshe that the ryghtuousnes of the lawe myght be fulfylled in vs whyche walke not after the flesshe but after the spyryte For they that are carnall are carnally minded â—ut they that are spiritual are ghostly mynded To be carnally mynded is death But to be spiritually mynded is lyfe peace ⊢ Because that the flesshy mynde is enemite agaynste God for it is not obedyente to the lawe of GOD neyther can be So then they that are in ☞ the flesshe can not please God But ye are not in the flesshe but in the spiryte yf so be that the spirite of God dwell in you If any maÌ„ haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his If Christe be in you the body is dead because of synne but the spiryte is lyfe for ryghtuousnesse sake Wherfore yf the spirite of hym that raysed vp Iesus from deathe dwell in you euen he that raysed vp Christe from death shall quycken your mortall bodyes because of his spirite that dwelleth in you ✚ Therfore brethren we are detters not to the fleshe to lyue after the flesshe For yf ye lyue after the flesshe ye shall dye But yf ye thorowe the spyryte do mortyfye the dedes of the bodye ye shall lyue For as many as are led by the spyryte of God they are the sonnes of God For ye
me thorowe therwith that these vncircumcysed come not and do me shame But his weapon berer wolde not for he feared excedingly So Saul caught a swerde and fell vpon it And when his haâ—nes berer sawe that Saul was deade he fell on a swerde also and dyed And thus Saul and his thre sonnes and all they of his house dyed togyther And wheÌ„ all the men of Israel that were in the valley â–ª sawe howe they fled and that Saull and his sonnes were deade they forsoke theyr cityes and ran away and the Philistines came and dwelte in them And it fortuned that on the morow when the Philistines came to strype the deade bodies they founde Saull his sonnes ouerthrowen in mount Gilboe And wheÌ„ they had strypte hym they toke his heade and his harnesse and sent them in to the lande of the Philistines rounde aboute to shewe them vnto theyr ydols and to the people And they put his harnesse in the house of theyr God and set vp his heade in the temple of Dagon And when al they of Iabes in Gilead herde all that the Philistines had done to Saull they arose all the strongest of them and fet away the body of Saull and the bodyes of his sonnes and brought them to Iabes and buryed the bodyes of them vnder an ooke in Iabes fasted seuen dayes So Saul dyed for his trespasse that he trespassed agaynst the lorde in that he kepte not the worde of the lorde and in that he sought and asked counsayle of a womaÌ„ that wrought with a spirite and asked not of the Lorde And therfore he slue hym and turned the kyngdom vnto Dauid the sonne of Isai. ¶ After the death of Saull is Dauid anoynted in Hebron The Iâ—busites rebell agaynst Dauid from whiche he taketh the â—oure of Sion His men are nombred CAPI XI THen all Israell gathered them selues to Dauid vnto Hebron saynge Behold we be thy bones thy flesshe And more ouer in tyme past euen wheÌ„ Saul was kyng thou leddest Israel out and in And the lorde thy God sayde vnto the thou shalte fede my people Israell and thou shalte be captayne ouer my people Israel Therfore came al the elders of Israel to the kyng to Hebron and Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebron before the Lorde And they anoynted Dauid kyng ouer Israel accordyng to the worde of the Lorde ☞ by the hande of Samuel And Dauid and all Israel went to Ierusalem whiche is Iebus where as were the Iebusites the enhabitours of the lande And the enhabitours of Iebus sayde to Dauid thou comest not here Neuerthelesse Dauid wan the castell of Sion whiche is called the citye of Dauid And Dauid sayde who so euer smyteth the Iebusites fyrst shall be the principall captayne and a Lorde So Ioab the sonne of Zâ—ruia wente fyrst vp and was made the cheyfe captayne And Dauid dwelt in the castell therfore they called it the citye of Dauid And he buylte the Citye on euery syde euen from Millo rounde about Ioab repayred the rest of the Citye And Dauid prospered and waxed great and the Lorde of hoostes was with hym These are the principall men of power whom Dauid had and that claue to hym in his kyngdom with all Israell to make hym kyng according to the word of the lorde vnto Israel And this is the nombre of the mighty men whom Dauid had Iasobeam the sonne of Hachmoni the cheyfe amonge thyrtye he lyfte vp his spere agaynst thre hundred and wounded them at one tyme. After hym was Eleazar his vncles son an Ahothyte whiche was one of thre myghtyest He was with Dauid at Pasdammin and there the Philistines were gathered togyther to battayle And ther was there a parcell of grounde full of barley and the people fled before the Philistines And ☞ they stepte forth in to the myddes of the felde and saued it and slue the Philistines And the lorde gaue a great victorye And the thre of the thyrtye cheyfe captaynes went to a rocke to Dauid in to the caue Adullam And the hoost of the Philistines abode in the valley of Rephaim And when Dauid was in the holde the Philistines watche was at BethleeÌ„ that same tyme. And Dauid longed and sayd Oh that one wolde gyue me drynke of the water of the well that is at the gate at Bethleem And the thre brake thorowe the hoost of the Philistines and drewe water out of the well that was by the gaâ—e at Bethleem and toke it brought it to Dauid Neuerthelesse Dauid wolde not drynke of it but rather offered it to the Lorde and sayde My God forbyd it me that I shulde do this thynge Shall I drynke the bloode of these men that haue put theyr lyues in ieoperdye for with the Ieoperdye of theyr lyues they brought it therfore he wolde not drynke it And this dyd these thre myghtyest And Abâ—sai the brother of Ioab he also was captayne among thre for he lyftâ— vp his speare agaynst thre hundred and wounded them and had a name amonge the thre Yea amonge thre he was more honourable then the two for he was theyr captayne Howbeit he attaynted not vnto the †fyrst thre Banaia the sonne of Iehoiaba the sonne of a verye stronge man dyd greater actes then Cabzeell for he slue two stronge lyons of Moab and went downe and slue a Lyon in a pyt in tyme of snowe And he slue an Egyptian whose stature was euen fyue cubytes longe and in the Egyptians hand was a speare lyke a weauers beame And the other went downe to hym with a waster plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hande and slue hym with his owne speare Soch thynges dyd Banaia the sonne of Iehoiada and had the name among the thre myghtest and was honourable amonge thyrtye but attayned not vnto the fyrst thre And Dauid made hym of his counsayle The other men of armes were these Asahell the brother of Ioab Elhanan his vncles sonne of Bethleem Sammoth the Harodite Helez the Pelonite Ira the sonne of Iâ—kes the Thekoite Abieser the Anatothite Sibaâ—ai the Husathite Ilai the Ahohite Maharai the Nethophathite Heled the son of Baâ—na the Nethophatite Ithai the sonne of Ribai of Gibea that perteyneth to the chyldren of Beniamin Benaia the Phirathonite Huâ—ai of the ryuers of Gaas Abiell the Arbathite Azmaneth the Baharumite Elihaba the Saalbonite The sonnes of Assem the Gezonite Iona than the sonne of Sage an Haraite Ahiam the sonne of Sacar the Haâ—aite Eliphal the sonne of Ur. Hepher the Mecherathite Ahia the Pelonite Hezro the Carmelite Naari the sonne of Ezbai Ioell the brother of Nathan Miâ—har the sonne of Hari Zelegam the Ammonite Naharai a Berothite the bearet of the harnesse of Ioab the son of Zeruia Ira the Iithrite and Gareb a Iethrite Uria the Hethite and Zahad the sonne of Ahlai Adina the sonne of Siza a Rubenite a captayne of the Rubenites and thyrtye with hym Hanan the Sonne of
a rocke of stone And nowe shall he lyfte vp my heade aboue myne enemyes rounde aboute me Therfore wyl I offre in his dwellyng the oblacion of thankes geuynge I wyll synge and speake prayses vnto the Lorde Herken vnto my voyce O Lorde when I crye vnto the haue mercy vpon me and heare me My herte hathe talked of the Seke ye my face thy face Lord wyl I seke O hyde nat thou thy face fro me nor caste thy seruaunt awaye in dyspleasure Thou hast ben my succoure leaue me nat neyther forsake me O God of my saluacyon WhaÌ„ my father and my mother forsake me the Lorde taketh me vp Teache me thy waye O lord leade me the ryght waye because of myne enemyes Delyuer me nat ouer into the wyll of myne aduersaryes for there are false wytnesses rysen vp agaynste me suche as speake wronge I beleue verely to se the goodnes of the Lorde in the lande of the lyuyng O tary thou the Lordes ley sure be stronge and he shal conforte thyne herte and put thou thy truste in the Lorde ¶ The. xxviij Psalme ¶ A Psalme of Dauid VNto the wyll I crye O Lorde my strength thynke no scorne of me lest yf thou make the as thoughe thou hardest nat I become lyke them that go downe into the pytte Heare the voyce of my humble peticions when I crye vnto the whaÌ„ I holde vp my haÌ„des towarde the mercy seate of thy holy teÌ„ple O plucke me nat awaye âšœ neyther destroye me with the vngodly wycked doers whiche spake fryndely to theyr neyghbours but ymagin mischefe in theyr hertes Rewarde theÌ„ accordyng to theyr dedes and accordynge to the wycked nesse of theyr owne inuencions Recompense them after the worke of theye handes paye them that they haue deserued For they regarde nat the workes of the Lorde nor the operacyon of hys handes therfore shall he breake them downe and nat buylde them vp Praysed be the Lorde for he hath harde the voyce of myne humble petyons The Lorde is my strengthe and my shylde my herte hathe trusted in hym and I am helped therfore my herte daunseth for ioye and in my songe wyll I prayse hym The Lorde is theyr strength and he is the wholsome defence of hys anoynted O Saue thy people and geue thy blessynge vnto thyne enheritauÌ„ce fede them set them vp for euer ¶ The. xxix Psalme ¶ A Psalme of Dauid at the perfourmynge of the Tabernacle BRynge vnto the Lorde O ye myghtie âšœ bring yonge raÌ„mes vnto the Lorde ascribe vnto the Lorde worshippe streÌ„gth Geue the Lorde the honoure due vnto hys name worshippe the Lorde with holy worshippe It is the Lorde that commaundethe the waters It is the gloryous God that maketh the thonder it is the Lorde that ruleth the see The voice of the Lorde is myghtye in operacyon the voyce of the Lorde is a gloryous voyce The voyce of the Lorde breaketh the Cedre trees yee the Lorde breaketh the Ceders of Libanus He made them also to skyppe lyke a Calfe Libanus also and Sirion like a yong vnycorne The voyce of the Lorde deuydeth the flames of fyre the voice of the Lorde shaketh the wyldernesse yee the Lorde shaketh the wyldernesse of Cades The voyce of the Lord maketh the hyndes to bryng forth yonge and dyscouereth the thycke busshes and in hys temple doth euery man speke of his honoure The Lorde sitteth aboue the water floude and the Lorde remayneth a kyng for euer The Lorde shal geue streÌ„gth vnto his people the Lorde shall blesse hys his people in peace ¶ The. xxx Psalme ¶ A Psalme and songe of the dedicacyon of the house of Dauyd I Wyll magnyfye the O Lorde for thou haste set me vp and nat made my foes to triumphe ouer me O Lorde my God I tryed vnto the and thou haste healed me Thou Lorde hast brought my soule out of hel thou hast kepte my lyfe from them that go downe to the pyt Synge praises vnto the Lorde O ye Sayntes of hys and geue thankes vnto hym for a remembraunce of hys holynesse For hys wrath endureth but the twynclynge of an eye and his pleasure is in lyfe heuynesse maye endure for a night but ioy coÌ„meth againe in the morniÌ„g And in my ê“sperite I sayd I shal neuer be remoued thou Lord of thy goodnesse hadst made my hyll so stronge Thou dyddeste turne thy face fro me and I was troubled Then cryed I vnto the O Lorde and gat me to my Lorde right humbly What profit is there in my bloude whan I go downe to the pyt Shall the duste geue thanckes vnto the Or shall it declare thy trueth Heare O Lorde and haue mercy vpon me Lorde be thou my helper Thou haste turned my heuynesse in to ioye thou hast put of my sacke clothe and gyrded me with gladnesse Therfore shall euery good man synge of thy prayse without seassynge O my God I wyll geue thanckes vnto the for euer ⧠☞ ⧠¶ The. xxxi Psalme ¶ To the chaunter a Psalme of Dauyd IN the O Lorde haue I put my trust let me neuer be put to confusion deliuer me in thy ryghteousnesse Bowe downe thine eare to me make haste to delyuer me be thou my stronge cocke a house of defence that thou mayest saue me For thou arte my stronge holde and my castell Be thou also my gyde and leade me for thy names sake Drawe me out of the net that they haue layed pryuely for me for thou arte my strength Into thy haÌ„des I commende my spyryte For thou hast delyuered me O Lorde thou God of treuth I haue hated them that holde of supersticious vanities and my truste hathe bene in the Lorde I wyll be glad and reioyse in thy mercy for thou haste coÌ„sydred my trouble and haste knowen my soule in aduersyte Thou hast nat shut me vp in to the haÌ„de of the enemye but hast set my fete i 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 bely For my lyfe is waxen olde with heuynesse and my yeares with mournynge My strengthe fayleth me because of myne inyquyte and my bones are consumed I became a reprofe amonge all myne enemyes but specyally amonge my neyghbours and they of mine acquaintauÌ„ce were afraied of me and they that dyd se me without fled from me I am forgotten as a deed man which vanisheth out of the ryght waye of theÌ„ that lyue I am become lyke a broken vessel For I haue herde that blasphemye of the multytude euery maÌ„ abhorreth me while they coÌ„spyre together agaynst me and are purposed to take awaye my lyfe But my hope hath bene in the O Lorde I haue sayde thou arte my God My tymes is in thy hande delyuer me from the hande of myne enemies and from them that persecute me Shewe thy seruaunt the light of thy couÌ„tenauÌ„ce
and saue me for thy mercyes sake Let me nat be confounded O Lorde for I haue called vpon the let the vngodly be put to confucion and be put to syleÌ„ce in the graue Let the lyenge lyppes be put to sylence whiche cruelly disdaynfully and despytfully speake agaynste the ryghtuous O howe plentyfull is thy goodnes whiche thou hast layed vp for them that feare theâ— and that thou hast prepayred for them that put theyr truste in the euen before the sonnes of men Thou shalte hyde them pryuely by thyne owne presence frome the prouokynges of al men thou shalte kepe them secretely in thy Tabernacle from the stryfe of tonges Thanked be the Lorde for he hathe shewed merueylous greate kyndenesse in a stronge cytie And when I made haste I saide I am caste out of thy sight of thyne eyes Neuertheles thou herdeste the voyce of my prayers when I cryed vnto the. O loue the Lorde al ye his sayntes for the Lorde preserueth theÌ„ that are faythfull plentuously rewardeth he the proude doer Be stronge he shal strength your herte all ye y t put your trust in the Lorde ¶ The. xxxii Psalme ¶ An instruccyon of Dauyd BLESSED is he whose vnrightuousnes is forgyuen and whose synne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lorde imputeth no synne and in whose sprete there is no gyle For whyle I helde my tonge my bones consumed awaye thorowe my daylye complaynynge For thy hande is heuy vpon me day and nyght and my moysture is lyke the drough in Sommer Sela. I wyll knoweledge my synne vnto the myne vnryghteousnesse haue I nat hyd I sayd I wyl coÌ„fesse my sinnes vnto the Lorde so thou forgauest the wyckednesse of my synne Dela For this shall euery one that is godly make hys prayer vnto the ☞ in due season but in the greate water floudes they shall nat come nye hym Thou arte my defeÌ„ce thou shalte preserue me froÌ„ trouble thou shalt coÌ„passe me about with soÌ„ges of delyuerauÌ„ce Sela. I wyl enfourme the teach the i the way wherin y u shalt go I wyll gyde y â— with myne eye Ye shal nat be lyke a horse mule whiche haue no vnderstaÌ„ding And whose mouthes must be holdeÌ„ w t byt brydle leste they fall vpoÌ„ y â— Great plages remayne for y â— vngodly but who so putteth his trust in y â— Lorde mercy embraceth hi on euery syde Be glad O ye righteous reioyse in y â— Lorde and be ioyfull all ye that are true of hrete ¶ The. xxxiii Psalme REioyce in the Lorde O ye ryghtuous for it becommeth well the iuste to be thankful Prayse the Lord with harpe synge Psalmes vnto him with the lute and instrument of ten strynges Synge vnto the Lorde a newe soÌ„ge synge prayses lustely âšœ vnto hym with a good corage For the worde of the Lorde is true and all his workes are faythful He loueth ryghtuousnes and iudgement the earth is ful of the goodnesse of the Lorde By the worde of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the Hoostes of them by the breth of his mouth He gathereth the waters of the see togyther as it were vpon a heape and layeth vp the depe in secret Let al the earth feare the Lorde stande in awe of him all ye that dwell in the worlde For he spake and it was done he commaunded and it stode fast The Lorde bryngeth the councell of the Heithen to nought and maketh the deuices of the people to be of none effecte âšœ and casteth out the councels of Prynces The councell of the Lorde shall endure for euer and the thoughtes of his hert from generacyon to generacyon Blessed is the people whose God is the Lorde Iehouah and blessed is the folke that haue chosen beÌ„ to be theyr inheritaunce The Lorde loked downe frome Heauen and behelde all the chyldren of men from the habitacion of his dwellyng he consydreth all them that dwel in the earthe He tashyoneth all the hertes of them and vnderstandeth all theyr workes There is no kynge that can be saued by the multitude of an hoste neyther is any myghty man delyuered by muche strength A horse is counted but a vayne thynge to saue a man neyther shal he delyuer any maÌ„ by his greate strength Beholde the eye of the Lorde is vpon them that feare him and vpon them that put theyr truste in his mercye To delyuer theyr soules from deathe and to fede theÌ„ in the tyme of dearth Our soule hath paciently taried for the Lorde for he is our helpe and our shylde For oure herte shall reioyce in hym because we haue hoped in his holy name Let thy mercyful kyndnesse O Lorde be vpon vs lyke as we haue put our trust in the. ¶ The. xxxiiij Psalme ¶ Of Dauyd when he chaunged his speache before Abimilech whiche droue him awaye and he departed I Wyll all waye gyue thankes vnto the Lorde hê prayse shal euer be in my mouth My soule shal make her bost i the Lorde the humble shall here therof and be glad O prayse the Lorde with me and let vs magnyfye his name together I soughte the Lorde and he hearde me yee he delyuered me out of all my feare They had an eye vnto him and were lyghtened and theyr faces were nat ashamed Lo the poore cryeth and the Lorde heareth hym yee and saueth hym out of all hys troubles The Aungell of the Lorde tarieth rounde about them and feare hym and delyuereth them O taste and se howe gracious the Lorde is blessed is the man that trusteth in him O feare the Lorde ye that be his sayntes for they that feare him lacke nothyng The lyons do lacke suffre hunger but they whiche seke the Lorde shall wante no maner of thyng that is good Come ye children and herken vnto me I wyl teach you the feare of the Lorde What man is he that listeth to lyue and woloe fayne se good daies Kepe thy tonge from euell and thy lyppes that they speake no gyle Eschue cuyll and do good seke peace and ensue it The eyes of the Lorde are ouer the rightuous his eares are open vnto their prayers The countenaunce of the Lorde is agaynst them that do euyll to rote out the re membraunce of them from the earth The rightuous crye and the Lorde heareth theÌ„ and delyuereth them out of all theyr troubles The Lorde is nye vnto them that are of a contrayte herte and wyll saue suche as be of an humble sprete Greate are the troubles of the ryghteous but the Lorde delyuereth hym out of all He kepeth all his bones so that nat one of them can be broken Eut mysfourtune shal slaye the vngodly and they that hate the rightuous shal be desolate The Lorde delyuereth the soules of his seruauntes and all they y â— put theyr trust in him shal nat be destitute The â–ª xxxv
and dyggeth vp the grounde But myne eyes loke vnto the O Lorde God in the is my trust Oh cast nat out my soule Kepe me from the snare which they haue layde for me and from the trappes of the wycked doers Let the vngodly fall into theyr owne nettes to geyther vntyll I be gone by them ¶ The. cxlij Psalme ¶ The instrucâ—yon of Dauid a prayeâ— when he was in the caue I Cryed vnto the Lorde with my voyce yee euen vnto the Lorde dyd I make my supplycacyon I powred out my complaintes before him and shewed hym of my trouble When my sprete was in heuynesse thou knewest my pathe in the waye wherin I walked haue they preuely layed a snare for me I loked also vpon my ryght hande and se there was no man that wolde knowe me I had no place to fle vnto and no man cared for my soule I cryed vnto the O Lorde and sayd thou art my hope and my porcyon in the lande of the lyuynge Consydre my complaynte for I am brought very lowe O delyuer me froÌ„ my persecutours for they are to stronge for me Brynge my soule out of prysoÌ„ that I maye geue thaÌ„kes vnto thy name which thynge yf thou wylt graunte me then shall the ryghteous resorte vnto my company ¶ The. cxliij Psalme ¶ A Psalme of Dauid when his owne sonne persecuted hym HEARE my prayer O Lorde and consyder my desyre herken vnto me for thy trueth and ryghteousnesse sake And entre nat into iudgemente with thy seruaunte for in thy syght shall no man lyuynge be iustifyed For the enemye hath persecuted my soule he hathe smyten my lyfe downe to the grounde he hathe layed me in the darckenesse as the deade men of of the worlde Therfore is my sprete vexed within me and my herte within me is desolate Yet do I remembre the tymes past Imuse vpon all thy workes Yee I exercyse my selfe in the worckes of thy handes I streatche forth myne handes vnto the my soule cryeth vnto the out of the thyrsty lande Heare me O Lorde and that soone for my sprete waxeth faynte hyde nat thy face from me left I be lyke vnto them that go downe into the pytte O let me heare thy louynge kyndenesse by tymes in the morninge for in the is my trust she we thou me the waye that I shulde walke in for I lyfte vp my soule vnto the. Delyuer me O Lorde fro myne enemyes for I resorte vnto the. Teache me to do the thynge that pleaseth the for thou arte my God let thy louynge sprete leade me forth vnto the laÌ„de of ryghteousnes Quycken O lorde for thy names sake and for thy ryghteousnesse sake brynge my soule out of trouble And of thy goodnesse scater myne enemyes abrode and destroye all them that vexe my soule for I am thy seruaunte ¶ The. cxliiij Psalme ¶ Of Dauid BLessed be the Lorde my refuge whiche teacheth my handes to warre and my fyngers to fyght My hope and my castell my defence and my delyuerer my shylde in whome I trust whiche gouerneth the people that is vnder me Lorde what is man that thou haste suche respecte vnto hym Or the sonne of man that thou so regardest hym Man is lyke a thynge of naught hê time passeth away like a shadow Bowe thy heauens O Lorde and come downe touche the mountaynes and they shall smoke Sende forth the lyghtynyng and scater them shute out thyne arowes and consume them Sende downe thyne hande from aboue deliuer me and take me out of the greate waters from the hande of straunge chyldren Whose mouth talketh of vanyte and theyr ryght hande is a right hande of wyckednes I wyl synge a newe song vnto the O God and syng prayses vnto the vpon a ten strynged lute Thou that geuest vyctory vnto Kynges and hast delyuered Dauid thy seruaunte from the parell of the swerde Saue me and delyuer me from the hande of straunge chyldren whose mouth taketh of vanite and theyr ryght hande is a ryght hande of iniquite That our sonnes maye growe vp as the yonge plaÌ„tes that oure daughters may be as the polyshed corners of the temple That oure garners may ⧠The Prouerbes of Salomon ¶ The prayse of wysdome We maâ—e nat harken vnto the voluptuous prouocacyon and inâ—ysynges of synners wysdome coÌ„ptayneth to be despysed of al men and prophecyeth destruccyon vnto her desspisâ—â—â— CAPITVLO I. THe Prouerbes of Salomon the sonne of DAVID kynge of Israell to learne wisdome and instruccyon and to perceyue the wordes of vnderstandynge and thereby to receaue prudence ryghtuousnesse iudgement and equytye That the very simple myght haue wyt and the yonge men myght haue knoweledge and vnderstandynge By hearynge the wyse man shal come by more wysdome and he that is endewed with vnderstandynge shall optayne wyt to perceyue a parable and the interpretacyon thereof the wordes of the wyse and the darcke speaches of the same The feare of the Lorde is the begynnynge of wysdome But fooles despyse wysdome and instruccyon My sonne heare thy fathers doctryne and forsake nat the lawe of thy mother for that shal brynge grace vnto thy heade and shall be as a cheyne aboute thy necke My sonne consente not vnto synners yf they entyse the and say come with vs we wyl laye wayte for bloud and surcke preuely for the innocent without a cause we shall swalow them vp lyke the hell and deuoure them quycke whole as those that go downe into y â— pyt So shal we fynde all maner of costely ryches fyll our houses w t spoyles Cast in thy lot amoÌ„g vs let vs haue al one purse My soÌ„ne walke not y â— with them refrayne thy fote froÌ„ theyr way For their fete runne to euyl and are hasty to shed bloude But in vayne is y â— net layed forth before the byrdes eyes Yea they theÌ„ selfes lay wayte one for anothers bloud one of them wold sleye another These are the wayes of all suche as be couetous y â— one wolde rauysh anothers lyfe Wysdome tryeth without putteth forth her voyce iÌ„ y â— stretê She calleth before y â— coÌ„gregacion in y â— opeÌ„ gates sheweth her wordes thorowe y â— citie sayeng O ye childreÌ„ how longe wyl ye loue childeshnesse how long wyl y â— scorners delyte in scornynge y â— vnwyse be enemyes vnto knowledge â–ª O turne you vnto my correccyon â—o I wyll expresse my mynde vnto you and make you vnderstande my wordes I haue called and ye refused it I haue stretched out my hande and no man regarded it but all my councels haue ye dyspised and set my correccyon at naught Therfore shall I also laugh in your destruccyon and mocke you when that thynge that ye feare commeth vpon you euen when the thynge that ye be afrayed of falleth in sodenly lyke a storme and your misery like a tempest yee when trouble and heuinesse commeth vpon you Then shal they
more fauoure at the last then he that flatereth hym Who so robbeth his Father and mother and sayeth it is no synne the same is lyke vnto a destroyer He that is of a proude stomake stereth vp strife but he that putteth his truste in the Lorde shal be well fedde He that trusteth in his owne herte is a foole but he that walketh wysely shall be safe He that gyueth vnto the poore shall not lacke but he that turneth awaye his eyes from suche as be in necessytie shall suffre greate pouerte hym selfe When the vngodly are come vp men are fayne to hide them selues but when they peryshe the ryghtuous increase CAPI XXIX HE THAT is styfnecked and wyll nat be refourmed shal sodaynly be destroyed without any helpe When the ryghtuous haue the ouer hande the people are in prosperite but when the vngodly bereth rule there the people mourne Who so loueth wysdome maketh hys Father a glad man but he that kepetheÌ„ company with harlottes spendeth away that he hath With true iudgement the kynge setteth vp the lande but yf he be a man that is couetous he turneth it vp syde downe Who so flatereth hys neyghbour layeth a nette for his fete âšœ The synne of the wycked is his owne snare but the ryghtuous doth synge and reioyse The ryghtuous consydreth the cause of the poore but the vngodly regardeth no vnderstandynge Wycked people brynge a cytie in decaye but wyse men set it vp agayne If a wyse man go to lawe with a foole whether he deale with hym frendly or roughely he getteth no reste The bloude thyrstye hate the ryghtuous but the iuste ☞ seke hys soule A foole powreth out hys sprete all together but a wyse man kepeth it in tyl afterwarde If a Prynce delyte in lyes all his seruauntes are vngodly The poore and the lender mete togyther and the Lorde lyghteneth bothe theyr eyes The seate of y â— Kynge that faythfully iudgeth the poore shall contynue sure for euer more The rodde and correcion mynysâ—re wysdome but yf a chylde be nat loked vnto he bryngeth his mother to shame When the vngodly come vp wyckednes increaseth but the ryghtuous shal se theyr fall Nurtoure thy sonne with correccyon thou shalt be arrest yea he shal do the good at thyne herte When the worde of god is not preached the people peryshe but well is him that kepeth the lawe A seruaunt wyll not be the better for wordes for though he vnderstande yet wyll he nat regarde them Yf thou seest a man that is hastye to speake vnaduysed thou mayst trust a foole more then hym He that delycately bryngeth vp his seruauÌ„t from a child shal make hym his mayster at length An angry man stereth vp stryfe and he that beareth euyll wyll in his mynde doth moche euyll After pryde commeth a fall but a lowely sprete bryngeth greate worshyppe Who so kepeth company with a thefe hateth his owne soule he hereth blasphemyes and telleth it not forthe He that feareth men shal haue a fall but who so putteth his truste in the Lorde is without daunger Many there be that seke the Prynces fauoure but euery mans iudgement commeth from the Lorde The rightuous abhorreth the vngodly but as for those that be in the ryght waye the wycked hate them âšœ A chylde that kepeth the worde shal be without destruccyon ¶ The putenes of the worde of God and what we ought to requyre of God with certayne wonderfull thynges that are in this worlde CAPI XXX THE wordes of Agur the sonne of Iakei and the Propherye that the same man spake vnto Ithiel euen vnto Ithiel and Uchall I am more foolysshe then any man and haue no mans vnderstandynge I neuer lerned wysdome nor had knoweledge of holy thynges Who hathe clymmed vp into Heauen Who hathe come downe from thence Who hathe holden the wynde faste in hys hande Who hathe comprehended the waters in a garmente Who hathe sette all the endes of the worlde What is hys name or his sonnes name Canste thou tell All the wordes of God are pure and cleane for he is a shylde vnto all them that put theyr truste in him Put y u nothynge vnto his wordes lest he reproue the and thou be founde a lyar Two thinges haue I requyred of the that thou wylt not denye me before I dye Remoue frome vanyte lies geue me neyther pouerte nor ryches onely graunte me a necessary what were errour and folishnes And I perceâ—ued that thys was but a vexacyon of mynde for where muche wysdome is there is also great trauaile aud disquyetnes and the more knowledge a man hathe the more is hys care ¶ Aboundaunce of rychesse of pleasure and of buyldynge are vayne thynges CAP. II. THen sayde I thus in my herte Nowe go to I wyl take myne ease and haue good dayes But lo that is vanite also in so muche that I sayde vnto laughter thou arte mad and to myrthe what doest thou So I thought in my herte to withdrawe my flesshe from wyne to applye my mynde vnto wysdome and to comprehende folishnesse vntyll the tyme that amonge all the thynges whiche are vnder the Sunne I myght se what were beste for men to do so long as they lyue vnder heauen I made gorgyous fayre worckes I buylded me houses and planted vyneyardes I made me orchardes and gardeÌ„s of pleasure and planted trees in them of all maner frutes I made pooles of water to water the grene and frutefull trees withall I boughte seruauntes and maydens and had a greate housholde As for catell and shepe I had more substaunce of them then all they that were before me in IerusaleÌ„ I gathered syluer golde together euen a treasure of kinges and landes I prouyded me syngers wemen whiche coulde playe of instrumentes to make men myrth and pastyme I gat me psalteries and songes of musycke And I was greater and in more worshype then all my predecessours in Ierusalem For wysedome remained with me and loke whatsoeuer myne eyes desyred I let them haue it and wherin soeuer my hert delyted or had any pleasure I with helde it nat froÌ„ it Thus my hert reioysed in all that I dyd this was my porcyon of all my trauayle But when I considred all the worckes that my handes had wrought and al the labour that I had taken therin lo all was but vanite and vexacyon of mynde and nothynge of any value vnder the Sunne Then turned I me to consydre wysdome errour and folyshnesse for what is he among men that myght be compared to me the kyng in such worckes and I sawe that wysdome excellethe folyshnesse as farre as lyghte dothe darckenesse For a wyse man hath hys eyes in his head but the foole goeth iÌ„ the darckenesse I perceaued also that they bothe had one ende Then thought I in my minde Iâ— it happen vpon the foole as it dothe vnto me what nedeth me theÌ„ to labour eny more for wysdome So
chaunged turned into another meanynge for euyll shal be put out and disceyte shal be quenched As for fayth it shall floryshe corrupcion shal be ouercome the truth which hath bene so longe without frute shal be declared And it happened when he talked w t me that I loked demurely vpon him before whome I stode and these wordes sayde he vnto me I am come to shewe the the tyme of the nyght for to come Yf thou wylte praye yet more and fast seuen dayes agayne I shall tell the more thinges and greater then before for thy voyce is hearde before the Hyest for why y ◠myghtye hathe sene thy ryghtuous dealynge he hath sene also thy chastyte which thou hast had euer sence thy youth and therfore hathe he sent me to shewe the al these thynges to saye vnto the Be of good comforte feare not and hast not w t the tymes that are paste to thyncke vayne thynges make not haste of the latter tymes And it happened after this that I wept agayne and fasted seuen dayes in lyke maner y ◠I myght fulfyll the thre wekes which he tolde me In the eyght night was my hert vexed withi me agayne I begāne to speke before the hyest for my sprete was greately set on fyre and my soule was in destresse I sayd O Lord thou spakest vnto thy creature frō the begynnyng euen the fyrst daye and saydest Let heauen earth be made and thy worde was a perfecte worcke And then was there the sprete and the darckenesses were yet on euery syde and sylence there was no mans voyce as yet from the. Then cōmaunded thou a fayre lyght to come forth out of thy treasures that thy workes myght appere and be sene Upon the seconde daye thou made est the sprete of the firmament and commaūdest it to part in sunder and to make a deuysion be twixte the waters that the one parte myght remayne aboue and the other beneth Upon the thyrde day thou broughtest to passe that the waters were gathered in the seuēth part of y ◠earth Sixe partes hast thou dryed vp and kepte them to thyntent that mē myght sowe occupye husbandry therin As soone as thy worde wente forth the worcke was made For immediatly there was greate innumerable frute and many diuerse pleasures desyres of tēptacyon floures of chaungeable coloure and smel and this was done the thyrde day Upon the. iiij daye thou cōmaundedst y ◠the Sunne shuld geue his shyne the mone her lyght the starres dydest thou set in ordre gauest thē a charge to do seruyce euen vnto man that was for to be made Upon the fyfth daye thou saydest vnto the seuenthe part where the waters were gathered that they shulde brynge forthe diuerse beastes foules and fysshes And so it came to passe that the domme water and without soule brought forth lyuynge beastes at the commaundement of God that all people myght prayse thy wonderous worckes Then dydest thou preserue two soules the one thou calledst Enoch and the other Leuiathan didest seperate the one from the other for the seuenth parte namely where the water was gathered together myght not holde them bothe Unto Enoch thou gauest one parte whiche was dryed vp the thyrde daye that he shulde dwel in the same part wherin are a thousande hylles But vnto Leuiathan thou gauest the seuēth part namely y ◠moyst and haste kepte him to deuoure what thou wylte and whan Upon the syxte daye thou gauest cōmaundement vnto the earthe that before the it shulde brynge forth beastes caxell and all that crepe and besydes this Adam also whome thou madest Lorde of all thy creatures Of hym come we all and the people also whom thou hast chosē specyally vnto thy selfe Al this haue I said nowe and spoken before the O Lord y t I myght shewe howe that the world is made for our sakes As for the other people whiche also come of Adam thou hast said that they are nothyng but be lyke a spetle hast lyckened the aboūdaunce of them vnto a droppe that falleth from the rofe of the house And nowe O Lorde the Heathen which haue euer bene reputed as nothynge haue begōne to be Lordes ouer vs and to deuour vs but we thy people whom thou hast called the fyrst borne thy onely begotten thy feruente louer are geuen into theyr handes and power Yf the worlde nowe be made for our sakes why haue we not the inherytaūce in possessyon with the worlde Howe longe shall this endure ¶ The Angell sheweth Esdras many thynges to come CAPI VII AND it happened after that I had spoken out these wordes there was sente vnto me an Angell whiche had bene by me also the nightes afore and he sayd vnto me Up Esdras and here the wordes that I am come to tell the. And I sayd speake on Lord my God Then sayd he vnto me The see is set in a wyde place that it might be depe and greate but the entraunce is narowe small lyke a ryuer For who wolde go into the see to loke vpon it and to rule it If he wente not thorow the narowe how myght he come into the brode Item another A cytie is buylded and set vpon a brode felde and is full of al goodes the entraūce is narowe and sodayne lyke as yf there were a fyre at the ryght hande and a depe water at the lefte and as it were onely one strayte path betwixte thē bothe so small that there coulde but one man go there If this cyte nowe were geuē to an heyre he neuer went thorowe the parlous waye how wolde he receyue his enheritaūce And I sayde It is so Lord. Then said he to me Euen so is Israel also a porcyon And why for theyr sakes haue I made the world and when Adam transgressed my statutes then was the thyng iudged that was done Thē were the entraūces of the worlde made narowe ful of sorowe trauayle They are but fewe ◠euil ful of parels labour For the entraunces of the fore worlde were wide sure and brought immortall frute If they nowe whiche are entred into this worlde maye not comprehende these strayte and vaine thinges muche lesse may they cōprehende and vnderstande the secrete thynges Why disquietest thou thy self thē seyng thou art but a corruptyble man And what woldest thou knowe where as thou art but mortall And why hast thou not receyued in to thyne herte the thynge that is for to come but that is present Then sayd I O Lord Lord thou hast ordayned in thy lawe that the ryghtuous shulde inherete these thīges but that the vnfaythful and vngodly shulde perysh Neuer thelesse the rightuous shal suffre strayte thīges hope for wide for they that haue liued vngodly and suffred strayte thynges shall not se the wyde And he sayd vnto me There is no iudge aboue God and none that hath vnderstandynge aboue the Hyest For there
it is and howe greate thou thynkest it after the measure of thyne eyes and then shalte thou heare as muche as thyne eares maye comprehende For thou art blessed aboue many other and arte called with the Hyest as the fewe But to morowe at nyght thou shalt remayne here so shall the Hyest shewe the vysioÌ„s of hye thynges whyche he wyll do vnto them that dwell vpon earth in the last dayes So I slepte y â— same nyght and the other lyke as he commaunded me ¶ In this Chapter in the. ii next ensuynge he entreateth of certen vysyons and of the interpretacyons therof CAPI XI THEN sawe I a dreame and beholde there came vp from the see an Aegle whiche had xii wynges thre heades And I sawe beholde he spred his wynges ouer all the earth and all the wyndes of the ayre blewe in theÌ„ so they were put together agayne And I behelde out of his fethers there grewe other lytle coÌ„trary fethers the heades rested the heade in the myddest was greater theÌ„ y â— other yet rested it with the residue Moreouer I sawe that the Aegle flewe with his wynges rayned vpoÌ„ earth and ouer all theÌ„ that dwel vpon the earth I sawe that all thinges vnder heauen were subiecte vnto hym no man spake agaynst hym no not one creature vpoÌ„ earth I sawe also that the Aegle stode vp vpon hys clawes gaue a sounde with his fethers and a boyce saynge after this maner watch not all together slepe euery man in his owne place and watch for a tyme but let the heades be preserued at the last Neuertheles I sawe that the voyce wente nat oute of hys heades but from the myddest of hys body And I nombred his coÌ„trary fethers and be holde there were eyght of them And I loked and beholde vpon the ryght syde there arose one fether rayned ouer all the earth And it happened that when it raygned the ende of it came and the place therof appeared nomore So the nexte folowynge stode vp and raygned and had a great tyme and it happened that when it raygned the ende of it came also lyke as the fyrst so that it appeared nomore Then came there a voyce vnto it sayd Heare thou that haste kepte in the earth so longe thys I saye vnto the before thou begynnest to appere nomore There shal none after the atteyne vnto thy tyme. Then arose the thyrde raygned as the other afore and appeared nomore also So went it with all the residue one after another so that euery one raygned and then appered nomore Then I loked and beholde inprocesse of tyme the fethers that foloweth were set vp vpon the ryght syde that they myght rule also and some of them ruled but within a whyle they appeared nomore for some of them were set vp but ruled nat After thys I loked and beholde the. xij fethers appeared no more and the two wynges and there was nomore vpoÌ„ the Aegles body but two heades that rested and syxe fethers Then sawe I also that the syxe fethers were parted in two and remayned vnder the heade that was vpon the ryght syde for the foure continued in theyr place So I loked and beholde they that were vnder the wynges thought to set vp them selues to haue the rule Then was there one set vp but shortly it appeared nomore the seconde was souer awaye then the fyrst And I behelde and lo y â— two thought also by theÌ„ selues to raygne and when 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 theÌ„ I sawe that the two heades were fylled with hym the heade was turned with theÌ„ that were by hym and dyd eate vp the two vnder wynges that wolde haue raygned But thys heade put the whole earth in feare and bare rule in it ouer all those that dwelt vpoÌ„ earth with much labour and he had the gouernaunce of the worlde ouer al the foules y â— haue bene After this I loked and beholde the heade that was in y â— myddest sodenly appeared nomore lyke as the wynges then came the two heades whiche ruled vpon earth ouer those y â— dwell therin And I behelde lo the heade vpon the ryght syde deuoured it that was vpon the lefte syde And I herde a voyce which sayde vnto me loke before the and consydre the tnynge that thou seyest Then I sawe and beholde as it were a lyon that roareth rennynge hastely out of the wod he sent out a mans voyce vnto the Aegle sayd Heare thou I wyl talke with the the Hyest shal saye vnto y â— Is it nat thou y â— hast y â— victory of the foure beastes whoÌ„ I made ro raygne vpon earth and in my worlde and that the ende of their times might come thorow the â–ª And the fourtth came and ouerwanne all the beastes that were paste and had power ouer the worlde with great fearfulnes and ouer the whole coÌ„passe of the earth with the most wicked laboure so longe tyme â—welt he vpon the earth with disceate the earth hast thou iudged nat with trueth For thou hast troubled the meke thou haste hurte the peaceable quyete thou hast loued lyers destroyed y â— dwellynges of theÌ„ that brought forth frute and hast cast downe the walles of such as dyd y â— no harme Therfore is thy wrongeous dealynge and blasphemye come vp vnto the Hyest and thy pryde vnto the Myghty The Hyest also hath loked vpon the proude tymes and beholde they are ended theyr abhomynacyons are fulfylled And therfore appeare nomore thou Aegle thy horrible wynges thy wycked fethers and thy vngracyous heades thy synfull clawes and all thy vayne body that the earth maye be refreshed and come agayne to her selfe when she is delyuered from thy vyolence and that she maye hope for the iudgement mercy of hym that made her CAPI XII AND it happened when y â— Lyon spake these wordes vnto y â— Aegle I sawe beholde the heade that afore had the vpper hande appeared nomore nether did y â— foure wynges appere any more y t came to hym were set vp to raygne and theyr kyngdome was small full of vproure And I sawe beholde they appered nomore the whole body of y â— Aegle was brent the earth was in greate feare Then awaked I out of the traunce of my mynde from greate teare and sayde vnto my sprete Lo this hast thou geuen me in y â— thou searchest out the wayes of the Hyest â—o yet am I weery in my minde and very weake in my sprete lytle streÌ„gth is there in me for y â— great feare y â— I receaued this nyght Therfore wyll I nowe beseche the â—yest y â— he wil coÌ„forte me vnto the ende and I sayde Lorde Lorde yf I haue
the fyshes therof also before the Lord before the glory of his power For strong is his ryght hande y ◠holdeth the bowe his arowes that he shoteth are sharpe shal not mysse when they begynne to be shot into the endes of the worlde Beholde the plages are sente shall not turne agayne tyl they come vpon earth The fyre is kyndled and shal not be put out tyll it cosume the foundacions of the earth Like as an arowe whiche is shot of a myghtye archer returneth not backe warde euen so the plages that shal be sent vpon earth shal not turne agayne Wo is me wo is me who wil delyuer me in those dayes The begynnyng of sorowes and great mournyng the begynnyng of darth and greate death the begynnyng of warres and the powers shal stande in feare the begynnynge of euyls and they shal tremble euery one What shal I do in these thynges when the plages come Beholde honger and plage trouble and anguysh are sent as scourges for amendemēt But for all these thinges they shal not turne from theyr wyckednesse nor be alway minde full of the scourges Beholde vitailes shal be so good cheape vpon erath that they shall thinke thē selues to be in good case euen then shall myschefe growe vpon earth warres darth and great disquietnes For many of them y t dwel vpon earth shal perish of honger the other that escape the hongre shall the swerde destroy the deed shal be cast out as dong there shal be no mā to cōfort them For the earth shal be wasted the cities shal be cast downe there shal be no mā left to tyl the earth to sowe it The trees shal geue frute who shal plucke them of gather them The grapes shall be rype who shall treade thē For all places shal be desolate of men so y ◠one man shal desyre to se another or to here his voyce For of one whole cytie there shal be ten left two in the felde which shall hyde them selues in the thycke busshes and in the clyffes of stones lyke as whē there remayne thre or foure olyues vpon the olyue tree oras when a vyneyard is gathered there are left some grapes of them that diligentely sought thorowe the vyneyarde Euen so in those dayes there shal be thre or foure left for thē that search theyr houses with the swerde And the earth shal be left waste and the feldes therof shall waxe olde and her wayes and al her pathes shall grow full of thornes because no man shal trauaile there thorowe The daughters shal mourne hauynge no brydegromes the wemen shall make lamentacion hauyng no husbandes their daughters shal mourne hauīg no help of theyr brydgrome In the warres shal they be destroyed and theyr husbādes shal perish of hongre O ye seruauntes of the Lord here these thynges and marke thē Beholde the worde of the Lorde O receyue it beleue not the Goddes of whom the Lord speaketh Be holde the plages drawe nye are not slacke in tarieng Lyke as a trauaylynge woman which after the. ix moneth bryngeth forth a sonne when the houre of the byrthe is come an houre two or thre afore that the paynes come vpon her body and when the chylde cōmeth to the byrth they tary not the twyncke lynge of an eye Euen so shall not the plages be slacke to come vpon earth and the worlde shall mourne sorowes shall come vpon it on euery syde O my people heare my worde make you redy to the batayle and in all euyll be euen as pylgrems vpon earth He that selleth let him be as he that flyeth his waye and he that byeth as one that wyll see Whoso occupyeth marchaundyes as he that wynneth not he that buyldeth as he that shall not dwell therin he that soweth as one that shal not reape he that twysteth the vineyarde as he that shall not gather the grapes they that mary as they that shal get no chyldren and they that mary not as the wyddowes and therfore they that labour labour in vayne For straungers shall reape their frutes and spoyle their goodes ouerthrow their houses take their chyldren captiue for in captiuite and hongre shal they get chyldren And they that occupye their marchaundies with robbery howe longe decke they theyr cytyes theyr houses theyr possessyons and personnes the more wyll I punyshe them for theyr synnes sayeth the Lorde Lyke as an whore enuyeth an honest woman so shall ryghtuousnes hate iniquite when she decketh her selfe and shall accuse her to her face when he cōmeth that defendeth whiche shal make inquisicion for all synne vpon earthe And therfore be not ye lyke thereunto nor to the workes therof for or euer it be long iniquite shal be taken away out of the earth rightuousnes shall raygne amonge you Let not the symer saye that he hathe not synned for coles of fyre shall burne vpon his head which sayeth before the Lord God and his glory I haue not synned Beholde the Lord knoweth all the worckes of men their ymaginacions their thoughtes and theyr hertes For he spake but the worde let the earth be made and it was made let the heauen be made and it was made In his worde were the statres made he knoweth the nōbre of them He searcheth the groūde of the depe the treasures therof he hathe measured the see◠and what it conteyneth He hath shut the see in the myddest of the waters ▪ and with his worde hath he hāged the eart◠vpō the waters He spredeth out the heauen◠lyke a vawte vpō the waters hath he founded it In the deserte and drye wyldernes hathe he made springes of water and poles vpon the toppe of the mountaynes that the floudes myght poure downe frome the stony rockes to water the earth He made man put hys herte in the myddest of the bodye and gaue hym breth lyfe and vnderstandyng yee and the sprete of the Almyghty God which made al thynges and hath serched the grounde of all the secretes of the earth He knoweth your ymagynacyons and inuencions and what ye thynke when ye sīne and wolde hyde your synnes Therfore hath the Lorde searched and sought out all youre workes and he shall bewraye you all And when your synnes are brought forth ye shal be ashamed before men your owne synnes shal be your owne accusers ī that day What wyll ye do Or howe wyll ye hyde youre synnes before God and his Aungels Beholde God himselfe is the iudge feare him leue of from your synnes and forget your vnryghtuousnes medle nomore with them so shal God leade you forthe and delyuer you from all trouble For beholde the heate of a great multitude is kyndled ouer you they shall take awaye certayne of you and fede the slayne with Idols they that consent vnto thē shal be had in derision laughed to scorne and troden vnder fote For vnto the places
compare thinges that cannot fele vnto them and they are worse then those Yet is there not one of these beastes that with his syght can behold any good thing nether haue they geueÌ„ prayse nor thanckes vnto God ¶ The punyshment of Idolatrers and the benefytes done vnto the faythfull CAPI XVI FOr these and suche other thynges haue they suffred worthy punyshement and thorowe the multytude of beastes are they roted out In steade of the whiche punyshmentes thou hast gracyously ordred thyne owne people and geuen their desyre that they longed for a newe and straunge tayst preparynge them quales to be theyr meate to the intent that by the thynges which were shewed and sent vnto them they that were so gredy of meate myght be withdrawen euen froÌ„ the desyre that was necessary But these with in shorce tyme were brought vnto pouertye and tasted a newe meate For it was requysite that without any excuse destruccion shulde come vpon those which vsed tyranny and to shewe onely vnto the other how their enemyes were destroyed For when the cruel woodnesse of the beastes came vpon them they peryshed thorow the stinges of the cruel Serpentes Notwithstandynge thy wrath endured not perpetually but they were put in feare for a lytle season that they myght be refourmed hauyng a token of saluacyon to remeÌ„bre the commaundemeÌ„t of thy lawe For he that coÌ„uerted was not healed by the thynge y â— he sawe but by the O sauiour of all So in this thou shewedst thyne enemyes that it is thou which deliuered troÌ„ all euyll As for them wheÌ„ they were bytteÌ„ â–ª w t greshoppers and flyes they dyed for they were worthy to perysh by such But neyther y â— teth of dragoÌ„s nor of venimous wormes ouercame thy chyldreÌ„ for thy mercy was euer by theÌ„ helped theÌ„ Therfore were they punyshed to remeÌ„bre thy wordes but hastely were they healed agayn lest they shuld fal into so depe forgetfulnes y â— they myght not vse thy helpe It was nether herbe nor playster that restored theÌ„ to the helth but thy word O lord which healeth all thynges It is y u O Lord that hast the power of lyfe and death thou ledest vnto deathes dore and bryngest vp agayne But maÌ„ thorow wickednes slayeth his owne soule and when hys sprete goeth forth it turneth not agayne neyther may he call agayne the soule that is taken awaye It is not possyble to eskape thy hande For the vngodly that wolde not knowe y â— were punyshed by y â— strength of thyne arme wyth straunge waters hayles and raynes were they persecuted and thorowe fyre were they consumed For it was a wonderous thynge that fyre myght do more then water whiche quencheth all thynges but the worlde is the auenger of the ryghtuous Somtyme was the fyre so tame that the beastes which were sent to punysh the vngodly brente not and that because they shulde se and knowe that they were persecuted with the punyshmente of God And some tyme brent the fyre in the water on euery syde that it myght destroye y â— vnrightuous nacion of the earth Againe thou haste fed thyne owne people w t Angels fode and sent the breade redy from Heauen without their laboure beynge very pleasaunt and of good tast And to shewe thy ryches swetenesse vnto thy chyldren thou gauest euery one theyr desyre so that euery maÌ„ myght take what lyked hym best But the snowe and yse abode the vyolence of the fyre melted not that they myght knowe that the fyre burnyng in the hayle and rayne destroyed the frute of the enemyes the fyre also forgat his strength agayne that the rygh tuous myght be noryshed For the creature that serueth the whiche art the maker is fearse in punyshyng y â— vnryghtuous but is easy geÌ„tle to do good vnto suche as put their trust in the. Therfore dyd all thynges alter at the same tyme and were all obedient vnto thy grace whiche is the nurse of all thynges accordynge to the desyre of them that had nede therof that thy chyldren O Lord whoÌ„ thou louest myght knowe that it is not nature and the growynge of frutes that fedeth men but that it is thy worde whiche preserueth them that put theyr truste in the. For loke what myght not be destroyed wyth the fyre as soone as it was warmed wyth a lytle SuÌ„ne beame it meltetd y â— al meÌ„ myght knowe that thankes ought to be geuen vnto the before the Sunne ryse and that thou oughtest to be worshypped before the daye springe For the hope of the vnthaÌ„kfull shall melt awaye as the wynter yse perysshe as water that is not necessary ¶ The iudgementes of God vpon the Egyptions CAPI XVII GReate are thy iudgementes O Lord and thy councels can not be expressed therfore men do erre that wyl not be refourmed w t thy wysdome For when y â— vnryghsuons thought to haue thy holy people in subieccyon they were bounde with the bandes of darknes long nyght shut vnder the rofe thynkynge to escape the euerlastynge wysdome And whyle they thought to be hyd in the darckenesse of their synnes they were scatred abrode in the very middest of y â— darke couerynge of forgetfulnes put to horryble feare woÌ„derously vexed for the corner wher they myght not kepe them from feare because the sounde came downe and vexed them yee many terrible and straunge visions made them afrayed No power of the fyre myght geue them lyght nether myght the cleare tlammes of y â— starres lyghteÌ„ that horrible nyght For there appeared vnto them a sodayne fyre verye dredefull At the which when they sawe nothynge they were so afrayed y â— they thought the thynge whiche they sawe to be the more fearfull As for the sorcery enchauntmeÌ„t that they vsed it came to derysyon and the proude wysdome was brought to shame For they that promysed to dryue away the fearefulnes drede from that weake soules were sicke for feare them selues and y â— with scorne And though none of the wonders feared theÌ„ yet were they afrayed at the beastes whiche came vpon them at the Hyssyng of the serpentes In so much that with treÌ„blyng they swowned sayd they sawnot y â— ayre whiche no man yet may escape For it is an heuy thynge when a man 's owne conscience beareth recorde of his wyekednes and condempneth hym And whyâ—a vexed and wounded conscyence taketh euer cruell thynges in haÌ„d Fearefulnes is nothyng els but a declaring that a man seketh helpe and defence to answere for hym selfe And loke how much lesse the hope is within the more is the vncertentye of the matter for the whiche he is punyshed But they y â— came in the myghtye nyght slepe the slepe that fel vpon them from vnder and from aboue somtyme were they afrayed thorowe the feare of the wonders and somtime they were so weake that they swowned withall for an hastye and sodayne ferfulnes came vpon
vessel or putteth it vnder a table but setteth it on a candelstycke that they whiche enter in may se the lyght No thyng is in secrete that shall not come abrode Neyther any thyng hyd that shall not be knowen and come to lyght Take hede therfore howe ye heare For who soeuer hath to hym shall be gyuen And who soeuer hath not frome hym shal be taken euen that same whiche he supposeth that he hath Then came to hym his mother his brethren coulde not come at hym for prease And it was tolde hym and sayd Thy mother thy brethren stande with out wolde se the. He answered and sayd vnto them my mother my brethren are these whiche heare the worde of God and do it ✚ And it chaunced on a certayne day that he went in to a shyp and his disciples also he sayde vnto them Let vs go ouer vnto the other syde of the lake And they laūched forth But as they sayled he fel a slepe and there arose a storme of wynde in the lake and they were fylled with water and were in ieoperdy And they came to hym and awoke hym sayenge Mayster Mayster we are loste Then he arose and rebuked the wynde and the tempest of water and they ceased and it waxed calme And he sayd vnto them where is your fayth They feared wondred among them selues sayenge What thynke ye is this for he cōmaundeth both the wyndes and water and they obey hym ⊢ And they sayled vnto the region of the Gederenites whiche is ouer agaynst Galile And when he wente out to lande there met hym out of the citye a certayne man whiche had a deuyl longe tyme and ware no clothes neyther abode in any house but in graues When he sawe Iesus and had cryed he fell downe before hym and with a lowde voyce sayde What haue I to do with the Iesus thou sonne of the God moost hyghest I beseche the tourment me not for he cōmaunded the foule spirite to come out of the man For ofte tymes he had caught hym and he was bound with cheynes and kepte with fetters and he brake the bondes and was caryed of the fende in to wyldernesse And Iesus asked hym sayenge What is thy name And he sayde Legion bycause many deuyls were entred into him And they besought hym that he wolde not cōmaunde them to go out in to the depe And there was there an heerde of many swyne fedynge on an hyll and they besought hym that he wold suffre them to enter into them And he suffred them Then went the deuyls out of the man entred in to the swyne And the heerde ran headlynge with violence in to the lake and were choked When the heerdmen sawe what had chaunced they fled tolde it in the citye and in the villages And they came out to se what was done and came to Iesus founde the man out of whom the deuyls were departed syttynge at the feete of Iesus clothed in his ryght mynde and they were afrayde They also which sawe it tolde them by what meanes he that was possessed of the deuyll was healed And all the multitude of the Gederenites besoughte hym that he wolde departe from them for they were taken with greate feare And he gat hym vp in to the shyppe and returned backe agayne Then the man out of whom the deuyls were departed besought hym that he myght be with hym But Iesus sent hym away sayenge Go home agayne to thyne owne house and shewe what thynges soeuer God hathe done for the. And he went his way and preached thorowout all the citye what thynges soeuer Iesus had done vnto hym And it fortuned that whē Iesus was come agayne the people receyued hym For they all wayted for hym And beholde there came a man named Iairus and he was a ruler of the Synagoge and he fel downe at Iesus fete prayenge hym that he wolde come into his house for he had but one doughter onely vpon a twelue yere of age and she lay a dyenge But as he went the people thronged hym And a woman hauyng an yssue of blood twelue yeres whiche had spente all her substaunce vpon Phisicians neyther coulde be holpen of any came behynde hym and touched the hemme of his garment and immediatly her yssue of bloode staunched And Iesus sayde who is it that touched me When euery man denyed Peter and they that were with hym sayd Mayster the people thruste the and vexe the sayest thou who touched me And Iesus sayde Some body hath touched me For I perceyue that vertue is gone out of me When the woman sawe that she was not hyd she came tremblyng and fell at his fete and tolde hym before all the people for what cause she had touched hym howe she was healed immediatly And he sayd vnto her doughter be of good comforte Thy fayth hath saued the go in peace Whyle he yet spake there came one from the rulers of the synagoges house whiche sayde to hym thy doughter is deade disease not the mayster But when Iesus herde that worde he answered the father of the damsell Feare not byleue onely and she shal be made hoole And when he came to the house he suffred no mā to go in with hym saue Peter Iames and Iohn̄ and the father and the mother of the mayden Euery body wepte sorowed for her and he sayde Wepe not the damsell is not deade but slepeth And they laughed hym to scorne knowynge that she was deade And he thrust them all oute and caught her by the hande and cryed sayenge Mayde aryse And her spirite came agayne and she arose streyghte waye And he commaunded to gyue her meate And the father mother of her were astonyed But he warned them that they shulde tell no man what was done ¶ He sendeth out the. xii apostles to preace He rode heareth 〈◊〉 of hym He fedeth fyue thousande men with fyue looues and two fysshes the disciples confesse hym to be the sonne of God he transfigureth hym selfe vpon the mount delyuereth the possessed and teacheth his disciples to be lowly they desyre vengeaunce but he reproueth them CAPI IX ✚ IEsus called the twelue togyther and gaue them power and auctorite ouer all deuyls and that they myght heale diseases And he sent them to preach the kyngdom of God and to heale the sycke And he sayd vnto them Take nothynge to your iourney neyther staffe nor scrip neyther bread neyther money neyther haue two cootes And what soeuer house ye enter into there abyde and thence departe And who soeuer wyll not receyue you whē ye go out of that citie shake of the very dust from youre feete for a testimony agaynst them And they departed and wente thorowe the townes preachynge the gospell and healynge euery where ⊢ And Herode the Tetrarch herde of all that was done by hym and he doubted bycause that it
haue not receyued the spyryte of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receyued the spyryte of adopcyon wher by we crye Abba father The same spyryte certyfyeth our spyryte that we are the sonnes of God Yf we be sonnes then are we also heires the heyres I meane of God and heyres anexed wyth Chryste yf so be that we suffre wyth hym that we may be also gloryfyed together with him ⊢ ✚ For I suppose that the afflyccyons of this lyfe are not worthy of the glory whiche shall be shewed vpon vs. For the feruent desyre of the creature abydeth lokyng when the sonnes of God shall appeare because the creature is subdued to vanyte agaynste the wyll therof but for his wyll whyche hathe subdued the same in hope For the same creature shall be delyuered from the bondage of corruptyon into the gloryous lybertye of the sonnes of god For we know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauayleth in payne euen vnto this tyme. Not onely it but we also whiche haue ☞ the fyrst frutes of the spyryte mourne in ourselues also and wayte for the adopcyon âšœ of the chyldren of God euen the delyueraunce of our body ⊢ ✚ For we are sauyd by hope But hope that is sene is no hope For howe can a man hope for that which he seyth But and yf we hope for that we se not then do we with pacience abyde for it Lykewyse the spirite also helpeth our in firmyties For we knowe not what to desyre as we ought but the spyryte maketh intercessyon for vs with gronynges whyche can not be expressed And he that searcheth the hertes knoweth what is the meanynge of the spyryte for he maketh intercessyon for the Saynctes accordynge to the pleasure of God ⊢ ✚ We know that all thynges worke for the best vnto them that loue God whiche also are called of purpose For those whiche he knewe before he also ordayned before that they shuld be lyke fashyoned vnto the shape of hys sonne that he myght be the fyrste begotten sonne amonge many brethren More ouer whom he appoynted before them also he called And ☞ whom he hath called theÌ„ also he iustyfied and whom he iustyfied theÌ„ he also gloryfyed What shal we then say to these thinges yf God be on our side who can be agaynst vs which spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs al howe can it be that with him he shulde not gyue vs all thinges also Who shall lay any thynge to the charge of Goddes chosen it is God that iustyfyeth who is he that can condempne it is Christe whyche dyed yee rather whyche is rysen agayne whiche is also on the ryght hande of God and maketh intercessyon for vs. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Gode shal tribulacion or anguyshe or persecucion eyther honger eyther nakednesse eyther parel eyther swearde As it is wrytten for thy sake are we kylled al day long and are counted as Shepe appoynted to be slayne Neuerthelesse in all these thynges we ouercome thorowe hym that loued vs. For I am sure that neyther death neyther lyfe neyther Angels nor rule nether power neither thynges present neyther thinges to come neither heygth neither loweth nether any other creature shal be able to depart vs from the loue of God whiche is in Christe â—esu our Lorde ⊢ ¶ Paulâ— complayneth vpon the hard hertes of the â—ewes that wolde not receyue Chryste and howe the Heythen aâ—â— chosen in theyr slende CAPI IX I Saye the trueth in Chryste and lye not my canscyence also bearyng me wytnes by the holy ghoste that I haue great heuynesse and contynual sorowe in my hert For I haue wyshed my selfe to be cursed from Christ for my brethren my kynsmen as pertaynyng to the flesshe whiche are the Israelites To whome partayneth the adopcyon âšœ of the chyldren and the glory and the couenauntes and the lawe that was gyuen the seruyce of God and the promises whose also are the fathers and they of whome as concernyge the flesshe Christe came whiche is God in all thynges to be praysed for euer Amen I speake not these thynges as thought the wordes of god had take none effect For they are not all Israelytes whyche are of Israel neither are they al chyldren straight way that are the sede of Abraham But in Isaac shall thy sede be called that is to say they whiche are the chyldren of the flesshe are not the children of God But they which be the chyldren of promesse are counted the sede For this is a worde of promes aboute this tyme wyl I come and Sara shal haue a sonne Not onely this but also Rebecca was w t chylde by one euen by our father Isaac For er the chyldren were borne when they had neither done good neither bad that the purpose of God by eleccyon might staÌ„de it was sayde vnto her not by the reason of workes but by the caller the elder shall serue the yonger As it is wrytten Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated What shall we say then is there any vnrightuousnes with God God forbyd For he sayeth to Moises I wyl shew mercy to whom soeuer I shew mercy and wyl haue compassyon on whomsoeuer I haue compassion So lyeth it not then in a mans wyll or cunnynge but in the mercye of God For the scripture sayeth vnto Pharao euen for thys same purpose haue I stered the vp to shewe my power on the and that my name myghte be declared thorowe out al the worlde So hath he mereye on whom he wyl and whom he wyll he maketh harde herted Thou wylte say then vnto me why then blameth he vs yet For who hath bene able to resyst his wyll But O man what arâ—e thou whiche disputest with God â–ª Shall the worke say to the worke man why hast thou made me on this fashyon Hath not the potter power ouer the clay eueÌ„ of the same â—oÌ„pe to make one vessel vnto honoure and another vn to dyshonoure Euen so God wyllyng to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen suffered wyth longe pacyence the vessels of wrathe ordayned to dampnacyon and to declare the ryches of his glorye on the vessels of mercye whiche he had prepared vnto glorye whom also he called not of the Iewes onely but also of the Gentyls As he sayeth also to Oseâ— I wyll call them my people whiche were not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued her to haue optained mercy yhat had not optayned mercy And it shal come to passe that in the place where it was sayd vnto them ye are not my people there shall they be called the chyldren of the lyuyng god But doctryne Let hym that exhorteth gyue attendaunce to his exhortacion If any man gyue let hym do it with synglenes Let him that ruleth do it with dilygence If any maÌ„ shewe mercy let hym do it with
Gospell preachyng of Iesus Christe in vtterynge of the mystery whiche was kepte secrete sence the worlde beganne but nowe is opened by the Scryptures of the Prophetes at the commaundemeÌ„t of the euerlasting God to stere vp obedience to the fayth publyshed amonge all nacions To the same God whiche alone is wyse be âšœ honoure and prayse thorow Iesus Christ for euer AMEN ¶ To the Romaynes ¶ This Epystle was sent from Corinthum by Phebe she that was the minyster vnto the Congregacyon at Cenchrea ⧠The first Epistle of Saynct Paul the Apostle to the Corynthians ¶ He commendeth the Lorynthians exhorteth them to be of one mynde and rebuketh the veuision that was amoge them Wordly wysdome is folishnes before God yâ—â— there to no wysdom but in the despysed crosse of God CAPI I. PAul called an Apostle of Iesus Chryste thorowe the wyl of God and brother Softenes Unto the congregacyon of God whiche is at Corynthum To them that are sanctified by Christ Iesu called saynctes wyth all that call on the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christ in euery place ether of theyrs or of oures Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and from the lord Iesus Christ ✚ I thanke my God alwayes on youre behalf for the grace of god which is geuen you by Iesus Christ that in all thinges ye are made ryche by hym in all vtteraunce and in al knowledge by the which thinges the testimony of Iesus Christ was confermed in you so that ye are behynde in no gyft waytynge for the appearynge of oure Lord Iesus Christ which sha also streÌ„gth you vnto the ende that ye maye be blamelesse in the day âšœ of the commynge of oure Lord Iesus Christ. ⊢ God is faythfull by whom ye are called vnto the fellishyppe of his sonne Iesus Christ oure Lord. I besech you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesus Chryst that ye all speake one thing and that there be no discencion among you but that ye maye be a whole body of one mynde and of one meanynge For it is shewed vnto me my brethren of you by them whiche are of the house of Cloe that there is stryfe amonge you I speake of the same that euery one of you sayeth I holde of Paul I holde of Apollo I hold of Gephas I holde of Christ. Is Christ deuided Was Paul crucified for you ether were ye baptysed in the name of Paule I thancke God that I baptysed none of you but Crispus and Gaius lest any shulde saye that I had baptised in myne owne name I baptised also the house of Stephana Forthermore know I not whether I baptised any man of you or no. For Christ sent me not to baptyse but to preach the Gospel not with wysdome of wordes lest the crosse of Christ shulde haue bene made of none effecte For the preachynge of the crosse is to them that perisshe foolishnes but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of god For it is written I wyl destroy the wysdom of the wyse and wyl cast away the vnderstandynge of the prudent Where is the wyse Where is the scrybe Where is the dysputer of thys worlde Hath not God made the wysdome of thys worlde folishnes For after that the worlde thorowe wysdome knewe not god in the wysdome of god it pleased God thorowe folishnes of preachyng to saue them that beleue For the Iewes requyre a sygne and the Grekes seke after wisdome But we preache Christe crucified vnto the Iewes an occasyon of fallynge and vnto the Grekes folisshnes but vnto them whiche are called both of the Iewes Grekes we preach Christe the power of god and the wysdome of god For the folyshnes of god is wyser then men and the weakenes of god is stronger then men Brethren ye se your calling how that not many wise men after the flesshe not many myghtye not many of hye degre are called But God hath chosen the folish thinges of the world to coÌ„founde the wyse And god hath chosen the weake thynges of the worlde to confounde thynges whiche are myghtye And vyle thinges of the worlde thynges whiare despised hath God chosen yee and thinges of no reputacion for to briÌ„ge to â—ought thynges of reputacyon that no flessh shuld reioyce in hys presence And of him are ye in Christ Iesu which of god is made vnto vs wysdome and rightwesnes and sancrifyinge and redempcyon That accordynge as it is wrytten he which reioyseth shulde reioyce in the Lorde ¶ It is not cloquence and gloryous paynted wordes of wordly wysdome that can edyfye and conuerte soules vnto Christ but the playne wordes of the scrypturâ— for they make mencyon of him and hys crosse CAPI II. ANd I brethren when I came to you came not in gloriousnes of wordes or wisdome shewyng vnto you the testimony of god Neyther shewed I my selfe that I knewe any thynge among you saue Iesus Christ euen the same that was crucyfyed And I was amonge you in weaknes and in feare and in muche tremblyng And my wordes and my preachyng was not wyth entysyng wordes of mannes wysdome but in shewynge of the spyryte of power that your sayth shuld not stande in the wisdome of men but in the power of God â—â— brother but one brother goeth to lawe with onother and that vnder the vnbeleuers Now therfore there is vtterly a faut amoÌ„g you because ye go to lawe one w t another Why rather suffer ye not wronge why rather suffre ye not your selues to haue harme naye ye youre selues do wronge robbe that the brethren Do ye not knowe howe y â— y â— vnrighteous shal not inheret y â— kingdom of God Be not deceaued For nether fornicatours nether worshippers of Images nether aduoutrers nether weaklinges nether abusers of theÌ„ selues wyth mankynde nether theues nether couerouse nether droÌ„ kardes nether cursed speakers nether pillers shal inheret the kingdome of god And such were some of you but ye are wasshed but ye are sanctifyed but ye are iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spryâ—e of oure God I maye do al thynges but all thinges are not profytable I maye do all thynges but I wyl be brought vnder no mans power Meates are ordeyned for the belly and the belly for meates but god shal destroy both it and theÌ„ Let not the body be applied vnto fâ—rnicacyon but vnto the Lorde the Lorde vnto the body god hath raised vp the lord and shall rayse vs vp by his power ✚ Ether knowe ye nor y â— youre bodyes are y â— meÌ„bers of Christ shal I now take the members of Christ and make them the meÌ„bers of an harlot God forbyd Do ye not knowe that he which coupleth him selfe w t an harlot is become one body For two sayeth he shal be one flesshe But he that is ioyned vnto the Lorde is one sprete Fle fornicacion Euery sinne y â— a maÌ„ doth is without
the body But he that is a fornicator sineth against his owne body Ether knowe ye not howe that youre bodyes are the temple of the holy gooste whiche dwelleth in you whom ye haue of god and how that ye are not your owne For ye are dearly bought Therfore gloryfye god in youre bodyes and in youre spyrytes whyche are Goddes ⊢ ¶ Of maryage vyrgynyte and wyddowheade CAPI VII AS concerning the thynges wherof ye wrote vnto me ✚ it is good for a maÌ„ not to touche a woman Neuertheles to avoyde whordome let euery man haue hys wyte and let euery woman haue her husbande Let the husbaÌ„de geue vnto the wyfe due beneuolence Lykewyse also the wyfe vnto the husbande The wyfe hathe not power of her owne body but the husbande And lykewyse the husbaÌ„de hath not power of his owne body but the wyfe Wythdrawe not youre selues one from another except it be with consente for a tyme for to gene youre selues to fastynge and prayer And afterwarde come together agayne leste Satan tempte you for youre incontinencye Thys I saye of fauoure and not of commaundement For I wolde that all men were as I my selfe am but euery man hath his proper gytte of God one after this maÌ„ner another after that I saye vnto them that be vnmaryed and wyddowes it is good for them yf they abyde euen as I do But and yf they cannot abstayne let them mary For it is better to mary then to burne Unto the maryed coÌ„mauÌ„de not I but the Lord Let not the wyfe be separated from the husband If she seperate her self let her remaine vnmaried or be recoÌ„ciled vnto her husbande agayne And let not the husband put awaye his wyfe from him To the remnaunt speake I not the Lord If any brother haue a wyfe that beleueth not yf she be content to dwell with hym let hym not put her awaye And the woman whyche hathe to her husbande an infydell and consent to dwell wyth her let her not put hym awaye For the vnbeleuynge husbande is sanctifyed by the wyfe and the vnbeleuynge wyfe is sanctyfyed by the husbande Or els were your chyldren vnclene but ☞ nowe are they holye But and yf the vnbeleuyng departe let him departe A brother or a syster is not in subieccyon to such But god hath called vs in peace For howe knoweste thou O woman whether thou shalt saue thy husbande or no Other howe knowest thou O man whether thou shalte saue thy wyfe or no but euen as God hath distributed to euery man As the Lorde hathe called euery man so let hym walke and so orden I in all congregacions If any man be called being circuÌ„cised let hym not adde vncircumcisyon If any be called vncircumcised let hym not be circumcised Circumcision is nothyng and vncircumcisyon is nothynge but the kepynge of the commaundementes of God ✚ Let euery man abide in the same calling wherin he was called Arte thou called a seruauÌ„â— care not for it Neuerthelesse ☞ yf thou mayst be fre vse it rather For he that is called in the Lorde beynge a seruaunte â–ª is the Lordes freman Lykewyse he that is called beynge fre is Christes seruaunte Ye are dearly bought ☞ be not ye the seruauÌ„tes of men Brethren let euery man wherin he is called therin abyde with God ⊢ As concerninge virgins I haue no commaundement of the Lorde yet geue I counsell as one that hath obtayned mercy of the Lorde to be faythfull I suppose therfore that it is good for the present necessyte For it is good for a man so to be Art thou bouÌ„de vnto a wyfe seke not to be losed Arte thou losed from a wyfe seke not a wyfe But and yf thou marye a wyfe thou hast not synned Lykewyse yf a virgen mary she hathe not synned Neuerthelesse suche shal haue trouble in theyr fleshe but I fauoure you This saye I brethren the tyme is short It remayneth that they whiche haue wyues be as though they had none and they that wepe be as though they wept not and they that reioyce be as though they reioised not and they that bye be as though they possessed not and they that vse this worlde be as though they vse it not For the fassyon of this worlde goeth awaye I wolde haue you without care He y â— is vnmaryed careth for the thynges that belonge to the Lorde howe he maye please the Lorde But he that hathe maryed a wyfe careth for the thinges that are of the worlde howe he may please his wyfe There is differeÌ„ce betwene a virgin a wyfe The single womaÌ„ careth for the thinges y â— are of the Lorde y â— she may be holy both i body also in spyrit Agayne she y â— is maryed careth for y â— thynges y â— pertayne to y â— worlde howe she maye please her husbaÌ„de ☞ This speake I for your profyt not to taÌ„gâ—e you in a snare but y â— ye may folowe it which is honest comly and that ye may cleue vnto the lorde without separacioÌ„ If any man thynke that it is vncumly for hys virgin yf she passe the tyme of maryage and yf so nede requyre let hym do what he lysteth he synneth not let them be coupled in mariage Neuerthelesse he that purposeth surely in hys herte hauynge no nede but hathe power ouer his owne wyll and hathe so decreed in hys herte that he wyll kepe hys virgin doeth well So then he that ioyneth hys virgin in mariage doth well But he that ioyneth not hys virgin in mariage doth better The wyfe is bouÌ„de to the mariage as longe as her husbande lyueth If her husbande dye she is at liberte to mary with whom she wyll onely in the Lorde But she is happyer yf she so abyde after my iudgement And I thynke verely that I haue the spyrit of God ¶ He rebuketh theÌ„ that vse lyberte to the sclander of other and sheweth howe men ought to behaue them towarde suche as be weake CAPI VIII AS touchynge thynges offred vnto ymages we are sure that we all haue knowledge Knowledge maketh a maÌ„swel but loue edefyeth If any man thynke that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to knowe But yf any man loue God the same is knowen of hym As coÌ„cernynge the earynge of those thinges that are offred vnto ydols we are sure that ☞ the ymage is nothing in y â— worlde and that there is none other God but one And though there be y â— are called Goddes whether in heauen other in earth as there be Goddes many Lordes many yet vnto vs is there but one God whiche is the father of whom are all thynges and we for him and one Lorde Iesus Christ by whom are all thynges and we by hym But euery man hath not knowledge Some hauyng coÌ„science because of the ymage vntyll thys houre eate as a thing offred vnto ymages and so theyr coÌ„cieÌ„ce beyng weake is defiled
the teÌ„ple What saye I then that the ymage is any thynge or that it whiche is offered to ymages is anything Nay but this I saye that the thynges whiche the gentyls offer they offer to deuyls and not to God ✚ I wolde not that ye shulde haue felly shyp w t the deuyls Ye can not drynke of the cup of the Lorde of the cup of deuyls Ye caÌ„not be the partakers of the Lordes table and of y â— table of deuelles Ether do we prouoke the Lorde Are we stronger then he I maye do all thynges but all thynges are not expedient I maye do all thynges but all thynges edifye not Let no maÌ„ seke that whiche is his owne but let euery man seke that whiche belongeth to another Whatsoeuer is solde in the flesshe market that eate and aske no questyon for conscyence sake For the earth is the Lordes and all that therin is If any of them which beleue not byd you to a feast ye be dysposed to go whatsoeuer is set before you eate askinge no questyon for coÌ„science sake But and yf any man saye vnto you this is offred vnto ymages eate not of it for his sake that shewed it and for coÌ„science sake The earth is the Lordes all that therin is CoÌ„science I saye not thyne but of the other For why is my liberte iudged of another mannes coÌ„science For yf I take my parte with thankes why am I euell spoken of for that thynge wherfore I geue thankes Whether therfore ye eate or drynke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the prayse of God ⊢ Se that ye geue none accasyon of euell nether to the Iewes nor yet to the gentyls nether to the congregacyon of God euen as I please all men in all thynges not sekynge myne owne profet but the profet of many that they myght be saued ¶ He rebuketh them for the abuse and misordre that they had aboute the Sacramente of the bodye and bloude of Chryste and bryngeth them agayne to the fyrst instruccyon CAPI XI BE ye the folowers of me as I am the folower of Christ. I coÌ„mende you brethren that ye remeÌ„ber me in al thinges and kepe the ordinaunces euen as I delyuered theÌ„ to you But I wold haue you to knowe that Chryst is the heed of euery maÌ„ And the man is the womans heed And God is Christes heed Euery man prayenge or prophesyinge hauinge any thynge on his heed shameth his heed Euery woman y â— prayth or prophesieeh bare headed dishonesteth her heade For y â— is euen all one as yf she were shauen If the womaÌ„ be not couered let her also be shorne If it be shame for a woman to be shorne or shaueÌ„ let her couer her heed A man ought not to couer his heed for as much as he is the ymage and glory of God But the woman is the glorye of the man For the man is not of the woman but the woman of the man Nether was the man created for the womans sake but the woman for the mannes sake For this cause ought the woman ☞ to haue power on her heed for the angels sakes Neuerthelesse nether is the man w t out the woman nether the womaÌ„ without the maÌ„ in the Lorde For as the woman is of the man euen so is the man by the woman but all of God Iudge in your selues whether it be coâ—ly y t a woman praye vnto God bare heeded Doth not nature it selfe teach you that it is a shame for a man yf he haue longe heete a prayse to a woman yf she haue longe heer For her heer is geuen her to couer her w t all If any maÌ„ lust to stryue we haue no suche custome nether the congregacyons of God This I warne you of and commende not that ye come not together after a better maner but after a worsse For fyrst of all when ye come together in the coÌ„gregacyon I heare that there is dissencioÌ„ amonge you and I partely beleue it For there must be sectes amonge you that they which are perfect amoÌ„ge you myght be knoweÌ„ ✚ When ye come together therfore in one place the Lordes supper can not be eaten For euery man begynneth afore to eate his owne supper And one is hongry another is dronken Haue ye not houses to eate to drynke in Despyce ye the congregacyon of God and shame them that haue not What shall I saye vnto you shal I praise you In this prayse I you not ⊢ ✚ That which I delyuered vnto you I receaued of the Lorde For the Lorde Iesus the same nyght in whiche he was betrayed toke breed and whan he had geueÌ„ thankes he brake it and sayde Take ye and eate this is my bodye whiche is broken for you This do ye in the remebraunce of me After the same maner also hâ— toke the cup when supper was done sayinge Thys cup is the newe Testament in my bloude This do as oft as ye dryncke it in remeÌ„braunce of me For as often as ye shall eate this breed and drynke this cup Ye shall shewe the Lordes deeth tyll he come Wherfore whosoeuer shall eate of this bread or drynke of the cup of the Lorde vnworthely shal be gylty of the body bloud of the Lorde But let a man examen hym selfe and so let hym eate of the breed and drynke of the cup. For he y â— eateth or drynketh vnworthely eateth drynketh his owne damnacion because he maketh no dyffereÌ„ce of the Lordes body For this cause many are weake sycke amonge you and many slepe For If we had iudged oure selues we shulde not haue bene iudged But when we are iudged of the Lorde we are chastened that we shulde not be damned with the worlde Wherfore my brethren when ye come together to eate cary one for another If any man honger let hym eate at home that ye come not together vnto coÌ„deÌ„nacyon ⊢ Other thynges wyl I set morder when I come ¶ The dyuersite of the gyftes of the holy gâ—oâ—â—e geuen to the comforth and edyfyenge of one another as the members of a mans body sâ—â—ue one another CAPI XII COncernynge spyrituall thynges brethren I wolde not haue you ignorauÌ„t ✚ â—e knowe that ye were gentils and went your wayes vnto domne ymages euen as ye were â—ed Wherfore I declare vnto you that no maÌ„ speakynge by the spirit of God defyeth Iesus Also no man can saye that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy goost There are dyuersytes of gyftes yet but one spirit And there are dyfferences of admynystracyons and yet but one Lorde And ther are dyuers maners of operacions and yet but one God ☞ whiche worcketh all in all The gyft of the spirit is geuen to euery man to edifye withall For to one is geuen thorowe the spiryt the vtteraunce of wysdome To another is geuen the vtteraunce of knowledge by the
same spirit To another is geuen fayth by the same spirit To another the gyftes of healynge by the same spirit To another power to do myracles To another prophesye To another iudgemeÌ„t to â—â—cerue spyrites To another diuers tonges To another the interpretacyon of tonges But these all worketh euen the selfe same spirit diuydynge to euery man a seuerall gyfte euen as he wyll ⊢ For as the body is one and hath many membres and all the membres of one body though they be many yet are but one body euen so is Christe For by one spirit are we all baptysed to make one body whether we be Iewes or Gentyls whether we be bonde or fre and haue all droncke of one spyrit For the body is not one member but many If the foâ—e saye I am not the hande I am not of y â— body is he therfore not of the body And yf the eare saye I am not the eye I am not of the body is he therfore not of the body If all the body were an eye where were then the herynge If all were heryng where were the smellynge But nowe hathe God set the meÌ„bers euery one seuerally in the body as it hathe pleased hym If they were all one meÌ„ber where were the bodye Nowe are there many meÌ„bers yet but one bodye And theeye can not saye vnto the hande I haue no nede of the. Agayne the heed cannot saye to the fete I haue no nede of you Yee rather agreat deale those meÌ„bres of the body which seme to be more feble are necessary And vpon those membres of the body whiche we thynke least honest put we more honestye on And oure vngoodly partes haue more beauty on For oure honest membres nede it not But God hath so disposed the body and hathe geuen the more honoure to that parte whiche lacked leste there shulde be any stryfe in the bodye but that the membres shulde indifferently care one for another And yf one member suffer all suffer with hym yf one member be had in honoure all members be glade also Ye are the body of Chryste meÌ„bres one of another And God hath also ordeyned in the coÌ„gregacyon fyrst Apostles secondarely prophetes thridly teachers then them that do myracles after y â— the gyftes of healing helpers gouerners diuersite of â—â—ges Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are al teachers Are al doars of miracles Haue all the gyftes of healynge Do all speake with tonges Do all interprete Couet after the best gyftes And yet shewe I vnto you â— more excellent waye ¶ The natures and condicyons of loue CAPI XIII THough I speake with the tonges of men and of angels and haue no loue I am as soundynge brasse or as a tyncklynge cymball And though I coulde prophesy and vnderstande all secretes and all knowledge yee ☞ yf I haue all fayth â–ª so y â— I could moue mouÌ„taynes out of their places and yet haue no loue I am nothyng And though I bestowe al my goodes to fede the poore and though I giue my body euen that I burne and yet haue no loue it profyteth me nothynge Loue suffreth long and is curteous Loue enuyeth not Loue doth not frowardly swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seketh not her owne is not prouoked to anger thiÌ„keth no euyl reioyseth not in iniquitie but reioyseth in the trueth suffreth all thynges beleueth all thynges hopeth all thynges endureth al thynges Though that prophesyinges fayle other tonges cease or knowledge vanysshe awaye yet loue falleth neuer awaye For ☞ our knowledge is vnperfect and our prophesyinge is vnperfecte But when that which is ê‘fect is come then that which is vnperfecte shal be done awaye When I was a chylde I spake as a chylde I vnderstode as a chylde I ymagyned as a chylde But assone as I was a man I put awaye chyldishnes Nowe we se in a glasse euen in a darcke speakyng but then shall we se face to face Nowe I know vnperfectly but then shal I knowe euen as I am knowen Now abydeth fayth hope and loue eueÌ„ these thre but the ☞ chefe of these is loue ⊢ ¶ Paule sheweth that the gyft of prophecye interpreting or prâ—achyng excelleth the gyfte of tonges and howe they both ought to be vsed CAPI XIIII LAboure for loue and couet spiritual giftes but most chefely that ye maye prophesy For he that ☞ speketh with the tong speaketh not vnto men but vnto God For no man heareth him Howbeit in the spyrite he speaketh mysteries But he that prophesieth speaketh vnto men for their edyfying for their exhortacion and for their comforte He that speaketh with the tonge profyteth hym selfe he that prophesyeth edifyeth the congregacion I wolde that ye all spake w t tonges but rather that ye prophesyed For greater is he that prophesyeth then he that speaketh with tonges excepte he expounde it that the congregacion may haue edifying Nowe brethren yf I come vnto you speakyng with tonges what shal I profyte you excepte I speake to you eyther by reuelacyon or by knoweledge or by prophesyinge or by doctryne Moreouer when thynges without lyfe gyue souÌ„de whether it be a pipe or an â—arpe except they make a distinccion in the souÌ„des howe shall it be knowen what is pyped or harped For yf the troÌ„pe giue an vncertayne voyce who shall prepare hym selfe to the warre Euen so lykewyse when ye speake w t tonges excepte ye speake wordes that haue signyficacion howe shall it be vnderstande what is spoken For ye shal but speake in the ayre Many kyndes of voices are in the world none of them are without significacioÌ„ If I knowe not what the voyce meaneth I shal be vnto him that speaketh an aleant he that speaketh shal be an aleaunt vnto me Euen so ye for as muche as yâ— couâ—â— spirituall gyftes seke that ye may excell vnto the edyfyinge of the congregacyon Wherfore let him that speaketh w t tong praye that he may interprete also For yf I pray with tonge my spiryt prayeth but my ☞ vnderstandyng doth no good What is it then I wyl pray with the spyrit and wyl pray with the vnderstandyng I wyll synge â—â—th the spiryte â–ª and wyll synge ☞ with the vnderstandyng For els when thou blessest with the spiryt howe shal he that occupyeth the rowme of the vnlearned saye Amen at the giuynge of thankes seyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest Thou verely gyuest thankes well but the other is not edyfied I thanke my God that I speake wyth tonges more then ye all Yet had I leuer in the congregacyon to speake fyue wordes w t my vnderstandynge to the infourmacion of other rather then ten thousaÌ„de wordes with the tonge Brethren be not ye chyldren in wytte Howebeit as concernynge maâ—â—ciousnes be chyldren but in wyt be perfecte In the lawe it is wrytten with sondrye tonges with sondry lyppes wyll I speake vnto this people and yet for all that wyll they not heare me
of the starres For one starre differeth from another in glory So is the resurreccyon of the deade It is sowen in corrupcyon it ryseth agayne without corrupcion It is sowen in dishonoure it ryseth agayne in honoure It is sowen in weakenes it ryseth agayne in power It is soweÌ„ a naturall body it ryseth agayne a spiritual body There is a natural body and there is a spiritual bodye as it is also writteÌ„ the fyrst man Adam was made a lyuyng soule and the last AdaÌ„ was made a quyckenyng spirite Howbeit that is not fyrst whiche is spirituall but that whiche is naturall then y â— which is spiritual ⊢ The fyrst man is of the earth erthy the seconde man is the Lord from heauen âšœ heuenly As is the earthy suche are they that are earthy And as is the heauenly suche are theyt hat are heauenly And as we haue borne the ymage of the erthy so shal we bere the ymage of the heauenly This saye I brethren ☞ that flesshe and bloude can not inheret the kingdome of god Nether doth corrupcyon enheret vncorrupcion Beholde I shewe you a mystery We shal not all slepe but we shall all be chaunged that in a moment in the twyncklyng of an eye by the last trompe For the trompe shall blowe the deade shal ryse incorruptible and we shal be chaunged For this corruptible must put on incorrupcion and this mortall must put on immortalite When this corruptyble hath put on incorrupcion and this mortal hath put on immortalite then shal be brought to passe the sayiÌ„g that is wrytten Death is swalowed vp in victory Death where is thy stynge Hell where is thy victory The stinge of death is synne the strength of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God which hath giueÌ„ vs vyctory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ Therfore my deare brethren be ye stedfast vnmouable alwayes ryche in the worcke of the Lord forasmuch as ye knowe how that your labour is not in vayne in the Lorde CAPI XVI ¶ He putteth them in remembraunce of the gatherynge for the pore Christen at Ierusalem and concludeth his Epistle with the salutacyons of certayne louyng â–ª brethren COncernynge the gatherynge for the Saynctes as I haue ordayned in the congregacyons of Galacia euen so do ye Upon some Saboth day let euery one of you put asyde at home laye vp what soeuer is mete that there be no gatherynges when I come When I am come whom soeuer ye shal alow by your letters them wyl I side to bring your liberalite vnto IerusaleÌ„ And yf it be mete that I go also they shall go 〈◊〉 me I wyll come vnto you whan I go oâ—â—â— to Macedonia For I wyl go thorowe ouâ—â— Macedonia With you ê‘auenture I wyâ—â—byde a whyle or els tary al winter y â— ye may bryng me on my way whyther soeuer I go I wyl not se you now in my passage but I truste to abyde a whyle with you yf God shall suffre me I wyll tary at Ephesus vntyll the fyftieth day For a great dore and â— frute full is opened vnto me and there are many aduersaryes If Timotheus come se that he be wtont fere with you For he worketh the worcke of the Lorde as I doâ—let no man therfore despyse him but conuaye hym forth in peace that he maye come vnto me For I loke for him with the brethren To speake of brother Appollo âšœ I certyfye you that I greatly desyred him to come vnto you w t the brethreÌ„ but his mynde was not at all to come at this tyme. Howbeit â–ª he wyll come when he shall haue conueniente tyme. Watche ye stande faste in the faythe quyte you lyke men be stronge Let al your busynes be done with loue Brethren ye knÌ„owe the house of Stephana âšœ and of Fortunatus and Archaâ—cus how that they are the fyrst frutes of Achaâ—a that they haue appoynted them selues to minister vnto the Saynctes I beseche you that ye be obedyent vnto suche to all that helpe labour I am glad of the commynge of Stephana fortunatus Achaicus for that whyche was lackyng vnto me on your parte they haue supplied For they haue coÌ„forted my spirite yours Loke therfore that ye knowe them that are suche The congregacyons of Asia salute you Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lorde and so doth the congregacion that is in their house âšœ with whom also I am lodged Al the brethren grete you Grete ye one another w t an holy kysse The salutacion of me Paule with myne owne hande If any man loue not this Lorde Iesus Christe the same be ☞ Anathema maranatha The grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ be w t you My loue be with you al in Christ Iesu Amen ¶ The fyrst Epystle to the CorinthaÌ„ns was sent from Philippos by Stephana and fortunatus Achaicus Timotheus ⧠The Seconde Epystle of S. Paule the Apostle to the Corinthians ¶ The consolacion of God in trouble The loue of Paule towarde the Corynthyans and his excuse that he came not vnto them CAPI I. PAul an Apostle of Iesu Christe by the wyl of God and brother Tymotheus Unto the coÌ„gregacyon of God whiche is at Corynthium w t all the Saynctes which are in al Achaia Grace be wyth you and peace from God our father from the Lorde Iesus Christ. Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is the father of mercy â–ª and the God of al comforte whiche comforteth vs in al our tribulacioÌ„ in so much that we are able to comforte them whyche are in any maner of trouble with the same coÌ„fort wherwith we oureselues are comforted of God For as the affliccions of Christe are plentuous in vs euen so is our consolacion plentuous by Christ. Whether we be troubled for your consolacyon and health âšœ Or whether we be comforted it is for your comforte and saluacyon whiche saluacion sheweth her power in that ye suffre the same afflyccions whiche we also suffre or whether we be coÌ„forted for your consolacion and saluacion our hope also is stedfast for you in as muche as we knowe howe that as ye are parttakers of the affliccyons so shall ye be parttakers also of the consolacyon Brethren I wolde not haue you ignorauÌ„t of our trouble whych happened vnto vs in Asia For we were greued out of measure passyng strength so greatly that we despayred euen of life Also we receiued an answere of death in ourselues that we shulde not put our trust in ourselues but in God whiche rayseth the dead to lyfe agayne and whiche delyuered vs from so great a deth and doth delyuer On whom we trust that yet hereafter he wyl deliuer by the helpe of your praier for vs that by the meanes of many occasioÌ„s thankes may be gyuen of many on our behalfe for the grace gyuen vnto vs. For our
reioysynge is this euen the testymony of oure conscyence that in synglenes âšœ of hert and godly purenes not in fleshly wysdome but by the grace of God we haue had our coÌ„uersacyon in the world and most of all to you wardes We wryte none other thynges vnto you then that ye reade also knowe Yee and I trust ye shall fynde vs vnto the ende euen as ye haue founde vs partly for we are your reioysing euen as ye are ours in the day of the Lorde Iesus And in this confydence was I mynded fyrste to haue come vnto you that I myght haue had one plesure more with you and to passe by you into Macedonia and to haue come agayne out of Macedonia vnto you to be led forth of you towarde Iewry WhaÌ„ I thus wyse was mynded dyd I vse lyghtnes Or thynke I carnally those thynges whiche I thynke that with me shulde be yee yee and naye naye God is faythful For our preachyng to you was not yee and nay For Goddes sonne Iesus Christ which was preached among you by vs euen by me and Syluanus and Timotheus was not yee naye but by hym it was yee For all the promises of God by him are yee and are in him Amen vnto the lawde of God thorowe vs. For it is God whiche stablyssheth vs wyth you in Chryst and standeth by vs and hath annoynted vs whyche hath also sealed vs and hath gyuen the ernest of the spirite in our hertes ✚ I call God for a recorde vnto my soule that for to fauer you wyth all I came not any more vnto Corynthium Not that we be Lordes oueryoure FAYTH but are helpers of youre ioye For by Fayth ye stande ¶ He sheweth the cause of hys absence and exhorteth them to forgyue the man that was fallen and to receyue hym agayne with loue CAPI II. BUt I determyned this in myselfe that I wolde not come agayne to you in henynesse For yf I make you sorye who is it that shulde make me glad but the same whiche is made sory by me And I wrot thê same vnto you least yf I came vnto you I shuld take heuynes âšœ vpon heuines of them of whom I ought to reioyce This confidence haue I toward you al that my ioy is the ioy of you all For out of great afflyccyon and anguyshe of hert I wrote vnto you with many teares not that ye shulde be made sory but that ye might ê‘ceyue the loue which I haue most specially vnto you If any man hath caused sorow the same hath not made me sory but partely least I shulde greue you all It is suffycyent vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many So that now coÌ„trary wyse ye ought rather to forgyue hym and comforte hym least that same person shulde be swalowed vp wyth ouer muche heuynes Wherfore I exhorte you that loue maye haue strength ouer hym For thys cause verely dyd I writ that I myght knowe the profe of you whether ye shulde be obedyent in all thynges To whom ye forgyue any thyng I forgyue also For yf I forgaue any thynge to whom I forgaue it for your sakes forgaue I it in the syght of Christe lest Satan shulde preuent vs. For his thoughtes are not vnknowen vnto vs. ⊢ ✚ When I was come to Troada for Chrstê Gospels sake and a great dore was opened vnto me of the Lorde I had no rest in my spirite because I founde not Titus my brother but toke my leue of them went away into Macedonia Thanckes be vnto God whiche alwayes gyueth vs the vyctorye in Christ openeth the sauer of hê knowledge by vs in euery place For we are vnto God the swete sauoure of Chryste amonge them that are sauyd and among them whiche peryshe To the one parte are we the sauoure of death vnto deth And vnto the other part are we the sauour of life vnto lyfe And who is mete vnto these thynges For we are not as the most part are whiche choppe chauÌ„ge with the worde of god but euen out of purenes by the power of God in the syght of God so speake we in Christ. ¶ He prayseth the preachyng of the Gospel at ouâ— the preuchynge of the lawe CAPI III. WE begyn to prayse oureselues agayne Nede we as sorge other of Epystles of recommendacion vnto you or letters of recommendacyon from you Ye are oure Epystle wrytten in our hertes whyche is vnderstande red of al men for asmuch as ye declare that ye are the epystle of Christ ministred by vs written not with ynke but with the spirite of the liuyng God not in tables of stone but in flesshly tables of the herte ✚ Suche trust haue we thorowe Christe to god warde not that we are suffycyent of oureselues to thynke anythynge as of ourselues but yf we be able vnto anythynge the same coÌ„meth of god whiche hath made vs able to ministre the newe testament not of the letter but of the spirite For ☞ the letter kylleth but the spirite gyueth lyfe If the ministracyon of death thorow the letters fygured in stones was gloryous to that the chyldren of Israell coulde not beholde the face of Moses for the glory of his countenaunce whiche glory is done away why shal not the ministracyon of the spirite be much more glorious For if the ministâ—iÌ„g of condeÌ„nacion be glorious much more 〈◊〉 the ministracyon of ryghtuousnes â—â—ceaâ—e in glory ⊢ For no dout that which was that glorified is not once gloryfied in respecte of this excedynge glory For yf that whiche is destroyed was glorious muche more that whiche remayneth is glorious Seyng then that we haue suche trust we vse great boldnes do not as Moses which put a vayle ouer his face that the chyldren of Israel shuld not se for what purpose that serued whiche is put away But their myndes were blynded For vntyl this day remaineth the same couering vndertaken away in the lecture of the old testament which vaile shal be put awaye in Christe But euen vnto this daye when Moses is redde the vayle hangeth before their herts Neuerthelesse when they tourne to the Lord the vayle shal be taken awaye The Lorde no doute is a spirite And where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie But we al beholde in a myrroure the glory of the Lord with his face open and are chaunged vnto the same similitude from glory to glory euen as of the spirite of the Lorde A true preacher 〈◊〉 oâ—â—â—â—â—t he corrupteth â—oâ— the worde â—â— God but seketh the honoure of Chryst. yet thought it bâ— with the parell of his lyst CAPI IIII. THerfore seynge that we haue suche an office euen as God hath had mercy on vs we go not out of kynde but haue caste from vs the clokes of vnhonestye walcke not in craftines nether handle we the worde of God disceitfully but open the trueth and
reporte our selues to euery maÌ„nes conscieÌ„ce in the syght of God ✚ If our Gospel be yet hyd it is hyd amonge them that are lost in whom the God of this worlde hath blynded the myndes of them whiche beleue not lest the lyght of the Gospell of the glorye of Christ whiche is the ymage of God shulde shyne vnto them ✚ For we preach not our selues but Christ Iesus to be the Lorde our selues your seruauÌ„tes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darcknes which hath shyned in oure hertes for to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods not ours We are troubled on euery syde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty but not vtterly without somwhat We suffre persecucion but are not for saken therin We are cast downe neuertheles we perysh not We alwayes bere about in the bodye the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our bodye For we whiche lyue are alwayes delyuered vnto deth for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesu myght appeare in our mortall fleshe So then death worcketh in vs but life in you ⊢ ✚ But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth according as it is wrytten I beleued therfore haue I spoken We also beleue therfore speake For we knowe that he whiche raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus shal set vs with you For al thinges do I for your sakes that the plentuous grace by thanckes gyuen of many maye redâ—uÌ„de to the praise of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtwarde man peryshe yet the in warde man is renued daye by daye For oure trybulacyon which is momentany and lyght prepareth an excedynge and an eternall wayght of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whyche are sene but on the thynges whyche are not sene For the thynges whyche are sene are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall ⊢ CAPI V. ¶ The rewarde for suffrynge trouble FOr we knowe that yf our earthy mancion of this dwelling were destroyed we haue a byldyng of God an habytacyon not made with handes but eternall in heauen For therfore syghe we desyrynge to be clothed with our mansyon whiche is from heauen so yet yf that we be founde clothed and not naked For we that are in this tabernacle syghe and are greued because we wolde not be vnclothed but wold be clothed vpoÌ„ that mortalite might be swalowed vp of life He that hath ordeyned vs for this thyng is God which very same hath gyuen vnto vs the ernest of the spirite Therfore we are alwaye of good cheare and knowe that as long as we are at home in the body we are absent from god For we walcke in fayth not after outwarde appearauÌ„ce Neuertheles we are of good comfort and had leuer to be absent from the bodye to be preseÌ„t with God Whefore whether we be at home or from home we endeuour our selues to please hym For we must all appere before the iudgement seate of Chryste that euery man may receyue the worckes of his bodye accordynge to that he hath done whether it be good or bad ✚ Seyng then that we knowe howe the Lorde is to be feared We fare fayre wyth men For we are knowen well ynough vnto god I trust also that we are knoweÌ„ in your consciences For we prayse not our selues agayne vnto you but gyue you an occasyon to reioyce of vs that ye may haue some what agaynst theÌ„ which reioyce in the face and not in the herte For yf we be to feruent to god are we to feruent Or yf we kepe measure for your cause kepe we measure For y â— loue of Christ coÌ„strayneth vs bycause we thus iudge that yf one dyed for all then were all deade he dyed for all that they whych lyue shuld not hence forth lyue vnto them selues but vnto him whych dyed for them rose agayne ⊢ Wherfore hence forth knowe we no maÌ„ after the flesshe In so muche though we haue knowen Christ after the fleshe now yet heÌ„â—e forth know we him so no more Therfore yf any man be in Christ he is a newe creature Olde thynges are passed awaye beholde al thynges are become newe Neuertheles al thiÌ„ges are of God which hath reconcyled vs vnto hym self by Iesus Christ and hath gyuen to vs the offyce to preache the attonement For God was in Christ made agrement betwene the worlde and him self imputed not their synnes vnto them and hath commytted to vs the preachyng of the attonement Nowe then are we messengers in the rowme of Christ eueÌ„ as though God dyd beseche you thorowe vs. So praye we you in Christes stede that ye be reconcyled vnto God for he made him to ☞ be synne for vs whiche knewe no synne that we by his meanes shulde be that ryghtuousnesse whiche before God is alowed ¶ An exhortacyon to receyue the word of God with thankefulnesse and amendement of lyfe The dyligence of Paule in the Gospell and howe he warneth them to exchewe the company of the Heythen CAPI VI. WE also as helpers exhort you that ye receyue not the grace of god in vayne For he sayeth I haue herde the in a tyme accepted and in the day of saluacion haue I suckered the. Beholde nowe is that accepted tyme beholde nowe is the day of saluacyon Let vs gyue no occasyon of euyl that in our offyce be founde no faute but in al thinges let vs behaue our selues as the ministers of God In much pacieÌ„ce in affliccyons in necessyties in anguyshes in strypes in presonmeÌ„tes in strytes in laboures in watchiÌ„ges in fastinges in purenes in knowledge in loÌ„ge suffryng in kyndnes in the holy Ghoste in loue vnfaynedly in the word of truth in the power of God by the armour of ryghtuousnes of the ryght hande on the lefte be honoure and dishonour by euyl report good reporte as disceyuers and yet true as vnknowen and yet knoweÌ„ as dying behold we lyue as chastned not killed as sorowing yet alway mery as pore and yet make many ryche as hauyng nothyng yet possessyng al thynges O ye Corinthians our mouth is opeÌ„ vnto you Our hert is made large ye are in no strayte in vs but are in a strayte in youre owne bowels I promyse vnto you lyke reward as vnto chyldren Set your selues at large ✚ beare not ye the yocke with the vnbeleuers For what fellyshyp hath ryghtuousnes with vnryghtuousnes Or what company hath lyght wyth dackenesse Or what concorde hath Christe wyth Beliall Eyther what parte hath he that beleueth with an infydell Or howe
confermed afore of God vnto Chryste warde to make the promes of none effecte For yf the inheritaunce come of the lawe it commeth not nowe of promes But God gaue it vnto Abraham by promes Wherfore theÌ„ serueth y â— law The lawe was added because of traÌ„sgressioÌ„ tyl y â— seed came to whom the promes was made it was ordeyned by Angels in the hande of a mediator A mediator is not a mediator of one But God is one Is the lawe then agaynst the promes of God God forbyd For yf there had bene a lawe geuen whiche coulde haue geuen lyfe then no doute ryghtewesnes shulde come by the lawe But the scrypture ⧠The epystle of Saynt Paul the apostle vnto the Ephesyans ¶ The euerlastynge ordynaunce and eleccyon of God in sauynge all men thorowe Chryste Iesus his sonne we are ordened vnto good workes The dominion of Chryste CAPI I. PAul an apostle of Iesus Chryst by the wyl of God To the Saynctes whiche are at Ephesus and to them whiche beleue on Iesus Chryste Grace be with you peace from God oure father and from the Lorde Iesu Chryste Blessed be God the father of oure Lorde Iesus Chryst whiche hath blessed vs with all maner of spirituall blessynge in heuenly thynges by Chryste accordynge as he had chosen vs in him before the foundacions of the worlde were layde that we shuld be holy and without blame before him thorowe loue which ordeyned vs before thorow Iesus Christ to be heyres vnto him selfe ' accordynge to the good pleasure of hys wyll to the prayse of the glorye of his grace where with he hath made vs accepted thorow the beloued By whom we haue redempcyon thorowe his bloude euen the forgeuenes of synnes accordynge to the ryches of hys grace wher of he hathe ministred vnto vs aboundantly in all wysdome and prudence And hathe opened vnto vs the mystery of hys wyll accordynge to hys good pleasure whiche he had purposed in hym selfe to haue it declared when the tyme was ful come that he myght set vp all thynges perfectly by Chryste bothe the thynges whiche are in heuen and the thynges which are in earth euen by hym by whom we are made heyres and were therto predestinate accordynge to the purpose of hym by whose power al thinges are wrought accordynge to the purpose of hys owne wyll that we whiche before beleued in Christ shulde be vnto the prayse of his glorye In whom also ye beleue for asmuche as we haue harde the worde of trueth euen the Gospel of your saluacyon wherin when ye had beleued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promes which is the earnest of our in herytauÌ„ce for the recoueringe of the purchased possessioÌ„ vnto y â— prayse of his glory Wherfore I also after that I hearde of the fayth which ye haue in the Lorde Iesu and loue vnto all the Saynctes cease not to geue thanckes for you makynge mencyon of you in my prayers that the God of oure Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory may geue vnto you the spyryte of wysdome and of reuelacion by the knowledge of him selfe and lyghten the eyes of youre myndes that ye maye knowe what the hope is where vnto he hathe called you and howe ryche the glory is of his inherytaunce vpon the sainctes what is y â— exceding greatnes of his power to vs warde which beleue according to the workyng of that his myghty power whiche he wrought in Christe when he raysed him from the deed and set hym on hys ryght hande in heauenly thynges aboue all rule and power and myght and domynyon and aboue euery name that is named not in this worlde onely but also in the worlde to come and hathe put al thynges vnder his fete and hathe made hym aboue all thynges the heed of the congregacyon whiche is hys body and the fulnes of hym that fylleth all in all ¶ Paul sheweth them what maner of people they were before theyr conuersyon and what they are nowe in Chryste CAPI II. AND you hathe he quyckened where as ye were deed in â—reaspasses synnes in the whiche in tyme passed ye walked according to the course of this worlde euen after the gouerner that ruleth in the ayer the spirit that nowe worketh in the chyldren of vnbelefe amonge whom we al had oure conuersacyon also in tyme past in the lustes of oure flesshe and fulfylled the lustes of oure flesshe and fulfylled the wyll of the flesshe and of the mynde and ☞ were by nature the chyldren of wrath euen as well as other But God which is rych in mercy for his great loue wherwith he loued vs euen wheÌ„ we were deed by synnes quickened vs together in Chryst by garce are ye saued and raysed vs vp together with hym and made vs sytte together with him amonge them of heauen in Christe Iesu. That in tyme to come he myght shewe y â— exceadynge ryches of hys grace in kyndnes to vs warde thorow Chryst Iesu. For by grace are ye made safe thorowe fayth that not of youre selues It is the gyfte of God and coÌ„meth not of workes lest any maÌ„ shuld boast him selfe For we are his worckmanshyppe created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes whych god ordayned that we shulde walke in them Wherfore remeÌ„bre that ye beyng in tyme passed Gentyls in the flesshe were called vncircumcysyon from that whiche is called circumcision in the flesshe whiche circumcisyon is made by handes Remembre I say that at that tyme ye were without Christe beyng alâ—aÌ„tes froÌ„ the coÌ„meÌ„ welth of Israel straungers froÌ„ the testamentes of the promes and had no hope were without God in this worlde But nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesu ye whiche somtyme were farre of are made nye by the bloude of Christ. For he is our peace whiche hath made of both one and hathe broken downe the wall that was a stoppe bitwene vs and hath also put awaye thorowe hys flesshe ☞ the cause of hatred euen the lawe of commaundemeÌ„tes coÌ„tayned in the law wrytten for to make of â—wane one newe man in hym selfe so makyng peace and to reconcile both vnto God in one body thorow the crosse slew hatred thereby and came preached peace to you whiche were a farre of to them that were nyâ— For thorow hiÌ„ we both haue an entrauÌ„ce in one spirite vnto the father ✚ Nowe therfore ye are not straungers foreners but cytesyns with the sayntes and of the housholde of God and are bylt vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christ him selfe beynge the head corner stone in whom what buyldyng soeuer is coupled togyther it groweth vnto an holy temple in the Lorde in whom ye also are buylt togyther to be an habitacion of God thorow the âšœ holy ghost ⊢ ¶ He sheweth the cause of hys presonmente desyreth them not to saynte because of his
trouble and prayeth God to make them stedfast in his spirits CAPI III. FOr thys â—ause I Paule am a prysoner of Iesus Christ for you Heythen If ye haue hearde of the ministracyon of the grace of God which is gyuen me to you ward for by reuelacyon shewed he the mystery vnto me as I wrote afore in fewe wordes wherby when ye reade ye may vnderstande my knowledge in the mystery of Christ whiche mistery in tymes passed was not opened vnto the soÌ„nes of men as it is nowe declared vnto his holy Apostles and Prophetes by the spyrit that the Gentyls shulde be inheritours also of the same body partakers of his promes in Christ by the meanes of the Gospell wherof I am made a mynyster accordynge to the gyfte of the grace of God whiche is gyuen vnto me after the workyng of his power Unto me the least of al saynctes is this grace gyuen that I shulde preache amonge the Gentylles the vnsearcheable ryches of Chryste and to make al men se what felowshyppe of the mysterye is * whyche frome the begynnyng of the worlde hath bene hyd in God whych made al thynges thorow Iesus Chryste to the intente that nowe vnto the rulers and powers in heauenly thynges might be knowen by the congregacion the manyfold wysdome of God accordyng to the eternall purpose whiche he wrought in Christ Iesu our Lord by whom we haue boldnesse and entrauÌ„ce with the confydence whiche is by the fayth of him ✚ Wherfore I desyre that ye faynt not because of my trybulacioÌ„s that I suffre for your sakes whiche is youre prayse For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche is father ouer all that is called father in Heauen and in earth that he wolde graunt you accordynge to the ryches of hys glorye that ye may be strengthed with myght by his spirite in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hertes by fayth that ye beyng roted and grouÌ„ded in loue myght be able to comprehende wyth all Saynctes what is that bredth and length deepth and heyth and to knowe the excellente loue of the knowledge of Christ that ye myght be fulfylled with al fulnes whiche commeth of God Unto hym that is able to do excedynge abouÌ„dantly aboue al that we aske or thinke accordyng to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in the coÌ„gregacyon by Iesê° Christ thoroweout all generacyons from tyme to tyme. Amen ¶ He exhorteth them vnto mekenes to laye asyde the olde conuersacyon of gredy lustes and to walcke in a newe lyfe CAPI IIII. I Therfore whyche am a prysonner of the Lordes exhorte you that ye walke worthy of the vocacyon wherwith ye are called with all lowlynes and mekenes wyth humblenes of mynde forbearynge one another thorowe loue and be diligent to kepe the vnite of the spirite thorow the bonde of peace beynge one body and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your callynge Let there be but one Lorde one fayth one baptyme one God and father of all whyche is aboue al thorow al and in you all ⊢ ✚ Unto euery one of vs is gyuen grace accordynge to the measure of the gyfte of Christ. Wherfore he sayeth whan he went vp an hye he ledde captiuitye captyue and gaue gyftes vnto men That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended fyrste into the lowest partes of the earth He that desceÌ„ded is euen the same also that ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfyl al thynges And the very same made some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelystes some Shepherdes and Teachers to the edifying of the saynctes to the worke and ministracyon euen to the edifying of the body of Chryst tyll we al come to the vnyte of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfecte man vnto the measure of the full perfecte age of Chryste ⊢ That we hence forth shulde be no more chyldren waueryng and caried about with euery wynde of doctryne by the wylynes of men thorowe craftynes wherby they laye a wayte for vs to deceyue vs. But let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thynges growe in hym whiche is the heade euen Christ in whom yf all the body be coupled knet togyther thorowe out euery ioynt wherwith one mynistreth to another accordynge to the operacyon as euery parte hath his measure he increseth the body vnto the edifying of it self thorowe loue ✚ This I say therfore and testyfye thorow the Lord that ye hence forth walke not as other Gentylles walcke in vanyte of their mynde while they are blynded in their vnderstandyng beyng farre from a godly lyfe by the meanes of the ignorancy that is in them because of the blyndnes of theyr hertes whiche beyng past repentaunce haue gyuen them selues ouer vnto wantoÌ„nes to worke all maner of vnclennes euen with gredines But ye haue not so learned Christ If so be that ye haue hearde of him haue bene taught in him as the truth is in Iesu as concernynge the conuersacyon in tyme past to laye from you that olde man whych is corrupte accordynge to the deceauable lustes ⊢ ✚ To be renued also in the spirite of your mynde to put on that new man which after God is shapen in rightuousnes and true holynes Wherefore put awaye lyinge and speake euery man trueth vnto hys neyghboure for as muche as we are members one of another ☞ Be angrye and synne not let not the soÌ„ne go downe vpon your wrath neyther giue place vnto the backbiter Let hym that stole steale nomore but let him rather labour with his handes the thyng whiche is good that he may giue vnto him that nedeth ⊢ Let no fylthy communicacion procede out of your mouth but that whiche is good to edyfy withal as oft as nede is that it may mynyster grace vnto the hearers And greue not ye the holy spiryte of God by whom ye are sealed vnto the daye of redempcyon Let all bytternes and fearsnesse and wrath and rorynge and cursed speakyng be put awaye from you with all malycyousnes Be ye curteous one to another mercyful forgeuyng one another euen as God for Christes sake hath forgeuen you ¶ He exhorteth them vnto loue warneth them to be ware of al vnclennesse He teacheth howe women shuld obey their husbandes and howe louyngly men ought to intreate theyâ— wyues CAPI V. BE ye therfore folowers of God as dere chyldren and walke in loue euen as Christe loued vs and gaue hym selfe for vs an offerynge and a sacrycye of a swete sauer to God As for fornicacyon and al vncleÌ„nes or couetousnes let it not be once named amonge you as it becommeth sanctes or fylthynes or folyshe talkynge or testyng which are not comly but rather gyuynge of thankes For this ye know that no whoremonger ether vncleane person or couetous person which is
accept the thinges that are most excellent that ye may be pure and suche as hurte no maÌ„nes conscyence vntyl the day of Christ beyng filled with the frute of ryghtuousnes which frute coÌ„meth by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of God ⊢ I wolde ye shulde vnderstand brethren that the thynges which happened vnto me chauÌ„ced vnto the great furtheraunce of the Gospell So that my bandes in Christ are manifest thorowe out all the iudgement hal and in al other places In so muche that many of the brethren in the Lorde beynge encoraged thorowe my baÌ„des dare more boldly speake the worde without fere Some preache Christe of enuye and stryfe and some of good wyl The one parte preacheth Chryste of stryfe not sincerely supposyng to adde more aduersyte to my bandes Agayne the other yt preache of loue because they know that I am set to defende the Gospel What then So that Christ be preached any maner of waye whether it be by occasion or of true meanyng I am glad therof ye and wyl be glad For I knowe that thys shall chaunce to my saluacyon thorowe your prayer and mynystrynge of the spirite of Iesu Christ according to my expectacion hope that in nothynge I shal be ashamed but that wyth all boldenesse as all wayes euen so nowe also Christ shal be magnyfyed in my body whether it be thorow lyfe or thorowe death For Christ is to me lyfe death is to me auauntage If it chaunce me to lyue in the fleshe that thyng is to me frutefull for the worcke and what I shal chose I wote not For I am coÌ„strayned of these two thynges I vesyre to be loosed and to be with Christ is much better Neuerthelesse to abyde in the flesshe is more nedefull for you And this am I sure of that I shall abyde and coÌ„tinue with you all for your furtheraunce and ioye of youre fayth that your reioysyng may be the more aboundant thorowe Iesus Christ in me by my commyng to you agayne Onely let your conuersacyon be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and se you or els be absente I maye yet here of your condycyon that ye coÌ„tynue in one spirite and in one soule labourynge as we do to mayntayne the fayth of the Gospell and in nothynge fearyng your aduersaries which is to them a cause of perdycion but to you of saluacyon and that of god For vnto you it is gyuen of Christ that not onely ye shulde beleue on hym but also suffre for his sake hauyng euen such a fight as ye sawe in me and nowe heare of me ¶ He exhorteth them to vnyte and brotherly loue and to beware of stryfe and vayne glory And for a sure ensample he sayeth Chryst before them CAPI II. IF there be therfore any consolacyon in Christ yf there be any comforte of loue yf there be any fellyshyp of the spirite yf there be any compassyon and mercy fulfyll ye my ioye that ye be lyke mynded hauynge one loue beyng of one accord and of one mynde that nothynge be done thorowe stryfe or of vayne glory but in mekenes of mynde let euery man esteme another better then hym selfe Loke not ye euery man on his owne thynges but euery man on the thinges that are other mens ✚ Let the same mynde be in you that was also in Christe Iesu whyche whaÌ„ he was in the shape of God thought it no robbery to be equal w t god Neuertheles he made him selfe of no reputacion takyng on him the shape of a seruauÌ„t and became lyke vnto men was fouÌ„de in his apparell as a man He huÌ„bled him selfe became obedyent vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Wherfore God also hath exalted him on hye gyuen him a name which is aboue al names that in the name of Iesus euery knee shulde bowe both of thynges in heauen thinges in earth thynges vnder the earth that all tonges shulde confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde vnto the prayse of God the father ⊢ Wherfore my derely beloued as ye haue alwayes obeyed not when I was presente onely but now much more in myne absence euen so worcke out youre owne saluacyon with feare and tremblynge For it is God whiche worketh in you both the wyll also the dede euen of good wyl Do all thynge without murmurynge dysputynge that ye maye be suche as no man can coÌ„playne on vnfayned sonnes of god without rebuke in the middes of a croked and peruerse nacyon amonge whom se that ye shyne as lyghtes in the worlde holdynge fast the worde of lyfe that I maye reioise in the day of Christ how that I haue not runne in vaine nether haue laboured in vayne Yee though I be offred vp vpon the offerynge and sacrifice of your fayth I reioyce and reioyce with you all For the same cause also do ye reioyce and reioyce with me I trust in the Lorde Iesus for to sende Timotheus shortly vnto you that I also maye be of good comforte when I knowe what case ye stande in For I haue no man that is so lyke mynded to me whych with so pure affeccyon wyll care for youre matters For all other seke theyr owne and not the thinges which are Iesus Christê Ye knowe the proffe of him howe that as a sonne with the father so hath he with me bestowed hys seruyce in the Gospel Hym therfore I hope to sende assone as I knowe howe it wyl go with me I trust in the Lord that I also my selfe shall come shortly But I supposed it necessary to soude brother Epaphroditus vnto you my companyon in labour and felowe Soudyer youre Apostle whyche also mynystreth vnto me at nede For he longed after you al and was full of heuynes because that ye had hearde saye that he had bene sycke And no dout he was sycke in so much that he was nye vnto death But God had mercy on hym and not on hym onely but on me also least I shulde haue sorowe vpon sorowe I sent hym therfore the more dylygentlye that when ye se him ye may reioyce againe and that I may be the lesse sorowefull Receyue hym therfore in the Lord with all gladnes and make muche of suche because that for the worcke of Christe he went so farre that he was nye vnto death and regarded not his life to fulfyll that whiche was lackyng on your part towarde me ¶ He warneth them to beware of false teachers whom he calleth dogges and enemyes of Christe and reproueth mannes owne ryghtuousnes CAPI III. MOre ouer brethen reioyce ye in the Lorde It greueth me not to wryte one thynge often to you For to you it is a sure thynge Beware of dogges beware of euyll workers Beware of dissencion For we are circumcision which serue God in the spirit reioyce in Christ Iesu haue no coÌ„fydeÌ„ce in the flesshe
you for ye youre selues knowe perfectly that the daye of the Lorde shal come euen as a thefe in the nyght For when they shal saye peace and all thynges are safe then shall soden destruccion come vpon them as sorowe coÌ„meth vpon a woman traualynge wyth chylde and they shall not scape But ye brethren are not in darcknes that that day shulde come on you as a thefe ✚ Ye are al the children of lyght and the chyldren of the daye We are not of the night nether of darcknes Therfore let vs not slepe as do other â–ª but let vs watch and be sober For they that slepe in that nyght and they that be droncken are droncken in the nyght But let vs which are of the day be sober armed with the brest plate of faith and loueâ— and wyth hope of saluacyon for an helmet For God hathe not apoynted vs to prouoke wrathe vnto oure selues but to obtayne saluacyon by the meanes of oure Lorde Iesu Christ which dyed for vsâ—tuâ—t whether we wake or slepe we shuld lyue together with hym Wherfore comforte youre selues together edify euery one another euen as ye do ⊢ We besech you brethrâ— that ye knowe them which labour among you and haue the ouer syght of you in the Lord and geue you exhortacyon that ye haue them in hye reputacyon thorowe loue for theyr worckes sake and be at peace wyth them ✚ We desyre you brethren warne them that are vnruly comforte the feble minded lyft vp the weake be pacyente towarde all men Se that none recompence euyll for euyll vnto any man but euer folowe that whiche is good both amonge youre selues and to all men Reioyce euer ☞ Praye contynually In all thinges geue thankes For thys is the wyll of God thorowe Christ Iesu towarde you Quenche not the spyrite Despyse not prophesyinges Examen all thynges kepe that which is good Abstayne front all cuyl appearaunce The very God of peace sanctyfye you thorowe out And I praye God that your whole spirite and soule and body may be preserued so that in nothing ye may be blamed in the commynge of oure Lorde Iesus Christ. Faythfull is he which called you which wyll also do it Brethren praye for vs. Grete all the bethren wyth an holy kysse I charge you in the Lord that this Epistle he red vnto all the holy brethren The grace of the Lorde Iesus Chryste be wyth you Amen ¶ The fyrste Epystle vnto the Thessalonyans was written from Athens ⧠The seconde Epistle of Sainct Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonyans ¶ He thanketh God for theyr fayth and 〈◊〉 and prayeth for the encrease of the same CAPI I. PAule and Syluanus and Tymotheus Unto the congregacyon of the Thessalonyans in God our father and in the Lord Iesus Chryst. Grace be vnto you and peace from God oure father and from the Lorde Iesus Chryste We are bounde to thanke god alwayes for you brethren as it is mete because that youre faythe groweth exceadyngly and euery one of you swymmeth in loue towarde another betwene your selues so that we our selues boaste of you in the congregacyons of God ouer your pacyence and fayth in all youre persecucyons and tribulacyons that ye suffre whiche is a token of the rightwes iudgement of God that ye are counted worthy of the kyngdome of God for whiche ye also suffre It is veryly a ryghtewes thyng with God to recompence trybulacyon to them that trouble you and to you whiche are troubled reste with vs when the Lorde Iesus shall shewe hym selfe from heauen wyth the Aungels of hys power wyth flamynge fyre which shall rendre vengeaunce vnto them that knowe not God and that obeye not the Gospell of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste whiche shall be punysshed wyth tuerlastynge damnacyon from the presence of the LORDE and from the glorye of his power when he shall come to be glorifyed in hys saynctes and to become maruelous in all them that beleue because oure testymony that we had to you was belieued euen the same daye Wherfore we praye alwayes for you that oure God wyll make you worthy of thys callynge and fulfyll all delectacyon of goodnes and the worcke of faythe wyth power that the name of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste maye be gloryfyed by you and ye by hym accordynge to the grace of oure God and of the Lorde Iesus Chryst. ¶ He sheweth them that the daye of the Lorde shall not come tyl the depuâ—ting from the cayâ—h come fyrst and therfore he exhorteth them not to be disâ—â—â—ued but to sta 〈…〉 in the thynges that he hath taught them CAPI II. WE beseche you brethren by the commynge of oure Lorde Iesu Christ and in that we shal assemble vnto hym that ye be not sodenly moued from youre mynde nor be troubled neyther by spyryte neyther by wordes nor yet by letter whiche shulde seme to come from vs as though the daye of Chryst were at hande Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for the Lorde shall not come excepte there come a departynge fyrste and that that synfull man be opened the sonne of perdicion whiche is an aduersary and is exalted aboue al that is called god or that is worshypped so that he dothe syt in the temple of god boastynge hymselfe to be god Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I tolde you these thynges And nowe ye knowe what withholdeth euen that he myght be vttered at hys tyme. For the mysterye of the inyquyte doeth all readye worcke tyll he whiche nowe onelye letteth be taken out of the waye And then shall that wycked be vttered whome the Lorde shal consume wyth the spyryte of his mouthe and shall destroye with the appearaunce of hys commyng ⊢ euen him whose comming is after the workynge of Satan with all lyinge power sygnes and wonders and with all deceuablenes of vnâ—ightwesnes among them that peryshe â–ª because they receaued not the loue of the truth that they myght be saued And therfore God shal sende them stronge delusyon that they shulde beleue lyes that all they myghte be damned which beleued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnryghtwesues But we are bounde to geue thanckes alwaye to god for you brethren beloued of the Lorde for because that god hathe from the begynnynge chosen you to saluacyon thorowe sanctyfyinge of the spyryte and thorowe beleuynge of the trueth wher vnto be called you by oure Gospell to obtayne the glorye of oure Lorde Iesu Christe ✚ Therfore brethren staÌ„de fast kepe the ordinauÌ„ces which ye haue learned whether it were by our preachiÌ„ge or by Epystle Our Lorde Iesu Christ hym selfe and God oure father whiche hathe loued vs hath geuen vs euerlastynge coÌ„solacyon and good hope thorowe grace comforte youre hertes stablysshe you in al good sayenge and doynge ¶ He desyreth them to praye for hym that the Gospel maye prospere and geueth them
a doar of the worke the same shal be happye in his dede If any maÌ„ among you seme to be denoute refrayneth not his tonge but deceaueth his owne herte this mannes deuocion is in vayne Pure deuocyon vndefyled before God the father ys this to vysyt the fatherlesse widdowes in their aduersyte and to kepe hym selfe vnspotted of the worlde ⊢ ¶ He for byddeth to haue any respect of persones and not to boast of fayth where no dedes are CAPI II. MY brethren esteme not the fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ the Lorde of glory with respecte of persons For if ther come into youre company a man wearinge a golden rynge clothed in goodly aparell and ther come in also a poore maÌ„ in vyle raymeÌ„t and ye haue a respecte to him that weareth the gaye clothyng saye vnto hym Syt y u here in a good place saye vnto the poore stande thou there or syt here vnder my â—ote stole are ye not parcyal in youre selues and haue iudged after euyll thoughtes Harken my deare beloued brethren Hath not God chosen y â— poore of this worlde such as are ryche in sayth heyres of the kyngdome which he promysed to them that loue hyme But ye haue despysed the poore Do not ryche men execute â—â—rannye vpon you drawe you before the iudgemeÌ„t seates Do not they speake euell of y â— good name which is called vpon ouer you If ye fulfyll the royall lawe accordyng to the scripture Thou shalt loue thyne neyghboure as thy selfe ye do well But yt ye regarde one person more then another ye commyt synne are rebuked of the lawe as transgressours Whosoeuer shall kepe the whole lawe yet fayle in one poynte he is gyltie of al. For he that sayd Thou shalt not câ—myt adulterye sayde also thou shalt not kyll Though thou do none adulterye yet yf thou kyll y u art become a transgressor of the lawe So speake ye and so do as they that shal be iudged by the lawe of lybertye For he shall haue iudgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy mercy reioyseth agaynste iudgement ⊢ What auayleth it my brethren though a maÌ„ saye he hath â—ayth yf he hathe no dedes Can sayth saue him If a brother or a syster be naked destitute of dayly â—ode one of you saye vnto theÌ„ depart in peace â–ª God sede you warmnes fode notwithstandynge ye geue theÌ„ not those thynges whiche are nedfull to the body what shal it helpe Euen so fayth yf it haue no dedes is deed in it selfe But some maÌ„ wyll saye y u hast fayth I haue dedes shewe me thy fayth by thy dedes I wyl shewe y â— my fayth by my dedes Beleuest y u that ther is one god Thou doest well The deuyls also beleue and tremble But wylt thou vnderstande O thou vayne maÌ„ that fayth without dedes is deed Was not Abraham oure father iustifyed thorow workes when he had offred Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter Thou seest howe that fayth wrought with hys dedes and thorugh the dedes was the fayth made parfecte and the scripture was fulfylled which sayth Abraham beleued God and it was reputed vnto hym for ryghtewesnes and he was called the frende of God ✚ Ye se then howe that of dedes a man is iustifyed and not of fayth onely Lyke wyse also was not Raab the harlot iustifyed thorowe workes when she had receaued that messengers and had sent theÌ„ out another waye For as the body without the spirit is deed euen so fayth without workes is deed also ⊢ ¶ What good and euell commeth thorowe the tonge The dutye of suâ—he as belerned The difference betwyxte the wysdome of the Gospell and the wysdome of the worlde CAPI III. MY brethren be not euery maÌ„ a master knowynge howe that we shal receaue the greater damnacion for in many thinges we synne all If a man synne not in worce the same is a perfecte man and able also to tame all the body beholde we put byttes in to the horses mouthes y â— they may obeye vs and we turne about all the body of the. Beholde also the shyppes which thought they be so greate are dryuen of fearce wyndes yet are they turned about with a very smal helme whyther soeuer the violeÌ„ce of the gouerner wyll Euen so the tonge is a syctel member also and boasteth great thynges Beholde howe great a thynge a lyttell fyre kyndleth and the tonge is fyre euen a worlde of wyckednes So is the tonge set amonge oure membres that it defyleth the whole body setteth a fyre all y â— 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 thynges of the see are meked tamed of the nature of maÌ„ But the tonge can no man tame It is an vnruely euyll full of deedly poyson Therwith blesse we God the father therwith curse we me whiche are made after the âšœ ymage and symilitude of God Out of one mouth proceadeth blessinge and cursyng My brethreÌ„ these thynges ought nat so to be Dothe a fountayn sende forth at one place swete water and bytter also Can the fygge tree my brethren beare olyue bertes eyther a vyne beare fygges So can no fountayne geue bothe salt water fresshe also If any man be wyse endued with knowledge amonge you let hym shewe his workes out of good conuersacyon with mekenes of wysdome But yf ye haue bytter enuyeng and stryfe in your herte reioyce not nether be lyars agaynst the trueth For such wysdome dissendeth not froÌ„ aboue but is earthy natural dyuelysshe For wher enuyenge stryfe is there is vnstablenes and all maner of euyl workes But the wysdome y â— is froÌ„ aboue is fyrst pure then peasable gentle easy to be entreated full of mercy good frutes with out iudgynge without simulacyon yee and the frute of rightewesnes is sowen in peace of them that mayntayne peace CAPI IIII. ¶ Warre and fyghtynge coÌ„meth of voluptcousnesse The frendshype of the worlde is enimyte before God â–ª 〈◊〉 orâ—acyon to 〈◊〉 sclaunder and the vanyâ—e of thys lyke FROM whence coÌ„meth warre fyghtynge amonge you come they not here hence eueÌ„ of your lustes that fyght in your meÌ„bres Ye lust haue not Ye enuye haue indignacyon cannot obtayne Ye fyght warre Ye haue not because ye aske not Ye aske receaue not because ye aske a mysâ—e euen to consume it vpon your iustes Ye aduouterars wemeÌ„ that breke matrimonye knowe ye not howe y â— the freÌ„dshype of the worlde is enemyte w t God whosoeuer therfore wylbe a freÌ„de of y t worlde is made the enemy of God Ether do ye thinke y e y e scripture saith in vayne The spirit y t dwelleth in vs lusteth euen coÌ„trary to enuy our geueth more grace wherfore he sayth God resisteth the proude
it For the eies of the Lord are ouer the righteous his eares are opeÌ„ vnto their prayers Agayne the face of the Lord is ouer them that do euyll Moreouer who is it that wil harme you yf ye folowe y â— which is good Yee happy are ye yf any trouble happen vnto you for rightuousnesse sake Be not ye afrayed for any terrour of them neyther be ye troubled but sanctify the Lord God in your hertes ⊢ Be redy alwayes to gyue an answere to euery maÌ„ that asketh you a reasoÌ„ of the hope that is in you that with mekenes feare hauyng a good coÌ„scieÌ„ce that where as they backbyte you as euyl doers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good coÌ„uersacion in Christ. For it is better yf the wyll of God be so that ye suffre for well doynge then for euyll doyng ✚ For as much as Christ hath once suffred for sinnes y â— iust for the vniust to bring vs to God and was kylled as pertaynyng to the flesshe but was quyckened in the spyryte In whiche spirit he also went preached vnto the spirites that were in pryson whych some tyme had bene dysobedient when the longe suffrynge of God was once loked for in the dayes of Noe whyle the Arcke was a preparyng wherin fewe that is to saye viij soules were sauid by the water like as ☞ baptyme also now sauyth vs not the puttyng away of the fylth of the flesshe but in that a good conscience consenteth to god by the resurreccyon of Iesus Christe whych is on the ryght hande of God ⊢ and is gone into heauen Angelles powers might subdued vnto him ☜ ⧠¶ He exhorteth men to ceâ—siâ— from synne and no maÌ„ to suffre 〈◊〉 an euyll dore but as a Christen man CAPI IIII. FOr as much then as Christ hath suffred for vs in the flesshe arme ye your selues lykewyse with the same mynde for he which suffreth in the flesshe ceasseth from sine that he hence forward shulde lyue as much tyme as remayneth in the flesshe not after the lustes of men but after the wyl of God For it is sufficient for vs that we haue spent the tyme that is past of the lyfe after the wyll of the Gentils walkyng in wantonnes lustes in excesse of wynes in excesse of eatyng in excesse of drynkyng âšœ in dronkennes in abominable ydolatry And it semeth to theÌ„ an inconuenieÌ„t thynge that ye runne nat also wyth theÌ„ vnto the same excesse of riote therfore speake they euyll of you which shall gyue accomptes to him that is redy to iudge quycke and dead For vnto this purpose verely was the Gospell preached also vnto the dead that they shuld be iudged lyke other men in the flessh but shuld lyue before God in the spirit The ende of al thinges is at hande ✚ Be ye therfore sober and watche vnto prayer But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among your selues For loue shal couer the multitude of synnes Be ye herberous one to another wythout gruogynge As euery man hath receyued the gyfte euen so ministre the same one to another as good mynisters of the manifolde grace of God If any man speake let him talke as the wordes of God If any man mynistre let him do it as of the abylite whyche God mynystreth vnto him That God in all thynges may be glorified thorowe Iesus Christe ⊢ to whom be prayse and dominion for euer euer Amen Derely beloued maruayl not that ye are proued by tyre whiche thyng is to crye you as though some strasige thing happened vnto you but reioyce in as much as yeare partakers of Christes passions that when hys glory appeareth ye may be mery and glad If ye be rayled vpon for the name of Christ happy are ye For the glory and the spiryt of god resteth vpoÌ„ you On their part he is euil spokeÌ„ of but on your pact he is glorified Se that none of you be punysshed as a murtherer or as a thefe or an euil doer or as a busy body i other meÌ„s matters If any maÌ„ suffre as a christen man let him not be ashamed but let hi glorifie God oâ—â—â— is behalfe For the tyme is come that iudgement must begynne at the house of God If it fyrste begine at vs what shal the ende be of theÌ„ whiche beleue not the Gospel of God And if y â— rightuous scarcely be saued where shal the vngodly the sinner appere Wherfore let theÌ„ that are troubled accordynge to the wyl of God coÌ„myt their soules to him with well doyng as vnto a faythful creator ¶ A special exhortacyon for al Byshops and Prestes He exhorteth yong persoÌ„s to submyt them selues to the elder and euery one to loue another CAPI V. THe elders which are among you I exhorte which am also an elder a wytnes of the afflyccions of Christ also a partaker of the glory that shal be opened Fede ye Christê flocke asmuch as lyeth in you takynge the ouersyght of theÌ„ not as coÌ„pelled therto but wyllyngly âšœ after a godly sorte not for y â— desyre of fylthy lucre but of a good mynde not as though ye were lordes ouer the parishes but that ye be an ensaÌ„ple to y â— flocke and that with good wyl And wheÌ„ the chefe sheperd shal appere ye shall receyue an incorruptible crowne of glory Lykewise ye yoÌ„ger submit your selues vnto the elder Submyt your selues euery man one to another knyt your selues togyther in lowlynes of mynde For God resisteth the proude and gyueth grace to the huÌ„ble ✚ Submyt your selues therfore vnder the myghty hande of God that he may exalte you when the tyme is come Cast al your care vpon him for hecareth for you Be sobre watche for your aduersary the deuyl as a roaring lyon walketh about sekyng whom he may deuour whom resyste stedfast in the fayth knowing y â— the same afflyccions are apoynted vnto your brethren that are in y â— world But the God of al grace whych hath called vs vnto his eternal glory by Christ Iesus shall his owne self after that ye haue suffred a lytell afflyccion make you perfect setle strength and stablysh you To him be glory and dominion for euer and euer Amen By Syluanus a faythfull brother vnto you as I suppose haue I wrytten brefly exhortynge and testyfyinge howe that hys is the true grace of God wherin ye stande The coÌ„gregacyon of them which at Babylon are companions of youre elecyon faluteth you and so doth Marcus my Sonne Grete ye one another wyth the kysse of loue Peace be with you al which are in Christ Iesu. Amen ⧠The seconde epistle of Saynte Peter ¶ For so muche as the power of God hath gyuen vs all thynges â—â—â—taynyng vnto lyfe he exhorteth vs to make our tallynge knowen by good worâ—kes and frutes of fayth He maketh menâ—yon of his owne
which staÌ„deth vpon the see â— vpoÌ„ the erth And I went vnto y â— angell sayde to hym geue me the lytel boke and he sayde vnto me take it eate it vp it shall make thy belly bytter but it shal be in thyâ— nouth as swete as hony And I toke y â— lytl â— boke out of his hande and eate it vp and it was in my mouth as swete ashony and â—s sone as I had eaten it my belly was bytâ— er And he sayde vnto me y â— muste prophesy agayne among the people and nations and toÌ„ges and to many kynges ¶ The temple is measured The seconde wo io past CAPI XI ANd then was giuen me a rede lyke vnto a rodde and it was sayde vnto me Ryse meate the teÌ„ple of god the aulter them that worshyp therin the queer whyche is within the temple cast out meate it not for it is gyuen vnto the Gentyles the holy cytie shall they treade vnder fote xliâ— monethes And I wyl gyue power vnto my two wytnesses they shall prophesy a thousande two hundreth and. lx dayes clothed in sacke clothe These are two olyue trees two candelstyckes standyng before the god of the earth And yf any man wyl hurt them fyre shall procede out of their mouthes and consume their enemyes And yf any man wyll hurte them this wyse must he be kylled These haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesying and haue power ouer waters to turne them to bloude to smyte the earth with al maner plages as often as they wyll And when they haue fynyshed their testimony the beast that came out of the bottom lesse pyt shall make warre agaynste them shall ouercome the and kyl them And their bodyes shall lye in the stretes of the greate cytie whiche spiritually is called Zodom Egypte where our Lorde was crucyfied And they of the people and kynredes tonges and they of the nacioÌ„s shall se their bodies iij. dayes and an halfe shal not suffre their bodies to be put in graues And they that dwel vpon the earth shall reioyce ouer them be glad and shal sende gyftes one to another for these two prophetes vexed them that dwelt on the earth And after iii. dayes an halfe the spirit of lyfe from God entred into theÌ„ And they stode vp vpon their fete great feare came vpon them which saw them And they herde a great voyce from heauen saying vnto theÌ„ Come vp hyther And they ascended vp into heauen in a cloude and their enemyes sawe them And the same hour was there a great earthquake the tenth part of the cytie fell and in the earth quake were slaine names of men seuen M. and the remnaunt were feared and gaue glory to God of heauen The seconde wo is past beholde the thyrde wo wyll come anone And the seuenth angel blewe there were made greate voyces in heauen sayinge the kyngdomes of this worlde are our Lordes his Christes he shal raigne for euermore And the. xxiiij elders which syt before God on their seates fell vpon their faces worshypped God sayinge we gyue the thankes O Lorde God almightye which art wast and arte to come for thou hast receyued thy great myght and hast raygned And the nacions were angrye and thy wrath is come and the tyme of the dead that they shulde be iudged and that thou shuldest gyue reward vnto thy seruauntes the Prophetes and Saynctes and to them that feare thy name small and great and shuldest destroy them whiche destroy the earth And the temple of God was opened in heauen and there was sene in his temple the arcke of his testameÌ„t and ther folowed lyghtnynges and voices and thondrynges and earthquake and muche hayle ¶ The seuenth Angell bloweth his crompet There appereth in heauen a womaÌ„ dothed with the soÌ„ne Michael â—igh teth with the dragon whiche persecuteth the woman CAPI XII ANd there appeared a great wonder in heuen A woman clothed with the soÌ„ne and the mone vnder her fete and vpon her heade a crowne of xij starres And she was with chylde cryed trauaylynge in byrth payned redy to be delyuered And there aâ—red another wonder in heauen for behold a great red dragon hauyng vij heades ten hornes crownes vpon his heades and his tayle drue the thyrde part of the starres and cast them to the earth And the dragon stode before the woman whiche was redy to be delyuered for to deuoure her chylde as sone as it were borne And she brought forth a man chylde whych shulde rule all nacions with a rod ofyron And her sonne was taken vp vnto god and to his seate And the woman fled into wyldernes where she had a place prepared of God that they shulde fede her there â— M. ij hundreth and lx dayes And there was a great battayle in heauâ— Michael his Angels fought with the dragon and the dragoÌ„ fought and his angels and preuayled not neyther was there place founde any more in heauen And the great dragon that old serpeÌ„t called the deuyl and Sathanas was cast out Which deceyueth al the worlde And he was cast into the earth and his angels werecast out also And I hearde a loude voyce sayinge in heauen is now made saluacion and strength the kyngdome of our God and the power of his Christ. For he is cast downe which accused them before God day and nyght And they ouercame him by the bloude of the laÌ„be and by the worde of their testimonye they loued not their lyues vnto the death Therfore reioyce heuens and ye that dwel in theÌ„ Wo to the inhabiters of the erth and of the see for the deuyll is come downe vnto you which hath gret wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short tyme. And when the dragon sawe that he was cast vnto the earth he persecuted the womaÌ„ whiche brought forth the maÌ„ chylde And to the woman were gyuen two wynges of a great Egle that she myght flye into the wyldernes into her place where she is noryshed for a tyme tymes and halfe a time from the presence of the serpent And the dragon cast out of his mouth water after the woman as it had bene a ryuer because she shulde haue bene caught of the flode And the erth holpe the woman and the erth opened her mouth and swalowed vp the ryuer whych the dragon cast out of his mouth And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went and made warre wyth the remnaunt of hyrsede which kepe the commaundementes of God haue the testimony of Iesus Christ. And I stode on the see sande ¶ A beast ryseth out of the see with seuen heades and ten hururs Another beaste commeth out of the earth with two hornes CAPI XIII ANd I sawe a beast tyse out of the see hauyng seuen heades and ten hornes and vpon his hornes ten
â— hath made the replenyshed the with his goods Who so feareth the Lorde wyll receyue his doctryne and they that get them to hym by tymes shall fynde grace He that seketh the lawe shall be fylled withall As for hym that is but fayned he wyll be offended therat They that feare the Lorde shall fynde the iudgement and theyr ryghtuousnesse shal be kyndled as a lyght An vngodly man wyll not be refourmed but can help him self with the example of other in his purpose A man of vnderstandynge despyseth no good councell but a wylde and proude body hathe no feare Yee euen whan he hath dealt rashly w t another man but his owne doynges shall be his rebuke My sonne do nothyng without aduisement so shal it not repent the after the dede Go not in the waye where thou mayest fal nor where thou mayest stomble agaynst the stone Geue not thy selfe into a laborious slyppery waye and beware of thyne owne chyldren and take hede of theym that be of thyne owne housholde In all thy worckes put thy trust in God froÌ„ thy whole herte for that is the kepynge of the commaundementes Who so beleueth Gods worde taketh hede to the commaundementes and he that putteth hys trust in the Lorde shall wante nothynge ¶ The delyueraunce of hym that feareth God The answere of the wyse The lytle dyscrecyon of a foole Man is in the hande of God as the earthe is in the hande of the Potter We ought not to dyspose oure selues to become subiecte to other CAPI XXXIII THere shall no euyll happen vnto hym that feareth God but when he is in teÌ„tacyon the Lord shall delyuer hym and kepe hym frome euyll A wyse man hateth not the lawe but an ypocryte is as a shyp in raging water A man of vnderstandynge geueth credence vnto the lawe of God and the lawe is faythfull vnto hym Be sure of the matter then talke therof Be fyrst well instruct then mayest thou geue answere The herre of the foolysh is lyke a carte whele and his thoughtes renne aboute lyke the axell tree Lyke as a wylde horse y â— neyeth vnder euery one that sytteth vpon him so is it w t a scorneful frend Why doth one day excell another seyng al y â— dayes of the yeare come of the Sunne The wysdome of the Lorde hath so parted them a sunder so hath he ordayned the tymes solempne feastes Some of them hath he choseÌ„ halowed before other dayes And at meÌ„ are made of the grounde and out of the earthe of Adam In the multitude of science hath the Lord sundered them and made their wayes of diuerse fashyons Some of them hath he blessed made much of them halowed them and claymed them to hymselfe But some of theÌ„ hath he cursed brought theÌ„ lowe put them out of theyr estate Lyke as the claye is in the potters hande and all the ordrynge therof at his pleasure so are men also in the haÌ„de of hym that made them so that he may geue them as it lyketh hym best Agaynste euyll is good and agaynste death is lyfe so is the vngodly agaynst suche as fere God Behold these are the workes of the Hyest and there are euer two agaynst two one set agaynste another I am awaked vp last of all as one that gathereth after in haruest In the giftê of God and in his blessinge I am increased and haue fylled my wyne presse lyke a grape gatherer Behold how I haue not laboured onely for my selfe but for al such as loue nurtoure and wysdome Heare me O ye greate men of the people and herken with youre eares ye tulers of the coÌ„gregacyon Geue not thy sonne and wyfe thy brother and freÌ„de power ouer the whyle thou lyuest and geue not awaye thy substauÌ„ce and good to another lest it repent the and thou be fayne to begge therfore thy selfe As longe as thou lyuest and hast brethe let no man chauÌ„ge the For better it is thy children to pray the then that thou shuldest be sayne to loke in theyr haÌ„des In all thy worckes be excellent that thy honoure be neuer stayned At the tyme when thou shalt ende thy dayes fynysh thy lyfe distribute thyne inheritauÌ„ce The fodder the whyp and the burden be longed vnto the Asse Meate correccion worke vnto the seruaunt If thou set thy seruaunt to laboure thou shalt fynde rest But yf thou let him go ydel he shall seke libertye The yocke the whyp bowe downe the harde necke but tame thou thy euyll seruaunte with bondes and correccyon Sende him to laboure that he go not ydle For ydelnesse brigeth much euyll Set him to worke for that belongeth vnto him and becommeth him well If he be not obedieÌ„t binde his fete but do not to much vnto him in any wyse and without discrecyon do nothinge If thou haue a faythful seruauÌ„t let him be vnto the as thyne owne soule intreade him as a brother for in bloude hast y â— gotten him If thou haue a seruaunte holde him as thy selfe for thou hast nede of him as of thy selfe If thou intreatest him euyll and kepest him harde makest hym to be proude and to renne awaye from the thou canst not tell what waye thou shalt seke him ¶ Of dreames diuinacyons and euchauntementes We ought to confute vayne hope and lying The prayse of them that feare God Of dyuers workes of men God dothe not alowe the workes of an vnfaythfull man CAPI XXXIIII VNwyse people begile them selues with vayne and disceatful hope and fooles truste in dreames Who so regardeth dreames is lyke hym that wyll take holde of a shadowe and folowe after the wynde Euen so is it with the apperynges of dreames Before the face is the lycknes of a face Who caÌ„ be clensed of the vncleane Or what trueth can be spoken of a lyer Sothsayinge wytcrafte sorcery and dreamyng is but vanyte lyke as when a woman trauayleth w t childe and hath many fantasies in her hert Where as such visioÌ„s come not of God set not thine herte vpon them For dreames haue disceaued many a man and they fayled that put theyr trust therin The lawe shal be fulfylled without lyes wysdome is suffycieÌ„t to a faythful mouth What knowledge hath he that is not tryed A wyse man that is well instructe vnderstaÌ„deth muche he y â— hath good experience can talke of wysdome He that hath no experieÌ„ce knoweth lytle and he that erreth causeth muche wyckedues He y â— is not tryed what thinges knoweth he Who so foloweth no rule is full of wyckednes When I was yet in errour I lerned much also yee I was so lerned that I coulde not expresse it all and came oft in parell of death therouer tyll I was delyuered from it thorowe the grace of God Now I se that they which feare God haue the ryght sprete for theyr hope staÌ„deth in hym that can helpe theÌ„ And the eyes of the Lorde are on them that
loue him Who so feareth the Lorde staÌ„deth in awe of no man and is not afrayed for the Lorde is his hope and comforte Blessed is the soule of him that feareth the Lorde In whoÌ„ putteth he his trust Who is his strength For the eyes of the Lord haue respecte vnto them that loue him He is their mighty proteccion and stronge grouÌ„d A defeÌ„ce for the heate and refuge for the hote none daye a succore for stumblynge and an helpe for fallynge He setteth vp the soule lyghteneth the eyes He geueth lyfe and blessynge He that geueth an offringe of vnrygh tuous good his offeringe is refused and the scornefull dealynges of the vnryghtuous please not God The Lorde is theyrs onely y â— pacientely abyde hym in the waye of the trueth of ryghtuousnes The hyghest doth not alowe the gyftes of the wycked And God hath no delyte in y â— offeringes of the vngodly nether may synne be reconcyled in the multitude of oblacyons Who so bryngeth an offerynge out of the goodes of the poore doth euen as one that kylleth the soÌ„ne before the fathers eyes The bred of the nedefull is the lyfe of the poore he y â— defraudeth hym therof is a man of bloude Who so robbeth hys neyghboure of his liuyng doth as a great sine as though he sâ—e we him to death He y â— defraudeth the laborer of his hyre is a bloud shedder When one buildeth and another breaketh downe what profyte haue they then but laboure WheÌ„ one prayeth another curseth whose voyce wyl y â— Lorde heare He y â— washeth hi selfe because of a deed body then toucheth y â— deed agayne what doth his washyng So is it with a maÌ„ y t fasteth for his sinnes doth theÌ„ agayne who wyll heare his prayer Or what doth his fastyng helpe him ¶ It is well done to praye and to do sacryfice The prayer of the fal heeles and of the widdowe and him that humbleth hym selfe CAPI XXXV WHo so kepeth the lawe bryngeth offringes ynough He that holdeth fast the commaundemente offreth the ryght health offeringe He that is thankefull and recompenseth offreth fyne floure Who so is mercyfull and geueth almes that is the ryght thankeoffrynge God hath pleasure when one departeth from synne and to forsake vnryghtuousnes reconcyleth vs w t him Thou shalt not appeare emptie before the Lorde for all suche is done because of the commaundement The offringe of the rightuous maketh the aulter fat a swete smell is it before the Hyest The offerynge of the ryghtuous is acceptable vnto God and shal neuer be forgotten Gyue God his honoure with a chereful herte and kepe not backe the fyrstlynges of thy handes In all thy gyftes shewe a mercyful countenaunce and halowe thy tythes vnto God with gladnesse Gyue vnto God accordynge as he hath enryched and prospered the and loke what thin haÌ„de is able geue with a chereful eye for the Lord recompenseth and geueth the seuen tymes as muche agayne Geue no vnryghtuous gyftes for suche wyll he nat receyue Beware of wrongeous offringes for the Lord is a rightuous iudge and regarderh no mannes personne He accepteth not the personne of the poore but he heareth the prayer of the oppressed He despyseth not the desyre of the fatherlesse nor the wyddowe when she poureth out her prayer before hym Doth not God se the teares that renne downe the chekes of the wyddowe Or heareth he not the coÌ„playnte ouer suche as make her to wepe For from hyr chekes do the teares go vp vnto heaueÌ„ and the Lorde which heareth theÌ„ doth accepte them Who so serueth God after his pleasure shal be accepted and hys prayer reacheth vnto the cloudes The prayer of him y â— humbleth him sylfe goeth thorow the cloudes tyll she come nye She will not be comforted nor go her waye tyll the hyest God haue respecte vnto her geue true sentence and perfourme the iudgement And the Lorde wyll not be slack in coÌ„mynge nor tary long tyll he haue smytten in sonder the ba ckes of the vnmercyfull and auenged him selfe of the HeatheÌ„ tyl he haue taken awaye the multytude of the cruell and broken the cepter of the vnryghtuous tyll he geue euery man after his workes and rewarde theÌ„ after their doyngê tyl he haue deliuered his people mayntained their cause reioysed theÌ„ iÌ„ his mercy O how fayre a thyng is mercy in the time of anguish trouble It is lyke a cloude of rayne that coÌ„meth in the tyme of a drouth ¶ A prayer to God in the person of all faythfull men with the prayse of a good woman CAPI XXXVI HAue mercy vpon vs O Lorde thou God of all thynges Haue respecte vnto vs shewe vs the light of thy mercyes and sende thy feare amonge the Heathen strauÌ„gers which seke not after the that they may knowe how that there is no God but thou and that they maye shewe thy wonderous workes Lyfte vp thyne hande ouer the outlandy she Heathen that they maye learne to knowe thy myght and power Lyke as thou arte halowed in vs before them so brynge to passe that thou mayest be magnyfyed also in them before vs that they may know the like as we knowe the. For there is none other God but onely thou O Lorde Renue the tokens and chaunge the wonderous worckes Shew thyne hande and thy ryght arme gloryously Rayse vp thy indignacyon poure out thy wrath Take awaye the aduersary and smyte the enemy Make the tyme short remembre thy couenaunt that thy wonderous worckes may be praysed Let the wrath of the fyre consume theÌ„ that lyue so carelesse and let them peryshe that do thy people hurt Smyte in sunder the heade of the Prynces that be oure enemyes and say there is none other but we Gather all the trybes of Iacob together agayne y â— they may knowe howe that there is none other God but onely thou that they maye shewe thy wonderous workes and be thou thy peoples herytage lyke as from the begyynnynge O Lord haue merey vpon the people that hath thy name and vpoÌ„ Israel whoÌ„ y u hast lyckened to a fyrst borne sonne O be mercyfull vnto Ierusalem the cytie of thy Sanctuary the cytie of thy rest Fyll Syon with thy vnspeakable vertues thy people with thy glorye Geue wytnes vnto thy creature whom thou madest from the beginnynge rayse vp the prophecyes that haue bene shewed in thy name Rewarde theÌ„ that wayte for the that thy Prophetes may be founde faythfull O Lorde heare the prayer of thy seruauÌ„tes accordyng to the blessing of Aaron ouer thy people gyde thou vs in the way of ryghteousnes that all they whiche dwel vpon the earthe maye knowe that thou art the Lorde the eternall God whiche is from euerlastyng The bely deuoureth all meates yet is one meate better then another Lyke as the tong tasteth venyson so doth an herte of vnderstandyng
other man Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached vnto hym Iesus And as they went on theyr waye they came vnto a certayne water and the chamberlayne sayd Se here is water what doth let me to be baptised Philip sayd vnto hym If thou byleue with all thyne herte thou mayst And he answered and sayde I byleue that Iesus Chryst is the sonne of God And he coÌ„maunded the charet to stande styll And they went downe both into the water bothe Philip and also the chamberlayne and he baptised him And assoone as they were come out of the water the spirite of the lord caught awaye Philip and the chamberlayne sawe hym no more And he went on his way reioysyng but Philip was founde at Azotus And he walked thorowout the couÌ„trey preachyng in all the cityes tyll he came to Cesarea ⊢ ¶ Paull is conuerted and confoundeth the Iues. Peter reyseth Tabitha CAPI IX ✚ ANd Saul yet brethynge out threatnynges slaughter agaynst the disciples of the Lorde went vnto the hygh Preest desyred of hym letters to cary to Damasco to the Synagoges that yf he founde any of this way whyther they were men or women he myght bryng them bounde vnto Ierusalem And when he iourneyed it fortuned that as he was come nygh to Damasco sodenly there shyned round about hym a lyght from heuen and he fell to the earth herde a voyce sayenge to hym Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And he sayde what arte thou Lorde And the lorde sayd I am Iesus whom thou persecutest It is harde for the to kycke agaynst the pryckê And he both tremblynge and astonyed sayde Lorde what wylte thou haue me to do And the lorde sayd vnto hym Aryse and go in to the citye and it shall be tolde the what thou must do The men whiche iourneyed with hym stode amased hearyng a voyce but seyng no man And Saul arose frome the earth and when he opened his eyes he sawe no man But they led hym by the hande and brought hym in to Damasco And he was thre dayes without syght neyther dyd eate nor drinke And there was a certayne disciple at Damasco named Ananias and to hym sayd the Lorde in a vision Ananias And he sayd beholde I am here Lorde And the Lorde sayd vnto hym Aryse go in to the strete whiche is called streyghte and seke in the house of Iudas after one called Saul of Tharsus For beholde he prayeth and hath sene in a vision a man named Ananias comynge in to hym and puttynge his handes on hym that he myght receyue his syght Then Ananias answered Lorde I haue herde by many of this man how moche euyl he hath done to thy sayntes at Ierusalem here he hath auctoryte of the hygh Preestes to bynde all that call on thy name The lorde sayd vnto hym go thy way for he is a chosen vessel vnto me to beare my name before the Gentyls and kynges and the chyldren of Israel For I wyll shewe hym howe great thynges he must suffre for my names sake And Ananias went his way and entred in to the house put his hande on hym and sayde brother Saul the Lorde that appeared vnto the in the waye as thou camest hath sent me that thou myghtest receyue thy syght and be fylled with the holy goost And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales and he receyued syght and arose and was baptysed and receyued meate and was comforted Then was Saul a certayne dayes with the disciples whiche were at Damasco And streyght way he preached Chryst in the Synagoges how that he was the sonne of god But all that herde hym were amased and sayde is not this he that spoyled them which called on this name in Ierusalem and came hyther for that entent that he myght brynge them bounde vnto the hygh Preestes But Saul encreased the more in strength and coÌ„founded the Iues which dwelte at Damasco affyrmynge that this was very Chryst. ⊢ And after a good whyle the Iues toke counsell togyther to kyll hym But theyr layynge awayte was knowen of Saull And they watched the gates day and nyght to kyl hym Then the discyples toke hym by nyght and put hym through the walle and let hym downe in a basket And when Saul was come to Ierusalem he assayde to couple hym selfe to the disciples but they were all afrayd of hym and beleued not that he was a discyple But Barnabas toke hym and brought hym to the apostles and declared to them howe he had sene the Lorde in the way and that he had spoken to hym and how he had done boldly at Damasco in the name of Iesu. And he had his conuersacion with them at Ierusalem speakyng boldely in the name of the Lorde Iesu. And he spake and disputed agaynst the Grekes but they wente aboute to sley hym Whiche when the brethren knewe they brought him to Cesarea and sent hym forth to Tharsus Then had the congregacyon rest thorowout al Iuery and Galile and Samary and were edified and walked in the feare of the Lorde and multiplied by the comforte of the holy goost And it chaunsed as Peter walked thorowout all quarters he came also to the sayntes whiche dwelte at Lydda And there he founde a certayne man named Eneas which had kepte his bed viii yeres and was sycke of the palsye And Peter sayde vnto hym Eneas the Lorde Iesus Chryste make the hole aryse and make thy bed And he arose immediatly And all that dwelte at Lydda Assaron sawe hym and turned to the Lorde There was at Ioppa a certayne woman a disciple named Tabitha whiche by interpretacion is called Dorcas the same was ful of good workes and almesse dedes whiche she dyd And it chaunsed in those dayes that she was sycke and dyed Whom when they had wasshed they layde her in a chamber But for as moche as Lydda was nygh to Ioppa and the disciples had herde that Peter was there they sent vnto hym two men desyrynge hym that he wolde not be greued to come vnto them Peter arose and came with them And when he was come they brought him in to the chaÌ„ber And all the wydowes stode rouÌ„de aboute hym wepynge and shewyng the cootes and garmentes whiche Dorcas made whyle she was with them And Peter put them al forth and kneled downe prayed and turned hym to the body and sayde Tabitha aryse And she opened her eyes and when she sawe Peter she sat vp And he gaue her the hande lyfte her vp And wheÌ„ he had called the sayntes and wydowes he shewed her alyue And it was knowen thorowout al Ioppa many byleued on the Lorde And it fortuned that he taryed many dayes in Ioppa with one Simon a tanner ¶ The visyon that Peter sawe Howe he was sente to Cornelius The heathen also receyue the spirite and are baptysed CAPI X. ✚ THere was a
certayne man in Cesarea called Cornelius a captayne of the soul diours of Italy a deuoute man one that feared god with al his housholde which gaue moche almesse to the peple and prayed god alwaye The same sawe by a vision euidently aboute the nynth houre of the daye an angell of God comyng in to hym and sayenge vnto hym Cornelius When he loked on hym he was afrayde and sayde What is it Lorde He sayd vnto hym Thy prayers thy almesses are come vp in to remembrauÌ„ce before god And nowe sende men to Ioppa and call for one Symon whose syrname is Peter He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner whose house is by the see syde He shal tel the what thou oughtest to do And when the angell whiche spake vnto hym was departed he called two of his housholde seruauntes and a deuout souldiour of them that wayted on hym and tolde them all the matter sente them to Ioppa On the morowe as they wente on theyr iourney and drewe nygh vnto the citye Peter went vp vpon the top of the house to praye aboute the. vi houre And when he waxed an hungred he wolde haue eaten But whyle they made redy he fel into a traunce and saw heuen opened a certayn vessel came downe vnto hym as it had bene a great shere knyt at the foure corners was let downe to the earth wherin were all maner of foure foted beastê of the earth and vermyn and wormes foules of the ayre And there came a voyce to hym Ryse Peter kyl and eate But Peter sayd not so Lorde for I haue neuer eaten any thynge that is comon or vncleane And the voyce spake vnto hym agayne the seconde tyme what God hathe clensed that call not thou comon This was done thryse and the vessel was receyued vp agayne in to heuen Whyle Peter also mused in hym selfe what this vision whiche he had sene ment Beholde the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquyraunce for Symons house and stode before the dore called out one and asked whyther Simon whiche was syrnamed Peter were lodged there Whyle Peter thought on the vision the spirite sayd vnto hym Beholde men seke the Aryse therfore and get the downe and go with them and doute not For I haue sent them Peter went downe to the men which were sent vnto hym from Cornelius and sayde Beholde I am he whom ye seke what is the cause wherfore ye are come They sayde Cornelius the captayne a iust man and one that feareth God and of good reporte amonge all the people of the Iues was warned by an holy angell to sende for the into his house and to heare wordes of the Then called he them in and lodged them And on the morowe Peter wente awaye with them certayn brethren from Ioppa accompanyed hym And the thyrde daye entred they into Cesarea And Cornelius wayted for them had called togyther his kynsmen and specyall frendes And as it chaunsed Peter to come in Cornelius met him and fel downe at his feete and worshypped hym But Peter toke hym vp sayenge stande vp I my selfe also am a man And as he talked with hym he came in and founde many that were come togyther And he sayd vnto them Ye know how that it is an vnlawful thyng for a man that is a Iue to company or come vnto an alyent but god hath shewed me that I shulde not cal any man comon or vnclene therfore came I vnto you without delay as soone as I was sent for I aske therfore for what entente haue ye sent for me And Cornelius sayde This day nowe iiii dayes aboute this houre I sat fastynge and at the nynth houre I prayed in myne house beholde a man stode before me in bryght clothyng sayd Cornelius thy prayer is herde thyn almes dedes are had in remembrauÌ„ce in the syght of God Sende men therfore to go to Ioppa and call for Symon whose syrname is Peter He is lodged in the house of one Symon a tanner by the see syde whiche as soone as he is come shal speake vnto the. Then sent I for the immediatly and thou hast well done that thou arte come Nowe therfore are we all here present before God to heare all thynges that are coÌ„maunded vn to the of god Then Peter opened his mouth sayd Of a trueth I perceyue that there is no respecte of persones with God but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh ryghteousnesse is accepted with hym Ye knowe the preachynge that God sente vnto the chyldren of Israel preachyng peace by Iesus Chryst which is lorde ouer al thyn ges ✚ whiche preachynge was publysshed thorowout all Iuery and began in Galile after the baptyme whiche IohnÌ„ preached howe God anoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy goost and with power Which Iesus wente aboute doynge good and healynge all that were oppressed of the deuyll for God was with hym And we are wytnesses of althynges which he dyd in the lande of the Iues and at Ierusalem whom they slue and hanged on tree Hym god reysed vp the thyrde day and shewed hym openly not to al the people but vnto vs wytnesses chosen be fore of God for the same entente whiche dyd eate drynke with hym after he arose from death ✚ And he coÌ„maunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testifie that it is he whiche was ordeyned of god to be the iudge of quycke and deade To hym gyue all the prophettes wytnesse that thorowe his name who souer byleueth hym shal receyue remyssion of synnes ⊢ Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on all them whiche herde the preachynge And they of the circumcision whiche byleued were astonyed as many as came with Peter bycause that on the Gentyls also was shed oute the gyfte of the holy goost For they herd them speake w t tongues and magnifie God Then answered Peter can any man forbyd water that these shuld not be baptysed whiche haue receyued the holy goost as wel as we And he commaunded them to be baptysed in the name of the Lorde ⊢ Then prayed they hym to tary a fewe dayes ¶ Peter sheweth the cause wherfore he went to the heathen Barnab as and Paull preache vnto the heathen Ababus prophesyeth of the derth for to come CAPI XI ANd the apostles and brethren that were in Iuery herde that the hethen had also receyued the worde of God And when Peter was come vp to Ierusalem they that were of the circumcisyon contended agaynst hym sayeng Thou wentest in to men vncircumcised and dydest eate with them But Peter rehersed the matter from the begynnynge and expounded it by order vnto them sayenge I was in the citye of Ioppa prayenge and in a traunce I sawe a vision a certayne vessell descende as it had bene a great shete let downe from heuen by the foure corners
giueth life breth to all men euery where hath made of one blode al nacioÌ„s of men for to dwel on al y â— face of the earth hath assigned before how long time also the endes of their inhabitacioÌ„ y e they shulde seke god if they might fele fynde him though he be not farre froÌ„ euery one of vs. For in him we lyue moue haue our beinge as certayne of your owne Poetes sayd For we are also his generacioÌ„ For asmuch then as ☞ we are the generacion of God we ought not to thincke that the Godhead is lyke vnto golde siluer or stone grauen by crafte ymagmation of man And the tyme of this ignorauÌ„ce God regarded not But now biddeth al men euery where repeÌ„t bicause he hath appoynted a day in the which he wyl iudge the world w t ryghtuousnes by that man by whoÌ„ he hath apoynted hath offered fayth to al men after that he had raysed him from death When they herde of the resurreccyon froÌ„ death some mocked other sayde we wyll heare the agayne of this matter So Paule departed froÌ„ among theÌ„ Howbeit certayne men claue vnto hi beleuedâ— among y â— whiche was Diomsius a senatoure a woman named Demaris and other with them ¶ Paule preached at Corinthum contynuing there a yere and a halfe goeth agayne into Syrta â–ª commeth to Ephesus Cesarâ— and Antioche Of Apollos Aqnda and Priscilla CAPI XVIII AFter this Paul departed froÌ„ Athens came to CoriÌ„thuÌ„ founde a certaine Iewe named Aquila borne in PoÌ„thus lately come froÌ„ Italie with his wyfe Priscilla because y e the Emperour Claudius had coÌ„mauÌ„ded al Iewes to depart froÌ„ Rome he drue vnto them because he was of the same craft he abode w t theÌ„ wrought there craft was to make teÌ„tes And he preached in the sinagoge euery Sabboth day âšœ settyng forth in the meane whyle the name of the Lorde lesus exhorted the Iewes and the Gentyls When Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paul was coÌ„strayned by the spirite to testifye to the Iewes that Iesus was very Christ. And when they sayde contrary blasphemed he shoke hys rayment and sayde vnto them your bloude be vpon your owne heades from hence forth wyl I go blamelesse vnto the Gentils And he departed thence entred into a certayne mans house named Iustus a worshypper of God whose house ioyned harde to the synagoge Howbeit one Crispus the chefe ruler of the sinagoge beleued on the Lorde with all his housholde many of the Corin thâ—aÌ„s whan they gaue audience beleued were baptysed Then spake the Lord to Paul in y â— nyght by a vision be not afrayed but speke and holde not thy peace for I am with the no man shal muade the that shal hurt the. For I haue muche people in this citie And he coÌ„tinued there a yeare and sixe mouethes and taught them the worde of God When Gallio was ruler of the couÌ„tre of Acaâ—a the Iewes made insurreccion â–ª with one accord agaynst Paul brought him to the iudgement seate saying this felow couÌ„celeth men to worshyp God contrary to the lawe And whaÌ„ Paul now was about to open his mouth Gallio said vnto the Iewes yf it were a matter of wroÌ„ge or an euyl dede Oye Iewes reason wolde that I shulde heare you but yf it be a question of wordes or of names or of your lawe loke ye to it your selues For I wyl be no iudge of suche matters and he draue them from the seate Then al the Grekes toke Sostenes the chefe ruler of the Synagoge smote him before the iudges seate And Gallio cared for none of those thynges Paule after this taried there yet a good whyle then toke his leaue of his brethren sayled thence into Ciria Priscilla Aquila accoÌ„panying him And ☞ he shore his head in Cenchrea for he had a vowe And he came to Ephesus left theÌ„ there but he him selfe entred into the Synagoge reasoned with the Iewes When they desyred him to â—ary loÌ„ger tyme with them he coÌ„sented not but bad them fare wel saying I must nedes at this feast that coÌ„meth be in Ierusalem but I wyl returne agayne vnto you yf god wyll And he departed from Ephesus and whan he was come vnto Cesarea asceÌ„ded vp saluted the congregacyon he departed vnto Antioche and wheÌ„ he had taryed there a whyle he departed and went ouer all the countre of Galacia and Phrigia by ordre strengthyng all the discyples And a certayne Iewe named Appollos borne at Alexandria came to Ephesus an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures The same was informed in the waye of the Lorde and spake feruently in the spirit and taught diligently the thinges of the Lord knewe but the baptyme of Iohn onely And the same began to speake boldly in the Synagoge WhoÌ„ when Priscilla Aquila had herde they toke him vnto them expouÌ„ded vnto him the way of God more perfectly And when he was disposed to go into Acaia the brethren wrote exhortynge the dyscyples to receyue hym Whiche whaÌ„ he was come helped them much which had beleued thorowe grace For he ouer came the Iewes myghtely and that openly shewyng by the scriptures that Iesus was Christ. Of the xii meÌ„ that were baptised at Ephesus what miracles were done by Paul Demecriê° moueth sâ—dicioÌ„ in the cite CAPI XIX IT fortuned that while Apollo was at Corinthum Paul passed thorow the vpper costes came to Ephesus and founde certayne disciples said vnto them haue ye receyued the holy ghost seÌ„ce ye beleued And they sayde vnto him no we haue not herde whether ther be any holy ghost or no. And he sayde vnto them wher with were ye then baptised And they said with ☞ Iohns baptyme Then sayd Paul Iohn verely baptised with the baptyme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they shulde beleue on him whiche shulde come after him that is on Christ Iesus When they herde this they were baptised in the name of the Lorde Iesu. And whan Paule layde his haudes vpon them the holy ghost came on them they spake with tonges and prophesyed and all the men were about twelue And he went into the sinagoge and behaued him selfe boldly for the space of thre monethes disputyng and gyuyng them exhortacions of the kyngdome of God ⊢ when diuers waxed hard herted beleued not but spake euyl of the way of the Lord that before the multitude he departed from them and seperated the disciples And he disputed daily in the scole of one called TiraÌ„nus And this coÌ„tynued by the space of two yeares so that al they which dwelt in Asia hearde the worde of the Lorde Iesu both Iewes and Grekes And God wrought special myracles by the handes of Paul so that from his body were brought vnto the sicke napkis partlettes
the diseases departed froÌ„ them and the euyl spirites went out of them Then certayne of the vagabâ—nde Iewes exorcistes toke vpon them to cal ouer them whiche had euyll spirites the name of the Lord Iesus sayige We adiure you by Iesu whoÌ„ Paul preacheth And there were seuen soÌ„nes of one Sceua a Iewe chefe of y â— prestes whiche dyd so And the euyll spirite answered and sayd Iesus I know Paul I knowe but who are ye And the man in whom the euyll spirit was ranne on them ouercame them and preuailed against theÌ„ so y t they fledde out of that house naked and wounded And this was knowen to all the Iewes Grekes also which dwelt at Ephesus and feare came on them all the name of the Lorde Iesus was magnified And many that beleued came coÌ„fessed shewed their workê Many of theÌ„ which vsed curtoê° craftes brought their bokê burned theÌ„ before all meÌ„ they couÌ„ted the price of theÌ„ fouÌ„de it l. M. siluerlingê So mightely grewe y â— worde of God preuayled After these thiges were ended Paul purposed in y â— spirit whaÌ„ he had passed ouer Macedonia Achaia to go to IerusaleÌ„ saying After I haue bene there I must also se Rome So seÌ„t he into Macedonia two of theÌ„ y t ministred vnto hiÌ„ euen Timotheus Erastus but he hiÌ„ self remayned in Asia for a season The same tyme there arose no lytel a do aboute that waye For a certayne man named Demetrius a siluer smyth which made syluer shrynes for Diana was not a lytle beneficial vnto the craftes men WhoÌ„ he called togyther w t the workmen of lyke occupacion and sayde Syrs ye know that by this craft we haue auauÌ„tage Moreouer ye se â— here that not alone at Ephesus but almost thorow out al Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much people saying that they be not Goddes whiche are made with handes So that not onely this oure craft coÌ„meth into parell to be set at nought but also that the teÌ„ple of the great Goddesse Diana shuld be despised her magnyficeÌ„ce shulde be destroyed whom all Asia and the worlde worshyppeth When they herd these sayinges they were full of wrath cryed out sayinge Great is Diana of the EphesiaÌ„s And al the cite was on a rore they rushed into the comeÌ„ hal w t one assent caught Gaius Aristarcus meÌ„ of Macedonia Pauls coÌ„panioÌ„s WheÌ„ Paul wolde haue entred in vnto the people y â— disciples suffered him not But certayne of the chefe of Asia which were his freÌ„des sent vn to him desyringe him y t he wolde not preace into the comeÌ„ hal Some therfore cryed one thyng some another the Congregacion was al out of quiet the more parte knewe not wherfore they were come togyther Some of the coÌ„pany drue forth AlexaÌ„der the Iewes thrustyng hi forwardes Alexander beckened w t the hande wolde haue gyuen y â— people an answere WheÌ„ they knew that he was a Iewe there arose a shoute almost for the space of two houres of al men crying great is Diana of the Ephesians WheÌ„ the towne clarke had ceased the people he sayd ye men of Ephesus what maÌ„ is it that knoweth not howe that the cytie of y â— Ephesians is a worshipper of the great god desse Diana ☞ of the ymage which came from heauen Seinge then that nomaÌ„ sayth here agaynst ye ought to be coÌ„teÌ„t and to do nothyng rashly for ye haue brought hyther these men which are nether robbers of churches nor yet despisers of youre goddesse Wherfore yf Demetrius the craftes men which are with hym haue a matter agaynst any maÌ„ the law is opeÌ„ and there are rulers let them accuse one another But yf ye go aboute any other thyng it shal be determined in a lawful congregacion For we are in â—eopardy to be accused of this dayes vproure for asmuch as there is no cause wherby we may gyue a reckenyng of this concourse of people And when he had thus spoken he let the congregacion depart ¶ Paul goeth into Macedonia and into Grece At Troaâ— he raysed vp a deade body At Ephesus he calleth the elders of the Congregacyon togyther commyâ—â—â—th the kepynge of Gods flocke vnto them warneth them of false teachers â—â—â—keth his prayer with them and departeth to shyppe CAPI XX. AFter that the rage was ceased Paule called the disciples vnto him and toke his leaue of theÌ„ departed for to go into Macedonia And when he had gone ouer those parties had giuen theÌ„ a long exhortacion he came into Grece there abode iij. monethes And when the Iewes layde wayte for him as he was about to saâ—e into Syria he purposed to returne thorowe Macedonia There accoÌ„panyed him ito Asia Sopâ—ter of Berrea and of Thessalonia Aristarcus and SecuÌ„dus and Gayus of Derba Timotheus out of Asia Tychicus and Trophimus These goynge before taried vs at Troas And we sayled away from Philippos after the dayes of swete breade came vnto them to Troas in fyue dayes where we abode seuen dayes And vpoÌ„ one of the Saboth dayes whaÌ„ y â— disciples came togyther for to breke breed Paul preached vnto them redy to depart on the morow continued the preaching vnto to mydnyght And there were many lyghtes in the chambre where we were gathered togither and there sat in a wyndow a certayne yonge man named Euticus beyng falleÌ„ into a depe slepe And as Paul was preaching he was the more ouercome with slepe and fell downe from the thyrd lofte was takeÌ„ vp deed But whan Paule went downe he fel on him embrased him and sayd make nothyng a do for his lyfe is in him So wheÌ„ he was come vp agayne and had broken the bread eaten and talcked a long whyle euen tyll the mornyng at the last he departed And they brought the yong man alyue and were not a lytell comforted And we went afore to shyp and lowsed vnto Asson there to receyue Paule For so had he appointed and wolde him selfe go a fote When we were come togither at Asson we toke him in came to Mytilnes And we sayled thence and came the nexte daye ouer agaynst Chios And the nexte day we aryued at Samos taried at â—rogylon The nexte daye we came to Myleton for Paule had determined to sayle ouer by Ephesus because he wold not spende the tyme iÌ„ Asia For he hasted yf it were possyble for him to kepe at Ierusalem the daye of Pentecost And from Myleton he sent messaungers to Ephesus and called the elders of the congregacyon Whyche when they were come to hym he sayde vnto them Ye know from the fyrst daye that I came into Asia after what maner I haue bene with you at all ceasons seruynge the Lorde with all humblenes of mynde and with many teares and temptacions whiche happened vnto me by the