you Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordeyned you to go bryng forth fruyte that your fruyte shulde remayne that what soeuer ye aske of the father in my name he may gyue it you ⊢ ✚ This commaunde I you that ye loue togyther If the worlde hate you ye knowe that he hated me before he hated you If ye were of the worlde the worlde wolde loue his owne Howbeit bycause ye are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you oute of the worlde Therfore the worlde hateth you Remember the worde that I sayde vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then the lorde If they haue persecuted me they wyll also persecute you If they haue kepte my sayeng they wyl kepe youres also But all these thynges wyll they do vnto you for my names sake bycause they haue not knowen hym that sent me If I had not come and spoken vnto them they shuld haue had no synne but nowe haue they nothynge to cloke theyr synne withall He that hateth me hateth my father also Yf I had not done amonge them the workes whiche none other man dyd they shuld haue had no synne But nowe haue they both sene hated not onely me but also my father But this happeneth that the sayenge myght be fulfylled that is wrytten in theyr lawe they hated me without a cause ⊢ ✚ But when the conforter is come whom I wyll sende vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth whiche procedeth of the father he shall testifie of me And ☞ ye shal beare wytnesse also bycause ye haue bene with me from the begynnynge CAPI XVI ¶ Consolacyon agaynst trouble Prayers are herde thorowe Chryst. THese thynges haue I sayde vnto you bycause ye shulde not be offended They shall excommunicate you yea the tyme shall come that who soeuer kylleth you wyll thynke that he doeth God seruyce And suche thynges wyll they do vnto you bycause they haue not knowen the father neyther yet me But these thynges haue I tolde you that when the tyme is come ye may remember them that I tolde you ⊢ These thynges sayd I not vnto you at the beginnyng bycause I was present with you ✚ But nowe I go my waye to hym that sent me and none of you asketh me whyther I go But bycause I haue sayde suche thynges vnto you your hertes are full of sorowe Neuerthelesse I tell you the trueth it is expedient for you that I go awaye For yf I go not awaye that comforter wyll not come vnto you But yf I departe I wyl sende hym vnto you And when he is come he wyll rebuke the worlde of synne of ryghteousnes and of iudgement Of synne bycause they byleue not on me Of ryghteousnesse bycause I go to my father and ye shal se me no more Of iudgement bycause the prynce of this worlde is iudged alredy I haue yet many thynges to saye vnto you but ye can not beare them awaye nowe Howbeit when he is come whiche is the spirite of trueth he wyl leade you in to al trueth He shall not speake of hym selfe but what so euer he shall heare that shall he speake and he wyll shewe you thynges to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you All thynges that the father hath are myne Therfore sayd I vnto you that he shall take of myne and shewe vnto you ⊢ ✚ After a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me For I go to the father Then sayde some of his disciples bytwene themselues What is this that he sayth vnto vs after a whyle ye shal not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me and that I go to the father They sayd therfore what is this that he sayth after a whyle we can not tell what he sayeth Iesus perceyued that they wolde aske him and sayde vnto them Ye enquyre of this bytwene your selues bycause I sayde after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me Uerely verely I say vnto you ye shall wepe lament but contrary wyse the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorow but your sorowe shall be turned to ioye A woman when she trauayleth hath sorowe bycause her houre is come but as soone as she is delyuered of the chyld she remembreth no more the anguysshe for ioy that a man is borne in to the worlde And ye nowe therfore haue sorowe but I wyll se you agayne and your hertes shall reioyse and your ioye shall no man take from you ⊢ And in that day shal ye aske me no questyon ✚ Uerely verely I say vnto you What soeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he wyll gyue it you Hytherto haue ye asked nothynge in my name Aske and ye shall receyue that your ioy may be full These thynges haue I spoken vnto you by prouerbes The tyme wyll come when I shall no more speake to you by prouerbes But I shall shewe you playnly from my father At that day shall ye aske in my name And I say not to you that I wyll speake vnto my father for you For the father hymselfe loueth you bycause ye haue loued me and haue byleued that I came out frō god I went out from the father and came in to the worlde Agayne I leaue the worlde and go to the father His disciple sayde vnto hym lo nowe talkest thou playnly and speakest no prouerbe Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thynges and nedest not that any man shulde aske the any questyon Therfore byleue we that thou camest from God ⊢ Iesus answered them Nowe ye do byleue Beholde the houre draweth nyghe and is alredy come that ye shall be scattered euery man to his owne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone For the father is with me These wordes haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye myghte haue peace For in the worlde shall ye haue tribulacyon but be of good cheare I haue ouercome the worlde ¶ The moost harty and louynge prayer of Chryst vnto his father for all suche as receyue the trueth CAPI XVII ✚ THese wordes spake Iesus and lyfte vp his eyes to heuen and sayd father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne also maye glorifie the as thou hast gyuen hym power ouer all flesshe that he shulde gyue eternal lyfe to as many as thou hast gyuen hym This is lyfe eternall that they myght knowe the the onely true God and Iesus Chryst whom thou hast sent I haue glorified the on the earth I haue finisshed the worke whiche thou gauest me to do And nowe glorifie thou me O father with thyne owne selfe with the glorye which I had with the or the worlde was I haue declared thy name vnto the men which thou gauest me oute of the
worlde Thyne they were and thou gauest them me they haue kepte thy worde Nowe they haue knowen that all the thynges what soeuer thou haste gyuen me are of the. For I haue gyuen vnto them the wordes whiche thou gauest me and they haue receyued them haue knowen surely that I came out froÌ„ the and they haue byleued that thou dydest sende me I praye for them ☞ I pray not for the worlde but for them whiche thou hast gyuen me for they are thyne And all myne are thyne and thyne are myne and I am glorified in them And nowe am I not in the worlde and they are in the worlde and I come to the. ⊢ ✚ Holy father kepe thorowe thyne owne name them whiche thou hast gyuen me that they also maye be one as we are Whyle I was with them in the worlde I kepte them in thy name Those that thou gauest me I haue kepte and none of them is lost but that lost thâ—lde that the scripture myght be fulfylled Nowe come I to the and these wordes speake I in the worlde that they myght haue my ioye full in them I haue gyuen them thy worde and the worlde hath hated them bycause they are not of the worlde euen as I also am not of the worlde I desyre not that thou shuldest take them out of the world but that thou kepe them from euyll They are not of the worlde as I also am not of the worlde Sanctifie them thorowe thy trueth Thy worde is the trueth As thou dyddest sende me in to the worlde euen so haue I also sent them in to the world and for theyr sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also myght be sanctified thorowe the trueth Neuerthelesse I praye not for them alone but for them also whiche shal byleue on me thorowe theyr preachynge that they all maye be one as thou father arte in me and I in the and that they also maye be one in vs that the worlde maye byleue that thou hast sent me And the glory whiche thou gauest me I haue gyuen them that they maye be one as we also are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfyte in one and that the worlde maye knowe that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Father I wyll that they whiche thou hast gyuen me be with me where I am that they may se my glory which thou hast gyuen me For thou louedst me before the makynge of the worlde O ryghteous father the worlde also hathe not knowen the But I haue knowen the these haue knowen that thou hast sent me And I haue declared vnto them by name and wyll declare it that the loue wherwith thou hast loued me maye be in them and I in them ⊢ ¶ Chryst is betrayed The wordes of his mouth smyte the offycers to the grounde Peter smyteth of Malchus care Iesus is brought before Anna Cayphas and Pylate CAPI XVIII WHen Iesus had spoken these wordes he went forth with his disciples ouer the broke Cedron where was a garden in to the whiche he entred and his disciples Iudas also whiche bytrayed hym knewe the place for Iesus ofte tymes resorted thyther with his disciples Iudas then after he had receyued a bande of men and ministers of the hygh preestes and pharises came thyther with lanterus and fyrebrandes weapons And Iesus knowyng al thynges that shulde come on hym went forth sayde vnto them whom seke ye They answered hym Iesus of Nazareth Iesus sayeth vnto them I am he Iudas also whiche betrayed hym stode with them As soone then as he had sayde vnto them I am he they went bakwarde and fell to the grounde TheÌ„ asked he them agayne whom seke ye They sayd Iesus of nazareth Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seke me therfore let these go theyr way that the sayenge myght be fulfylled whiche he spake of them whiche thou gauest me haue I not lost one Then Symon Peter hauynge a swerde drewe it and smote the hygh Preestes seruaunt and cut of his ryght eare The seruauntes name was Malchus Therfore sayeth Iesus vnto Peter Put vp thy swerde in to the sheathe shall I not drynke of the cup whiche my father hath gyuen me Then the company and the captayne and ministers of the Iues toke Iesus bounde hym and led hym away to Anna fyrst for he was father in lawe vnto Cayphas whiche was the hygh preest that same yere Cayphas was he whiche gaue counsell to the Iues that it was expedient that one man shulde dye for the people And Symon Peter folowed Iesus and so dyd an other dyscyple that dyscyple was knowen vnto the hygh Preest and wente in with Iesus into the palace of the high preest But Peter stode at the dore without Then wente out that other dyscyple whiche was knowen vnto the hygh Preest and spake to the damsell that kepte the dore and brought in Peter Then sayde the damsell that kepte the dore vnto Peter Arte not thou also one of this mannes disciples He sayd I am not The seruauntes the ministers stode there whiche had made a fyre of coles for it was colde and they warmed them selues Peter also stode amonge them and warmed hym The hygh Preest then asked Iesus of his disciples and of his doctrine Iesus answered hym I spake openly in the worlde I euer taught in the Synagoge â–ª and in the temple whyther all the Iues resorte and in secrete haue I sayd nothyng Why askest thou me Aske them which herde me what I haue sayde vnto them Beholde they can tel what I sayd When he had thus spoken one of the ministers whiche stode by smote Iesus on the face sayenge answerest thou the hygh Preest for Iesus answered hym If I haue euyll spoken beare wytnesse of the euyll But yf I haue well spoken ☞ why smytest thou me And Annas sent hym bounde vnto Cayphas the hygh Preest Symon Peter stode and warmed hym selfe Then sayd they vnto hym art not thou also one of his disciples He denyed it and sayd I am not One of the seruauntes of the hygh Preestes his cosyn whose eare Peter smote of sayde vnto hym Dyd not I se the in the garden with hym Peter therfore denyed agayne immediatly the cocke crewe Then led they Iesus from Cayphas in to the hall of iugement It was in the mornyng and they them selues went not in to the iudgement hall ☞ lest they shulde be defyled but that they myght eate Passeouer Pylate then wente out vnto them and sayde What accusacyon brynge ye agaynst this man They answered and sayde vnto hym If he were not an euyldoer we wolde not haue delyuered hym vnto the. Then sayde Pylate vnto them Take ye hym and iudge hym after your owne lawe The Iues therfore sayd vnto hym It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death ☞
though I myght also reioyce in the fleshe Yf any other man thinketh that he hath wherof he myght trust in the flesheâ— I haue more being circuÌ„cised the eyght day of the kynred of Israel of the trybe of Beniamin an Ebrue borne of the Ebrues as coÌ„cernynge the lawe a Pharisaye as concernyng feruentnes I persecuted the coÌ„gregacyon as touchyng the ryghtuousnes which is in the lawe I was vnrebukable But the thynges that were vauntage vnto me those I counted losse for Chrystes sake Yee I thynke all thynges but losse for the excellencye of the knowledge of Christe Iesu my Lorde For whom I haue counted al thyng loste and do iudge them but vyle that I may wynne Christ and be founde in hym not hauynge myne owne ryghtuousnes of the lawe but that whiche is thorowe the fayth of Christe euen the ryghtuousnes whiche coÌ„meth of God thorow fayth that I may knowe him the vertue of his resurreccion the fellowshyp of his passions while I am coÌ„formable vnto his death yf by any meanes I myght attayne vnto the resurreccyon of the deade Not that I haue attayned vnto it al redy or that I am all redy perfecte but I folowe yf that I may coÌ„prehende that wherin I am comprehended of Christ Iesu. Brethren I couÌ„te not my selfe that I haue gotten it as yet but this one thing I say I forget those thinges whiche are behynde endeuoure my selfe vnto those thynges which are before and accordyng to the marke appoynted I preace to the rewarde of the hye callyng of God thorow Christ Iesu. Let vs therfore as many as be perfect be thus wyse mynded and yf ye be other wyse mynded God shall open the same also vnto you Neuerthelesse vnto that which we haue attayned vnto let vs procede by one rule that we may be of one accorde ✚ Brethren be folowers togither of me loke on them whiche walcke euen so as ye haue vs for an ensaÌ„ple For many walke of whom I haue tolde you often now tel you wepynge that they are the enemyes of the crosse of Christ whose ende is damnacion whose bely is their God glory to their shame whiche are worldly mynded But our coÌ„uersacion is in heaueÌ„ from whence we loke for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ whiche shal chaunge our vyle bodye that he may make it like vnto his glorious body accordig to the workyng wherby he is able also to subdue al thynges vnto him selfe ⊢ He saluteth certayne of them exhorteth them to be of honest conuersacyon and thanketh them because of the prouisyon that they made for him beynge in pryson CAPI IIII. THerfore my brethren derely beloued longed for my ioy crowne so coÌ„tinu in the Lord ye beloued I praye Euodias besech Smtiches that they be of one accord in the Lord. Yee I besech the faithful yock felowe helpe the wemen which laboured w t me in the Gospell with Element also and with other my laboure felowes whose names are in the boke of life ✚ Reioyse in the Lorde alwaye agayne I saye reioyce Let your softenes be knowen vnto al men The Lord is euen at haÌ„de Be careful for nothing but in all prayer supplicacion let your peticions be manifest vnto God wyth geuyng of thankes And the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandyng kepe youre hertes and myndes thorowe Christ Iesu. Furthermore brethren whatsoeuer thyn ges are true whatsoeuer thyngê are honest whatsoeuer thynges are iuste whatsoeuer thynges are pare whatsoeuer thynges are conuenyent whatsoeuer thynges are of honest reporte yf there be any vertue yf there be any prayse of lernyng those same haue ye in your minde which ye haue both lerned and receyued herde also sene in me those thynges do the God of peace shal be wyth you I reioyse in the Lord greatly that now at the last youre care is reuyued agayne for me in that wherin ye were also carefull but ye lacked oportunite I speake not because of necessite For I haue lerned in whatsoeuer estate I am therwith to be content I can both be lowe I can be hye Euery where in al thynges I am instructed both to be ful to be hongry both to haue plenty to suffre nebe I can do al thynges thorow Christ which strengneth me Notwithstandyng ye haue wel done that ye bare part with me in my tribulacyon Ye of Philippos knowe also that in the be gynnynge of the Gospell when I departed from Macedonia no coÌ„gregacion bare part with me as concernynge geuynge and receyuynge but ye onely For when I was in Thessalonica ye sente once and afterwarde agayne vnto my necessyte not that I desyre gyftes but I desyre abouÌ„dant frute on your parte Neuertheles I receyued al and haue plentye I was eueÌ„ fylled after that I recey ned of Epaphrodytus the thynges whyche were sent froÌ„ you an odoure of a swete smell a sacrifice accepted and pleasaunt to God My God shall supplye all youre nede thorowe hys gloryous ryches by Iesu Chryst. Unto God oure father be prayse for euermore AmeÌ„ Salute al the saynctes in Christ Iesu. The brethren which are with me grete you Al the saynctes salute you moste of all they whiche are of the emperours housholde The grace of our Lord Iesu Chryst be with you all Amen ¶ This Epystle was wrytten from Rome by Epaphrodytus ⧠The Epystle of Saynte Paule the Apostle to the Collossyans ¶ He gyueth thancked vnto God for theyr sayth loue and hope prayeth for theyr increase and sheweth howe we are the kyngedome of God optayned by Christe whiche to the heade of the Congregacyon CAPI I. PAul an Apostle of Iesu Christe by the wyl of God and brother Tymotheus To the Saynctes whych are at Collossa and brethreÌ„ that beleue in Christ. Grace be wyth you and peace frome God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe ⧠☜ â— We gyue thankes to God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe alwayes for you in our prayers For we haue hearde of your fayth in Christ Iesu and of the loue whiche ye beare to al sanctes for the hopes sake whiche is layed vp in store for you in heauen of which hope ye herd before by the true worde of the Gospell which is come vnto you eueÌ„ as it is into al the world is frutefull âšœ and groweth as it is also among you froÌ„ the day in the which ye herde of it had experyence in the grace of God thorowe the trueth as ye learned of Epaphra our dere felowe seruasit whiche is for you a faythfull minyster of Christ which also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirite ✚ For this cause we also seÌ„se the daye we herde of it haue not ceasyd to praye for you and to desyre that ye myght be fulfylled wyth the knowledge of hys wyll in all wysdome and spiritual vnderstaÌ„dyng that ye
vnto hym And Ioseph called the name of the fyrste son Manasse for God sayd he hath made me forget al my labour and al my fathers house holde The name of the seconde called he Ephraim for god sayde he hath caused me to growe in the land of my trouble And wheÌ„ the seuen yeres of plenteousnesse that was in the land of Egypt were ended then came the seuen yeres of derth accordyng as Ioseph had sayde And the derth was in all landes but in all the lande of Egypte was there yet foode And when the lande of Egypt also began to hunger the people cryed to Pharao for breade And Pharao sayde vnto all the Egyptians god vnto Ioseph and what he sayeth to you that do And the derth was thorowout al the lande And Ioseph opened all the barnes wherin was corne and solde vnto the Egypcians For the hunger waxed sore in the lande of Egypte And all countryes came in to Egypte to Ioseph for to bye corne bycause that the hunger was so sore in all landes ¶ Iosephs brethren come into Egypte to by corne He knoweth and tryeth them Simeon is put in pryson they returne to theyr father askynge Ben Iamin he denyeth CAPI XLII ANd Iacob seynge that there was corne in Egypt sayd vnto his Sonnes why gape ye one vpoÌ„ another And he sayd beholde I haue herde that there is corne in Egypt Get you downe thyther and bye vs corne from thence that we may lyue and not dye So went Iosephs ten brethren downe to bye corne of the Egyptians But Ben Iamyn Iosephs brother wolde not Iacob sende w t his other brethren for he sayde leest some mysfortune happen him And the sonnê of Israell came to bye corne amonge other that came for there was derth in the lande of Canaan And Ioseph was gouerner in the lande and solde to all the people of the land And his brethren came and fell flat on the grounde before hym When Ioseph saw his brethren he knewe them and made hym selfe straunge vnto them spake roughly vnto them sayeng whence come ye They answered out of the lande of Canaan to bye bytayle And Ioseph knewe his brethren but they knew not hym And Ioseph remembred his dreames whiche he dreamed of them sayd vnto them ye are spyes and to se where the lande is weake is youre commynge To whom they sayde nay my Lorde but to bye vytayle thy seruauntes are come We are all one mans sonnes and meane truely and thy seruauntes are no spyes And he sayde vnto them agayne naye but euen to se where the lande is weake is your coÌ„mynge And they sayde we thy seruauntes are xii brethren the sonnes of one man in the lande of Canaan And beholde the yongest is this daye with our father one no man woteth where he is And Ioseph sayd vnto them that is it that I spake vnto you sayeng ye are spyes Hereby ye shall be proued By the lyfe of Pharao ye shall not go hence excepte your yongest brother come hyther Sende out one of you which may fet your brother ye shal be kept in pryson that your wordes may be proued whyther there be any trueth in you or els by the lyfe of Pharao ye are but spyes And he put them in warde thredayes And Ioseph sayd vnto them the thyrde day This do and lyue for I feare God Yf ye meane no hurte let one of your brethren be bouÌ„d in the house of your pryson go ye bryng the necessarie foode to your householdes but brynge your yongest brother vnto me that your wordes maye be tried that ye dye not And they dyd so And one sayde to another we haue verely synned agaynst our brother in that we sawe the anguyshe of his soule when he besought vs we wolde not heare him and therfore is this trouble come vpon vs. And Ruben answered them sayenge sayde I not vnto you that ye shulde not syn agaynst the lad and ye wolde not heare And se his bloode is requyred They were not aware that Ioseph vnderstode them for he spake vnto them by an interpreter And he turned from them and wepte and turned to them agayne comoned with them and toke out Simeon from amonge them and bounde hym before theyr eyes and Ioseph commauuded to fyll theyr sackes with corne to put euery mans money in his sacke and to gyue them vytayle tâ— spende by the waye And thus dyd he vnto them And they laded theyr asses w t the corne and departed thence And as one of them ope ned his sacke for to gyue his asse prauonder in the Iune he spied his money for it was in his sackes mouth And he sayd vnto his brethren my money is restored me agayne For lo it is euen in my sacke And theyr hert fayled them and they were astonyed and sayde one to another Why hathe god delte thus with vs And so they came vnto Iacob theyr father vnto the land of Canaan and tolde him all that had happened them sayenge The man euen the lorde of the lande spake roughly to vs and commyttynge vs to prison toke vs for spyes of the couÌ„trey And we sayd vnto hym we meane truly and are no spyes We be xii brethren sonnes of our father one is away and the yongest is this daye w t our father in the land of Canaan And that man which is the lorde of the couÌ„trey sayd agayn vnto vs hereby shall I knowe yf ye meane truly leaue one of your brethreÌ„ here with me and take fode necessary for your housholdes and get you away and brynge your yongest brother vnto me that I maye knowe that ye are no spyes but meane truly So wyll I delyuer you your brother ye shall occupye in the lande And it fortuned as they emptyed theyr sackes beholde euery mans bundell of money was in his sacke And wheÌ„ bothe they and theyr father sawe the bundels of money they were afrayd And Iacob theyr father sayde vnto them Me haue ye robbed of my chyldren Ioseph is awaye and Symeon is awaye and ye take Ben Iamin awaye All these thynges are agaynst me Ruben sayde vnto his father Slee my two sonnes yf I brynge hym not to the agayne Deliuer hym to my hande and I wyl brynge hym to the agayne And he sayde my sonne shall not go downe with you For his brother is deade and he is lefte alone Yf some mysfortune happen vnto him by the waye whiche ye goo ye shall brynge my gray head with sorowe vnto the graue ¶ Bryngynge Ben Iamin the brethren returned to Ioseph with gyftes Symeon is dâ—yuered ouâ— of pryson Ioseph goeth asyde and wepeth They feast togyther CAPI XLIII AND the derth was great in the lande And it fortuned when they had eaten vp the corne which they brought out of the lande of Egypte theyr father sayde vnto them go agayn bye vs a lytle foode Iuda answered hym sayde the
before the kynge vpon his face on the grounde and Nathan sayde My Lorde O kynge hast thou sayd Adonia shall reygne after me he shall syt vpon my seate For he his gone downe this day hath sleyne many oxen and fat shepe hath called all the kyngê sonnes the captaynes of the hoost and Abiathar the preest And be holde they eate and drynke before hym and saye God saue the kynge Adonia But me thy seruaunt and Sadocke the Preest and Banatahu the son of Iehoiada and thy seruaunt Salomon hath he not called Is this thynge done of my lorde the kynge and thou hast not shewed it vnto thy seruaunt who shulde syt on the seate of my lorde the kynge after hym Then kynge Dauid answered sayde call me Bethsabe And she came in to the kynges presence stode before hym And the kyng sware sayng As truly as the lorde lyueth that hath ryd my soule out of all aduersyte euen as I sware vnto the by the lord god of Israell sayenge Salomon thy sonne shall reygne after me and he shall syt vpon my seate for me so wyll I do this daye Then Bethsabe bowed on her face to the earth and dyd reuerence vnto the kynge and sayde I praye God that my Lorde kynge ☞ Dauid maye lyue euer And kynge Dauid sayde cal me Sadock the preest Nathan the prophet Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada And they came before the kynge The kynge also sayd vnto them take with you the seruauntes of your Lorde and set Salomon my son vpon myne owne Mule carye hym downe ☞ to Gihon And Let Sadocke the preest and Nathan the prophet anoynte hym there kynge ouer Israell And blowe ye with trompettes and saye God saue kynge Salomon And then come vp after hym that he maye come and syt vpon my seate For he shall be kynge in my steade And I wyll coÌ„maunde hym to be captayne ouer Israell Iuda And Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada answered the kyng and sayde Amen I praye god that the lorde god of my Lorde the kynge saye so to And as god hath ben with my Lorde the kynge euen so be he with Salomon also make his seate greater then the seate of my lorde kyng Dauids hath ben And so Sadock the preest and Nathan the prophet and Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada the Crethites Phelethites went downe set Salomon vpon kynge Dauids Mule and brought hym to Gihon And Sadock the preest toke an horne of oyle out of the tabernacle anoynted Salomon And all they of the people blewe trompettes and sayde God saue kynge Salomon And all the peple came vp after hym pypyng with pypes and reioysynge greatly so that the earth range with the sounde of them And Adonia and all the gestes that he had called vnto hym herde it euen as they had made an ende of eatynge And when Ioab herde the souÌ„de of the trompet he sayd howe happeneth it that there is soche a noyse in the citye And as he yet spake behold Ionathas the sonne of Abiathar the Preest came And Adonia sayd vnto hym come in for thou art a valyaunt man and bryngest good tydyngê And Ionathas answered sayde to Adonia Uerely our lorde kyng Dauid hath made Salomon kynge And the kynge hath sent with hym Sadok the Preest and Nathan the prophet and Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada and the Crethites and the Phelethites and they haue set hym vpon the kynges Mule And Sadocke the preest Nathan the prophet haue annoynted hym kynge in Gihon And they came vp agayne and reioysed that the citye dyd sounde agayne And that is the noyse that ye haue herde And Salomon sytteth on the seate of the kyngdom And moreouer the kynges seruauntes came to blesse our Lorde kynge Dauid sayenge thy God make the name of Salomon more honorable then thy name make his seate greater then thy seate And the kynge bowed hymselfe vpon the bed And thus sayd the kynge blessed be the Lorde God of Israell whithe hath made one to syt on my seate this daye myue eyes seynge it And all the gestes that were with Adonia were afrayde rose vp went euery man his waye And Adonia fearynge the presence of Salomon arose went †in to the tabernacle of the lorde caught holde on the hornes of the aulter And one tolde Salomon saynge behold Adonia doth feare kynge Salomon for he hath caught holde on the hornes of the aulter sayenge â–ª let kynge Salomon sweare vnto me this daye that he wyll not sley his seruaunte with the swerde And Salomon sayde yf he wyll he a chylde of vertue there shall not an heere of hym fall to the earth But and yf wyckednes be founde in hym he shall dye And so kynge Salomon sent and they brought hym from the aulter And he came and dyd obeysaunce vnto kynge Salomon And Salomon sayd vnto hym get the to thyne house ¶ Dauid dyeth Adonai requireth to haue Abisag to his Conâ—ubine therfore Salomon coÌ„maudeth to sley hym â–ª Abiathar so put from his preesthode Semei and Ioab are sleyne CAPI II. THe dayes of Dauid drewe nygh that he shulde dye and he charged Salomon his sonne sayenge I go the waye of all the worlde be thou stronge therfore and shewe thy selfe a man Kepe thou the watche of the lorde thy God that thou walke in his wayes and kepe his ☞ statutes and his preceptes his iudgementes his testymonyes euen as it is wrytten in the lawe of Moses that thou mayst prosper in al that thou doest in euery thynge that thou medlest with all That the Lorde also maye make good his worde whiche he spake vnto me sayenge yf thy Chyldren take hede to theyr waye that they walke before me in trueth â–ª with all theyr hertes and with all theyr soules then shalt thou not be with oute a man on the seate of Israell Moreouer thou wotest howe Ioab the sonne of Zatuia serued me and what he dyd to that two captaynes of the hoostes of Israell vnto Abner the sonne of Ner and vnto Amasa the sonne of Iether whome he slewe and shed bloode in tyme of peace euen as it had ben in war ☞ and put the bloode of war vpon his gyrdle that was aboute his loynes in his shoes that were on his feete â–ª Deale with hym therfore accordynge to thy wysdome and brynge not his hoore heade downe to the graue in peace But shewe kyndnesse vnto the Sonnes of Berselat the Gileadite that they maye eate at thy table For they came to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother And beholde thou hast with the Semei the sonne of Gera the son of Gemini of Bahurim whiche cursed me with an horrible curse in the day wheÌ„ I went to Mahanahim But he came to mete me at Iordane and I sware to hym by the Lorde sayenge I wyll not sley the with the swerde But thou shalte not count hym as vngyltye
And they sayde vnto hym thus sayth Hezekia ☞ this day is a day of tribulacyon and of rebuke and blasphemy For the chyldreÌ„ are come to the byrth and there is no strength to be delyuered Per aduenture the Lorde thy God wyl heare all the wordes of Rabsake whom the kynge of Assyria his mayster hath sent to rayle on the lyuyng god and to rebuke hym with wordes whiche the lorde thy God hath herde And lyfte thou vp thy prayer for the remenaunt that are lefte So the seruauntes of kyng Hezekia came to Isay And Isay sayde vnto them So shall ye say to your mayster Thus sayth the Lorde be not afrayde of the wordes whiche thou hast herde with whiche the yonge men of the kynge of Assyria haue rayled on me Beholde I wyll put hym in an other mynde and he shall heare tydynges so returne to his owne lande And I wyll brynge to passe that he shall fall vpon the swerde euen in his owne lande And Rabsake went backe agayne and found the kyng of Assyria fyghtynge agaynst Lybna for he had herde howe that he was departed from Lachis And he herde men saye of Thirhaka kynge of the blacke Mores Beholde he is come out to fyght agaynst the he departed sent messengers vnto Hezekia saynge Thus speake to Hezekia kyng of Iuda saynge let not thy god deceyue the in whom thou trustest sayenge Ierusalem shal not be delyuered in to the hande of the kyng of Assyria Beholde thou hast herde what the kynges of Assyria haue done to all landes how they haue vtterly destroyed them And shalte y u †alone escape Haue the gods of the hethen delyuered them whiche myne aunseters haue destroyed as Gozan and Haran Rezeph and the chyldren of Eden whiche were in Bithiasat where is the kyng of Hamath the kynge of Arphad the kyng of the citye of Sepharuaim and of Hena and Iua So Hezekia receyued the letter of the hande of the messengers and red it And Hezekia went vp into the house of the Lorde and layde it abrode before the Lorde And Hezekia prayed before the lorde sayd O lorde God of Israell whiche dwellest bytwene the Cherubs thou arte god alone ouer sl the kyngdomê of the earth thou hast made heuen earth Lorde bow downe thyne eare and heare Open thou thyne eyes I beseche the and se and heare the wordes of Sennacherib whiche hath sent this man to rayle on the lyuyng God Of a truth lorde the kyngê of Assyria haue destroyed nacyons and theyr landes and haue set fyre on theyr Goddes for they were no Gods but the worke of the handes of man euen of wood and stone and they destroyed them Nowe therfore O lorde our God I beseche the saue thou vs out of his hande that all the kyngdomes of the earth may knowe that thou onely arte the lorde God And Isay the sonne of Amoz sent to Hezekia sayenge Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israell that which thou hast prayed me concernyng Sen nacherib kyng of Assyria I haue herde it This is therfore the worde that the Lorde hath sayd of hym ☞ The vyrgyn euen the doughter of Syon hathe despysed the and laughed the to scorne O thou kynge of Assyria the doughter of Ierusalem hathe shaken her heade at the. Whom hast thou rayled on whom hast thou blasphemed Agaynst whom hast thou exalted thy voyce and lyfted vp thyne eyes so hye Euen agaynst the holy of Israel ☞ By the hand of the messengers thou hast rayled on the lorde and sayde with the multitude of my charettes I am come vp to the ☞ toppes of the mountaynes euen alonge by the sydes of Libanon I wyll cut downe the hye Cedar trees the lustye fyrre trees therof and I wyl go in to the lodgyng of his nest in to the wood of his playne I haue dygged dronke straunge waters and with the step of my goyng wyl I drye all the water poles that are beseyged Hast thou not herde how I haue ordeyned such a thyng a great whyle a go haue prepared it from the begynnyng And shall I not nowe bryng it forth that it may destroy to bryng strong cityes in to waste heapes of stones And the enhabitours of them shal be of lytell power and faynt herted confounded and shall be lyke the grasse of the felde or grene herbe or as the hay on the toppes of the houses or as the corne that is vnripe and smytten with blastyng I know thy dwellyng thy comyng out and thy goynge in †and thy vvay and thy furye agaynst me And bycause thou ragest agaynst me thynkst thy selfe so blessed I wyll put my hoke in thy nose thyrlles and my byt in thy lyppes wyl brynge the backe agayne the same waye thou camest And this shall be a sygne vnto the O Hezekia Ye shal eate this yere of suche thynges as growe of them selues and the nexte yere suche as come vp of those that dyd growe of theyr owne accorde And the thyrde yere sowe ye and reape plante vyneyardes eate the fruytes therof And it that is escaped lefte of the doughter of Iuda shall yet agayne take routynge downe warde and beare fruyte vpwarde For out of Ierusalem shal go a remenauÌ„t and a nombre that shall escape out of mount Sion the zele of the Lorde of hoostes shall brynge this thynge to passe Wherfore thus sayeth the Lorde concernynge the kynge of Assirya he shall not come to this Citye nor shute an arowe in to it nor come before it with shilde nor cast backe agaynst it but shal go backe agayne the waye he came and shal not come in to this citye sayeth the lorde For I wyll defende this citye to saue it for myne owne sake and for Dauid my seruauntes sake And so it came to passe that the selfe same nyght the angell of the Lorde went out and smote in the hooste of the Assiryans an hundred foure score and fyue thousand And wheÌ„ the remenaunt were vp early in the mornynge they sawe they were all deade corses And so Sennacherib kynge of Assirya auoyded and departed and went agayne and dwelte at Niniue And it fortuned that as he was in a temple worshyppynge Nisroch his god Adramelech Saresat his owne sonnes smote him with the swerde And they escaped in to the lande of Armenia and Asathaddon his sonne reygned in his steade ¶ Hezekia is sycke and recayueth the sygne of his health He receyueth rewardes of Beâ—odaâ—h and is reprehended of Isai bycause he shewed hym the treasure He dyeth and Manasseh his sonne reygneth in his steade CAPI XX. ABoute that tyme was Hezekia sycke vnto the death And the Prophet Isai the sonne of Amoz came to hym and sayde vnto hym Thus sayeth the Lorde †put thyne housholde in an ordre for thou shalte dye and not lyue And Hezekia turned his face to the wall and prayed vnto the Lorde saynge I beseche the
now o lorde remembre how I haue walked before the in trueth and with a perfyte herte haue done that which is good in thy syght and Hezekia wepte sore And it fortuned that †before Isai was gone out in to the myddle of the courte the worde of the Lorde came to hym sayenge turne agayne and tell Hezekia the captayne of my people Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Dauid thy father I haue herde thy prayer and sene thy teares And beholde I wyll heale the so that on the thyrde daye thou shalte go vp in to the house of the lorde And I wyll adde vnto thy dayes yet fyftene yeare and wyll delyuer the and this citye out of the hande of the kynge of Assirya wyll defende this citye for myne owne sake for Dauid my seruauntes sake And Isai sayde Take a lompe of fygges And they toke and layde it on the sore and he recouered And Hezekia sayde vnto Isai what shall be the sygne that the Lorde wyll heale me that I shall go vp in to the house of the lorde the thyrde daye Isai answered this sygne shalt thou haue of the Lorde that the Lorde wyll do that he hath spoken shall the shadowe go forwarde ten degrees or go backe agayne ten degrees Hezekia answered it is a lyght thynge for the shadow to go downe ten degrees †neyther is that my desyre but yf the shadowe go backewarde ten degrees it is no lyght thynge And Isai the prophet called vnto the lorde he brought the shadow ten degrees backwarde by which it had gone downe in the dyall of Ahaz The same ceason Berodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan kyng of Babilon sent letters and a present vnto Hezekia for he had herde howe that Hezekia was sycke And Hezekia was glad of them and shewed them al his treasure house syluer golde odours precyouse oyntment all the house of his armorye and all that was found in his treasures there was nothynge in his house and in all his realme that Hezekia shewed them not And Isai the Prophet came vnto kynge Hezekia and sayd vnto hym what sayd these men and from whence came they to the And Hezekia sayd they be come from a far countrey euen from BabiloÌ„ And he sayd agaynei what haue they sene in thy house Hezekia answered all the thyngê that are in my house haue they sene there is nothynge among my treasures that I haue not shewed them And Isai sayd vnto Hezekia heare the worde of the Lorde Beholde the dayes come that all that is in thyne house whatsoeuer thy fathers haue layde vp in store vnto this day shall be caryed to Babilon and nothynge shall be lefte sayeth the lorde And of thy sonnes that shall procede out of the and which thou shalte beget shall they take away and they shall be chamberlaynes in the palace of the kynge of Babilon And Hezekia sayd vn to Isai welcome be the worde of the Lorde whiche thou hast spoken And he sayde shall there not be peace and trueth in my dayes The remenaunt of the wordes that concerne Hezekia and all his power and howe he made a poole and a conduyte and brought water in to the cytye are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Hezekia slept with his fathers and Manasse his Sonne reygned in his steade ¶ Wythed Manasse restoreth agayne the Idols and after dyeth in whose steade Amon his sonne sucredeth whiche is kylled of his owne saruauntes After hym reygneth faythfull Iosia whorne we vse to call Iosiaâ— or Iosiahâ— CAPI XXI MAnasse was twelue yeare olde when he began to reygne and reygned fyftye and fyue yeare in Ierusalem his mothers name also was Hephziba And he dyd euyll in the syghte of the Lorde euen after the abhominacyons of the Hethen whom the Lorde caste oute before the chyldren of Israell For he went and buylte vp the hylaultees whiche Hezekia his Father had destroyed And he reared vp aulters for Baall and made groues as dyd Ahab kynge of Israell and worshypped all the hooste of heuen and serued them And he buylte aulters in the house of the Lorde of whiche the Lorde sayde in Ierusalem wyll I put my name And he buylt aulters for all the hooste of heuen euen in two courtes of the house of the lorde And he offered his sonne in fyre and gaue hede vnto witchcrafte and forcery and maynteyned workers with spirytes and tellers of fortunes wrought moch wyckednesse in the syght of the Lorde to angre hym And he put an ymage of a groue that he had made euen in the temple of whiche the Lorde had sayd to Dauid and to Salomon his sonne in this house and in Ierusalem whiche I haue chosen out of the Crybes of Israell wyll I put my name for euer Neyther wyll I make the feete of Israell moue any more out of the lande whiche I gaue theyr fathers so that they wyll obserue and do all that I haue commaunded them and accordynge to all the lawe that my seruaunt Moses commaunded them But they herkened not and Manasse led them out of the waye to do more wyckedlye then dyd the He then people whome the lord destroyed before the chyldren of Israell And the Lorde spake by his seruauntes the Prophettes sayenge bycause Manasse kynge of Iuda hath â–ª done soche abhomynacyons and hath wrought more wyckedlye then all that the Amorytes whiche were before hym dyd hath made Iuda synne also with his Idols Therfore thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israell Beholde I wyl brynge such euyll vpon Ierusalem and Iuda that who so heareth of it bothe his eares shall tyngle And I wyll stretch ouer Ierusalem ☞ the squaryng lyne of Samaria and the plommet of the house of Ahab And I wyll wype out Ierusalem as a man wypeth a dyshe and when he hath wyped it turneth it vp syde downe And I wyll leaue the remenaunt of myne enherytaunce delyued them into the hande of theyr eneemyes they shall be robbed and spoyled of al theyr aduersaries euen bycause they haue done euyll in my syght and haue angred me sence the tyme their fathers came out of Egypt vnto this daye And Manasse shed innocent bloode excedynge moche tyl he repienysshed â–ª Ierusalem froÌ„ corner to corner besyde his synne wherwith he made Iuda to syn and to do euyll in the syght of the Lorde The rest of the wordes that concerne Manasse and all that he dyd and his synne that he synned are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Manasse slept with his fathers and was buryed in his owne house euen in the garden of Uza and Amon his son reygned in his steade Amon was xxii yeare olde when he began to reygne he reygned two yeare in Ierusalem His mothers name also was Mesulemeth the doughter of Haruz of Iocba And he dyd euyll in
nyght wheÌ„ slepe cometh on men fere came vpon me and drede whiche made all my bones to shake The wynde passed by before my presence made the heere 's of my flesshe to stande vp He stode there and I knewe not his face an ymage there was before myne eyes and in the stylnes herde I a voyce ☞ Shall man be more iust then God Or shall a man be purer then his maker Beholde ☞ he founde no trueth in his seruauntes and in his angels there was folye Howe moche more in them that dwell in houses of clay and whose foundacyon is but dust which shal be consumed as it were with a moth They shall be smytten frome the mornyng vnto the euenyng yea they shal peryshe for euer when no maÌ„ thynketh theron Is not theyr royaltye gone away with them they shall dye truely and not in wysdome ¶ The â—ude of a foole The ryghteousnes of god The Lorde chasteneth his and deliuereth them agayne CAPI V. CRye I pray the yf happly there be any that wyll answere the loke thou vpon any of the holy men As for the folysshe maÌ„ displeasure kylleth hym angre sleyeth the ygnoraunt I haue sene my selfe when the folyshe was depe roted sodeynly ☞ I cursed his habitacion His chyldren were wtout prosperite they were sleyne in the gate and there was no man to delyuer them His haruest was eaten vp of the hungrie and the weaponed man spoyled it and the thurstye dranke vp theyr laboure It is not the earth that bryngeth forth iniquite neyther cometh sorow out of the grouÌ„de but ☞ man is borne vnto labour lyke as the sparkes flye vp out of the hote coles But I wyll aske counsell at the Lorde wyl talke with god which doth thynges that are vnsearcheable and meruayles withoute nombre He gyueth rayne vpon the earth poureth water vpon the stretes to set vp them that be of low degre that those which are in heuynes may come to prosperite He destroyeth the deuyses of the subtyle so that theyr handê are not able to performe any stedfast thyng He compasseth the wyse in theyr owne craftynesse ouerthroweth the counsel of the wycked In so moche that they run in to darkenes by fayre day and grope about them at the noone day lyke as in the nyght He shall delyuer the poore from the swerde and from the threatenynges of the vngodly and from the vyolence of the myghtye He is the hope of the poore and the mouthe of the wycked shal be stopped Beholde happy is the man whom god punyssheth therfore refuse not thou the chastenyng of the almyghtye For though he make a wounde he gyueth a plaster though he smyte his hande maketh hole agayne ☞ He shall delyuer the in syxe troubles and in the seuenth there shal none euyll come to the. In hunger he shall saue the from deathe and when it is warre from the power of the swerde Thou shalte be kepte from the euyl tougue when trouble cometh thou shalte not nede to feare In destruccyon and derth thou shalt be mery and shalte not be afrayde of beastê of the earth For ☞ the stones of the lande shall be confederate with the and the beastes of the felde shall gyue the peace And thou shalte knowe that thy dwellynge place shall be in rest and thou shalte go and beholde thy habitacion and shalte not synne Thou shalt se also that thy sede shall encreace and that thy posterite shall be as the grasse vpon the earth Thou shalte come also to thy graue in a fayre age lyke as when they take vp a corne sheafe in due season Lo this we oure selues haue proued by experience and euen thus it is Herken thou to it also that thou mayste take hede to thy selfe ¶ Iob answereth that his payne is more greuous then his faute yet notwithstandynge he delyteth therin CAPI VI. IOb answered also and sayde ☞ O that the dyspleasure which I haue were truely weyed and my punysshment layde in the balaunces togyther for now is it heuyer theÌ„ the sande of the see And this is the cause that my wordes are so sorowfull For the arowes of the almyghtie are rounde about me whose indignacyon hath dronke vp my spirite and the terrible feares of god are set agaynst me Doth the wylde Asse rore when he hathe grasse or cryeth the oxe when he hath fodder ynough That whiche is vnsauerye shall it be eaten without salte or is there any taste in the whyte of an egge The thyngê that sometyme I myght not awaye withall are nowe my meate for very sorowe O that I myght haue my desyre and that God wolde graunte me the thynge that I longe for O that God wolde begynne and smyte me that he wolde let his hande go and take me cleane awaye Then shuld I haue some coÌ„forte yea I wolde desyre hym in my payne that he shulde not spare for I wyl not be agaynst the wordes of the holy one For what power haue I to endure And what is myne ende that my soule myghte be pacient Is my strengthe the strengthe of stones Or is my flesshe made of brasse Is it not so that there is in me no helpe and that my substaunce is taken from me He that is in tribulacyon ought to be conforted of his neyghbour but the feare of the lord is cleane away Myne owne brethren passe ouer by me as the water broke and as the ryuer of water doth hastely go away But they that fere the horye frost the snowe shall fall vpon them When theyr tyme cometh they shal be destroyed and perysshe when they be set on fyre they shall be remoued out of theyr place for the pathes that they go in are croked they haste after vayne thyngê and shal perysshe They turne them to the pathes of Theman and to the wayes of Saba wherin they haue put theyr trust Confounded are they that put any confidence in them For when they come to obteyne the thynges that they loke for they are brought to confusyon Euen so are ye also come vnto me but now that ye se my miserye ye are afrayde Dyd I desyre you to brynge vnto me or to gyue me any of your substaunce To delyuer me from the enemyes hande or to saue me frome the hande of tyrauntes Teache me and I wyll holde my tongue And when I do arre shewe me wherin Howe stedfast are the wordes of trueth And whiche of you can rebuke and reproue them Do ye take deliberacyon to checke mennes sayenges and iudge a poore worde spoken in vayne Ye fall vpon the fatherlesse and go aboute to ouerthrowe youre owne frende And therfore be content and loke now vpon me and I wyl not lye before your face Turne I pray you be indifferent Iudges turne agayne and ye shall se myne vngyltynesse whyther there be any vnryghteousnesse in my tongue or vayne wordes in my mouth ¶ Iob
hath nat geueÌ„ me ouer vnto deth Open me the gatê of ryghtuousnes that I may go into them and geue thankes vnto the Lorde This is the gate of the Lord the rightuous shall entre into it I wyll thanke the for thou haste herde me and art become my saluacion The same stone whiche the buylders refused is become the heade stone in the corner This was the Lordes doynge and it is maruelous in our eyes This is the daye whiche the Lorde hathe made we wyll reioyse and be glad in it Helpe âšœ me nowe O Lorde O Lord sende vs nowe prosperite Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lorde we haue wisshed you good lucke ye that be of the house of the Lorde God is the Lorde whiche hath shewed vs lyght bynde the sacrifice with cordes ye euen vnto the hornes of the aultre Thou arte my God and I wyll thanke the thou arte my God â–ª I wyll praise the O geue thankes vnto the Lord for he is gracyous and his mercy endureth for euer ¶ The. c. xix Psalme B LESSED are those that be vndefyled in the waye and walke in the lawe of the Lorde Blessed are they that kepe his testymonyes and seke hym wyth they re whole herte For they whiche do no wyckednesse walke in his wayes Thou haste charged that we shulde dylygently kepe thy commaundementes O that my wayes were made so directe that I might kepe thy statutes So shal I not be confounded whyle I haue respect vnto all thy commaundementes I wyll thanke the with an vnfayned hert whan I shall haue learned the iudgementes of thy ryghtuousnesse I wyll kepe thy cerymonyes O forsake me nat vtterly Where with all shall a yonge man cleÌ„se hys waye Euen by rulynge hym selfe after thy worde With my whole herte haue I sought the O let me nat erre frome thy commaundementes Thy wordes haue I hyd with in my herte that I shulde nat synne agaynst the. Blessed art thou O Lorde O teache me thy statutes With my lyppes haue I tolde all the iudgementes of thy mouthe I haue had as greate delyte in the waye of thy testymonyes as in all maner of ryches I wyll talke of thy coÌ„maundementes and haue respecte vnto thy wayes My delyte shal be in thy statutes and I wyll nat forget thy worde O do well vnto thy seruaunte that I maye lyue and kepe thy worde Open thou myne eyes that I may se the wonderous thyngê of thy lawe I am a strauÌ„ger vpon erth O hyde nat thy commaundementes frome me My soule breaketh out for the very feruent desire that it hath alwaye vnto thy iudgemeÌ„tes Thou hast rebuked y â— proude and cursed are they that do erre frome thy coÌ„maundementes O turne fro me shame and rebuke for I haue kepte thy testymonyes Prynces also dyd syt and speake against me but thy seruauÌ„t is ocupied in thy statutes For thy testymonyes are my delyte and my councelers My soule cleaueth to the dust O quycken thou me accordyng to thy worde I haue knowledged my wayes and thou herdeste me O teache me thy statutes Make me to vnderstaÌ„de the waye of thy commaundementes and so shal I talke of thy wonderous worekes My soule melteth awaye for very heuynesse coÌ„forte thou me accordynge vnto thy worde Take fro me the waye of lyenge and cause y â— me to make muche of thy lawe I haue chosen the waye of trueth and thy iudgementes haue I layed before me I haue stycken vnto thy testymonyes O Lorde confounde me nat I wyll runne the waye of thy commaundementes when thou hast set my herte at libertie Teache me O Lorde the way of thy statutes and I shal kepe it vnto the ende Geue me vnderstandynge and I shall kepe thy lawe yee I shall kepe it with my whole herte Make me to go in the path of thy coÌ„maundementes for there in is my desyre Enclyne my herte vnto thy testymonies and nat to couetousnes O turne awaye myne eyes left they beholde vanite and quycken y â— me in thy waye O stably she thy word in thy seruaunt that I maye feare the. Take awaye the rebuke that I am afrayed of for thy iudgementes are good Beholde my delyte is in thy commaundementes O quicken me in thy ryghtuousnesse Let thy louynge mercy come also vnto me O Lorde euen thy saluacyon accordynge vnto thy worde So shall I make answere vnto my blasphemers for my trust is in thy word O take nat the worde of trueth vtterly out of my mouth for my hope is in thy iudgementes So shall I alwaye kepe thy lawe yee for euer euer And I wyll walke ☞ at libertie for I seke thy commauÌ„dementes I wyl speake of thy testymonies also euen before kynges wyll nat be ashamed And my delyte shal be in thy coÌ„maundementes whiche I haue loued My handes also wyl I lyfte vp vnto thy commaundemantes which I haue loued and my study shal be in thy statutes O thinke vpon thy seruauÌ„t as concernyng thy worde wher in thou hast caused me to put my truste The same is my comforte in my trouble for thy worde hath quyckened me The proude haue had me excedingly i derisyon yet haue I nat shrynked from thy lawe For I remembred thine euerlastyng iudgementes O Lorde and receiued comforte I am horrybly afrayed for the vngodly that forsake thy lawe Thy statutes haue bene my songes in the house of my pylgremage I haue thought vpon thy name O Lorde in the nyght season haue kepte thy lawe This I had because I kepte thy commaundemeÌ„tes Thou arte my poreyon O Lord I haue promysed to kepe thy lawe I made myne humble petycyon in thy presence with my whole herte O be mercyfull vnto me accordynge vnto thy worde I call myne owne wayes to remeÌ„braunce and turne my fete into thy testimonies I made haste and prolonged nat y â— tyme to kepe thy commaundementes The congregacious of the vngodly haue robbed me but I haue nat forgotten thy lawe At mydnyght wyll I ryse to geue thankes vnto the because of thy rightuous iudgementes I am a companyon of all them that feare the and kepe thy commauÌ„dementes The earthe O Lorde is full of thy mercy O teache me thy statutes O Lorde thou hast dealt graciouslye w t thy seruaunt accordynge vnto thy worde O learne me true vnderstandynge and knowledge for I haue beleued thy coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes Before I was troubled I weÌ„te wronge but now haue I kepte thy worde Thou arte good and gracious O teach me thy statutes The proude haue ymagined a lye agaynst me but I wyll kepe thy commaundementes with my whole herte Theyr herte is as fat as brawne but my delyte hath bene in thy lawe It is good for me that I haue bene in trouble y â— I may learne thy statutes The lawe of thy mouth is dearer vnto me then thousaÌ„des of golde and syluer Thy haÌ„des haue made me and fasshyoned me O geue me vnderstandynge that
I may learne thy commauÌ„dementes They that feare the wyll be glad wheÌ„ they se me because I haue put my truste in thy worde I knowe O Lorde that thy iudgemeÌ„tê are right and that thou of very faythfulnesse haste caused me to be troubled O let thy mercyfull kyndnesse be my comforte accordyng to thy worde vn to thy seruaunt O let thy louynge mercyes come vnto me that I may lyue for thy lawe is my delyte Let the proude be confounded for they go wickedly about to destroye me but I wyll be occupied in thy coÌ„maundementes Let suche as feare the haue knowen thy testymonyes be turned vnto me O let myne herte be sounde in thy statutes that I be nat ashamed My soule hath longed for thy saluaeyon and I haue a good hope because of thy worde Myne eyes longe sore for thy worde sayenge O when wylte thou comforte me For I am become lyke a bottell in the smoke yet do not I forget thy statutes Howe many are the dayes of thy seruaunt When wylte thou be auenged of them that persecute me The proud haue dygged pyttes for me whiche are nat after thy lawe Al thy commaundementes are true they persecute me falsly O be thou my helpe They had all moste made an ende of me vppon earthe â–ª but I forsake not thy commaundementes O quycken me after thy louynge kyndnes and so shall I kepe the testimonies of thy mouth O Lorde thy worde endureth for euer in heauen Thy trueth also remayneth from one generacion to another thou haste layed the foundacion of the earthe and it abydeth They continue this day accordynge to thyne ordynaunce for all thynges serue the If my delyte had not bene in thy lawe I shulde haue peryshed in my trouble I wil neuer forget thy commaundementes for w t theÌ„ thou hast quickened me I am thyne Oh saue me for I haue sought thy coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes The vngodly layed wayte for me to destroye me but I wyll consydre thy testimonies I se that al thinges come to an ende but thy commaundement is exceadyng broade â— Lorde What loue haue I vnto thy lawe all the daye longe is my studye in it Thou thorowe thy commauÌ„dementes haste made me wyser then myne enemyes for they are euer with me I haue more vnderstandynge then my teachers for thy testimonies are my studie I am wyser then the aged because I kepte thy commaundementes I haue refrayned my fete froÌ„ euery euyl waye that I maye kepe thy worde I haue nat shrynked from thy iudgemeÌ„tes for thou teachest me O howe swete are thy wordes vnto my throte Yee sweter then hony vnto my mouth Thorowe thy commaundementes I get vnderstandynge therfore I hate all wycked wayes Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my fete and a lyght vnto my pathes I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to kepe thy ryghteous iudgemeÌ„tes I am troubled aboue measure quicken me O Lorde accordynge vnto thy worde Let the frewyll offerynge of my mouth please the O Lorde and teach me thy iudgementes ☞ My soule is alwaye in my hande yet do nat I forget thy lawe The vngodly haue layed a snare for me but yet swarued nat I from thy commaundementes Thy testymonies haue I claymed as myne herytage for euer and whyâ—they are the very ioye of my herte I haue applyed myne herte to fulfyll thy statutes alwaye euen vnto the ende I hate them that ymagen euell thynges but thy lawe do I loue Thou arte my defence and shylde and my trust is in thy worde Awaye fro me ye wycked I wyll kepe the commaundementes of my God O stablysh me accordynge vnto thy worde that I maye lyue and let me nat be disapoynted of my hope Holde thou me vp and I shall be safe ye my delyte shall euer be in thy statutes Thou hast troden downe all them that swarue froÌ„ thy statutes for they ymagin but leasing disceate Thou puttest awaye all the vngodly of the earth lyke drosse therfore I loue thy testimonyes My flesh treÌ„bleth for feare of the and I am afrayed of thy iudgementes â–ª I deale with the thynge that is laufull right O geue me nat ouer vnto myn oppressours Make y â— thy seruauÌ„t to delyte in that which is good y â— the proud do me no wrong Myne eyes are wasted awaye with lokyng for the health and for the word of thy righteousnes O deale with thy seruaunt accordinge vnto thy louynge mercy teach me thy statutes I am thy seruaunte O graunte me vnderstandynge that I maye knowe thy testymonyes It is tyme for the Lorde to laye to thyne hande for they haue destroyed thy lawe For I loue thy commaundementes aboue golde and precious stone Therfore holde I streyght all thy commaundemeÌ„tes and all false wayes I vtterly abhorre Thy testymonyes are wonderfull therfore dothe my soule kepe them When thy worde goeth forth it geueth lyght and vnderstandynge euen vnto the simple I opened my mouth and drewe in my breth for my delyte was in thy commaundementes O loke thou vpon me and be mercyfull vnto me as thou vsest to do vnto those that loue thy name Order my steppes in thy worde and so shall no wyckednesse haue domynyon ouer me O delyuer me from the wronge dealynges of men and so shall I kepe thy commaundementes Shewe the lyght of thy countenaunce vpon thy seruaunte and teach me thy statutes Ryuers of waters ran out from myne eyes because men kepe nat thy lawe Ryghteous art thou O lorde and true is thy iudgemente The testimonyes that thou hast commaunded are exceadynge ryghteous and true My zele hath euen consumed me because myne enemyes haue forgotten thy wordes Thy worde is tryed to the vttermost and thy seruauns loueth it I am small and of no reputacyon yet do nat I forget thy commaundementes Thy ryghteousnesse is an euerlastynge ryghteousnes and thy lawe is trueth Trouble and heuynesse haue taken holde vpon me yet is my delyte in thy commaundementes The ryghteousnesse of thy testimonies is euerlastyng O grauÌ„t me vnderstandynge and I shall lyue I cal with my whole hert heare me O Lorde I wyll kepe thy statutes Yee euen vpon the do I call helpe me and I shal kepe thy testimonies Early in the mornynge do I crye vnto the for in thy worde is my truste Myne eyes preuente the nyght watches that I myght be occupyed in thy wordes Heare my voyce O Lord accordyng vnto thy louig kindenes quickeÌ„ me according as thou art wont They drawe nye â–ª that of malice persecute me and are farre froÌ„ thy lawe Be thou nye at hande O Lorde for all thy commaundementes are true As coÌ„cernyng thy testimonies I haue knowen longe sens that thou hast grounded theÌ„ for euer O consyder myne aduersite and de mysse Oh Lorde who maye abyde it For there is mercy with the therfore shalt thou be feared I loke for the Lorde my soule dothe wayte for hym in his worde is my truste My soule doth pacyently abyde the Lorde from the one mornynge to
better then ryches yee muche more worthe then the eye syghte For wysdome defendeth as well as money and the excellent knowledge and wysdome geueth lyfe vnto hym that hathe it in possessyon Consydre the worcke of God howe that no man can make the thing strayght which the maketh croked Use well the tyme of prosperyte and remeÌ„bre the tyme of mysfortune for God maketh the one by the other so that a man can fynde nothynge els All thynges haue I considred in the tyme of my vanite that the iust man perysheth for hys ryghteousnes sake and the vngodly lyueth in hys wyckednesse Therfore be thou nether to ryghteous nor ouer wyse that thou peryshe nat be nether to vnrighteous also nor to folyshe leste y â— dye before thy tyme. It is good for the to take holde of thys and nat to let y â— go out of thy hande For he that feareth God shall escape them all Wysdome geueth more corage vnto the wyse then ten myghtye men of the cytye for there is nat one iuste vpon earth that dothe good and synneth nat Take nat hede vnto euery worde that is spoken lest thou heare thy seruaunt curse the for thyne owne here knoweth that thou thy selfe also hast ofte tymes spoken euyl by other men All these thinges haue I proued in wysdome I sayde I wyl be wyse but she went farther fro me then she was before yee so depe y â— I myght nat reach vnto her I applyed my mynde also vnto knowledge to seke out scyeÌ„ce wisdome and vnderstandyng to know the foolyshenes of the vngodly and the errour of dotynge fooles And I fouÌ„de that a woman is bytterer theÌ„ deth for she is a very angle her herte is a net her handes are cheynes Who so pleaseth God shal escape from her but the synner wyll be taken with her Beholde sayeth the preacher this haue I dyligently searched out and proued that I myght come by knowledge which as yet I seke and fynde it not Among a thousaÌ„de men I haue founde one but nat one womaÌ„ amonge all Lo thys onely haue I fouÌ„de y â— God made man iust and ryghte but they sought many inuencyons ¶ The kynges commaundement ought to be obeyed â–ª Gladnes is one of the chefe thynges vnder the sonne CAPI VIII WHo is wyse Who hath knowledge to make answere A maÌ„s wysdome maketh hys face to shyne but malyce putteth it out of fauoure I muste kepe the kynges commaundemente and the othe that I haue made vnto God Be nat hastye to go out of hys syght and se thou contynue in no euyll thinge for whatsoeuer it pleaseth hym that doeth he Lyke as when a kynge geueth a charge hys commaundement is myghtye Euen so who maye saye vnto hym what do est y â— Who so kepeth the commaundement shall fele no harme but a wise mans herte discerneth the tyme and maner For euery thyng wyl haue oportunyte and iugement and thys is the thynge that maketh men full of carefulnes and forowe And why a man knoweth nat what is for to come for who wyl tell hym Nether is there eny man y â— hath power ouer the spryte to kepe styl the spryte nor to haue any power in the tyme of deathâ— it is nat he also that can make an ende of the battayle nether may vngodlynes delyuer them that medle with all Al these thynges haue I considered and applyed my mynd vnto euery worcke y â— is done vnder the SoÌ„ne howe one man hathe lordshype when the strong men shal bowe them selues when the myllerâ— stande styll because they be so fewe and when the syght of the wyndowes shall waxe dymme when the dores in the sâ—râ—â—â— shal be shut and when the voice of the myller shal be layde downe when meÌ„ shall ryse vp at the voyce of the byrde and when all the daughters of musike shall be brought lowe when men shall feare in hye places and be afrayed in the stretes when the Almonde tree shall floryshe and be laden with the greshoper and when all luste shall passe because when man goeth to his long home and the mourners go aboute the stretes Or euer the syluer lace be taken awaye and or the golden bande be broken Or the pot be broken at the well the whele vpon the ceâ—â—â—rne Then shall the duste be turned agayne vnto the earth from whence it came and the Spiryte shall retourne vnto God whiche gaue it All is but vanyte say the the Preacher all is but playne vanyte The Preacher was yet more wyse and taught y â— people knowledge he gaue good hede sought out the grounde and set forthe many parables Hys diligence was to finde out acceâ— â–ª â—able wordes right scrypture and the wordes of trueth For the wordes of the wyse are lyke pryckes and nayles that go thorowe wher with men are kepte togyther for they are geuen of one shepherde onely Therfore beware my soÌ„ne that aboue these thou make the nat many and innumeble bokes nor take dyuerse doctrynes in hande to wery thy body withall Let vs heare the conclusion of all thynges Feare God and kepe his commaundementes For that toucheth all men For God shall iudge all worckes and secrete thynges whether they be good or euyll ⧠The ende of the Boke of the Preacher otherwyse called Ecclesiastes The Ballet of Ballettes of Salomon called in Latyn CanticuÌ„ Canticorum ¶ A mysticall songe of the spyrytuall and godly loue betwene Chryste the spouse and the Churche or Congregacyon hys spousesse CAPITVLO I. O That he wolde kysse me with the kysses of his mouth for thy loue is more pleasaunt then wyne and y â— because of the good and pleasauÌ„te sauour Thy name is a swete smellynge oyntment therefore do the maydens loue y â— draw thou me vnto the we wyl runne after the. The kynge hath brought me in to hys preuy chambres We wyll be glad and reioyce in the we thynke more of thy loue then of wyne They that be ryghtuous loue the. I am blacke O ye doughters of IerusalcÌ„ lyke as the tentes of the Cedarenes and as the hangynges of Salomon but yet am I fayre and welfauoured withall Maruayle not at me that I am so blacke for why the sunue hath shyned vpon me My mothers chyldren had euyll wyll at me they made me the keper of the vyneyard's but myne owne vineyard haue I not kepte Tel me of hi whom my soule loueth where y â— fedest where y u makest them reaâ—â— at the noone daye for why shall I belyke hym that goeth wronge about the flockes of thy companyons Yf thou knowe not thy selfe O thou fayrest among wemeÌ„ theÌ„ go thy waye for the after the fotesteppes of the shepe and fede thy goates besyde the shepehardes tentes Unto the host of Pharaos charettes haue I compared the O my loue Thy chekes and thy neck is beautiful as the turtils and hanged with spanges goodly
and councels ‡ yf ye wyl iudge ryght betwyxte a man and his neyghbour yf ye wyl not oppresse the straunger the fatherlesse the wydowe yf ye wyl not shede innocent bloud in this place yf ye wyll not cleue to straunge goddes to your owne destruccyon then wyl I let you dwel in this place yea in the laÌ„de y â— I gaue afore tyme vnto youre fathers foreuer But take hede ye truste in councels y â— begyle you do you no good For when ye haue stollen murthered coÌ„mitted aduoutry periury When ye haue offred vnto Baal folowynge straunge vnknowne goddes Then come ye and stande before me in this house which hath my name geueÌ„ vnto it saye Tushe we are absolued quyt thoughe we haue done all these abhominacyons What thynke you this house y t beareth my name is a denne of theues And these thynges are not done priuely but before myne eyes sayeth the Lorde Go to my place in Siloh wheruÌ„to I gaue my name afore tyme and loke well what I dyd to the same place for the wickednes of my people of Israel And nowe thoughe ye haue done all these dedes sayeth the Lorde and I myselfe rose vp euer by tymes to warne you to commen with you yet wolde ye not heare me I called ye wolde not answere And therfore eueÌ„ as I haue done vnto Siloh so wyl I do to this house y â— my name is geuen vnto and that ye put your truste in ye vnto the place that I haue geuen to you and your fathers And I shal thrust you out of my syght as I haue caste out all youre brethren the whole sede of Ephraim Therfore thou shalte not praye for this people thou shalte neyther geue thankes nor byd prayer for them thou shalte make no intercession to me for them for in no wise wyll I heare the. Seyst thou not what they do in y â— cyties of Iuda in the stretes of Ierusalem The chyldren gather styckes the fathers kyndle the â—yre the women kneade the doughe to bake cakes for the Quene of Heauen They poure out drynke offrynges vnto strauÌ„ge Goddes to prouoke me vnto wrath Howbeit they hurt not me sayeth the Lord but rather confouÌ„de and shame theÌ„selues And therefore thus sayeth the Lorde God beholde my wrathe and my indignacyon shal be poured out vpon this place vpon men catell vpon the trees in the felde and frute of the lande and it shal burne so that no man may quenche it Thus sayeth the Lorde of Hoostes the God of Israel ☞ Heape vp your burnteoffrynges with your sacryfyces and eate the flesshe But when I brought your fathers out of Egypte I spake no worde vnto them of burntoffrynges and sacryfyces but this I commaunded them sayenge herken and obeye my voyce and I shal be your God and ye shall be my people so that ye walcke in all the wayes whiche I haue commaunded you that ye maye prospere But they were not obedyent they inclyned not theyr eares there vnto but went after theyr owne ymaginacions and after the mocyons of theyr owne wycked herte and so turned themselues away and conuerted not vnto me And this haue they done from the tyme that youre fathers came out of Egypte vnto this daye Neuerthelesse I sente vnto them my seruauntes al the prophetes I rose vp earely and sent them worde yet wolde they not herken nor offre me theyr eares but were obstinate and worse then theyr fathers And thou shalte nowe speake al these wordes vnto them but they shall not heare the thou shalte crye vpon them but they shal not an swere the. Therfore shalte thou saye vnto them this is the people that neyther heareth the voyce of the Lorde theyr God nor receaueth his correccyon Faythfulnesse trueth is cleane roted out of their mouth Wherefore cut of thyne hearre caste it awaye take vp a complaynte on hye for the Lorde hathe cast away and scatred the people that he is displeased withall For the chyldren of Iuda haue done euyll in my syght sayeth the Lorde They haue set vp theyr abhominacyoÌ„s in the house that hath my name and haue defyled it They haue also builded an aultre at Topheth which is in the valley of the chyldren of HeÌ„nom that they myght burne theyr sonnes and daughters whiche I neuer coÌ„maunded theÌ„ neither came it euer in my thought And therfore beholde the dayes shal come sayth the Lorde that it shal nomore be called Topheth or the valley of the chyldren of HeÌ„nom but y â— valley of slaughter for in Topheth they shal be buryed because they shal els haue no rowme Yea the deade bodyes of this people shal be eaten vp of the foules of the ayre wylde bestes of y â— earth and no man shal fray them awaye And as for the voice of myrth gladnes of the cities of Iuda Ierusalem the voyce of the brydegrome of the bryde I wyll make them ceasse for the lande shal be desolate ¶ The destruccyon of the Iewes The Lorde moueth the people to amendement reckenynge vp theyr synnes He reprehendeth the lyinge doctryne of the Prophetes prestes CAPI VIII AT THE same tyme sayeth the Lorde the bones of the kynges of Iuda the bones of hys prynces the bones of the prestes and prophetes yee and the bones of the cytezins of Ierusalem shal be brought out of theyr graues and layed agaynste the Sunne the Moone and all the heauenly hoost whom they loued whom they serued whom they ranne after whom they sought and worshypped They shall nether be gathered together nor buried but shal lye vpoÌ„ the earthe to theyr shame and despysynge And all they that remayne of thys wycked generacyon shall desyre rather to dye then to lyue whersoeuer they remayne and whereas I scatre them sayeth the Lorde of hostes Thys shalte thou saye vnto them also Thus sayeth the Lorde Do men fall so that they arise not vp againe And turne they so farre awaye that they neuer conuerte Wherfore then is thys people and Ierusalem gone so farre backe that they turne not agayne They are euer the longer the more obstynate and wyll nat be conuerted For I haue loked and consydered but there is no man that speaketh a good worde there is no man that taketh repentaunce for hys synne that wyll so muche as saye wherfore haue I done thys But euery man as soone as he is turned backe runneth forthe styll lyke a wylde horse in a battayll The Storke knoweth his appoynted tyme the Turtle doue the Swalowe and the Crane consydre the tyme of theyr trauayll but my people wyll not knowe the tyme of the punyshment of the Lorde How dare ye saye then we are wyse we haue the lawe of the Lorde amonge vs Beholde the dysceatfull penne of the scrybes setteth forth lyes therfore shal the wyse be confounded
downe to slepe so awaked TheÌ„ the thre yong meÌ„ that kepte the kynges personne and watched his body coÌ„moned amonge theÌ„ selues spake one to another let euery one of vs saye some thynge and loke whose seÌ„tence is wyser more excellent then the other vnto hym shal kynge Darius geue great gyftes and clothe hym with purple He shall geue hym vessels of golde to dryncke in clothes of golde and couerynges he shal make hym a costely charet and a brydle of golde he shall geue hym a bonet of whyte sylke and a cheyne of golde aboute his necke yee he shal be the seconde pryncypall nexte vnto kynge Datius that because of hys wysdome shal be called the kynges kynsman So euery one wrote his meaning sealed it and layed it vnder the kynges pyllowe and sayde when the kynge aryseth we wyll geue hym oure wrytynges and loke whose worde the kyng and his chefe Lordes iudge to be the most wysely spoken the same shall haue the victory One wrote Wyne is a stronge thynge The seconde wrote The kynge is stronger The thyrde wrote womeÌ„ haue yet more strength but aboue al thynges the trueth beareth awaye the vyctory Nowe when the kynge was rysen vp they toke theyr wrytynges delyuered theÌ„ vnto hym and so he red them Then sent he forth to call all his chefe lordes all the debytes rulers of the countrees of Medea Persia. And when they were set downe in the councell the wryttynges were red before them And he commaunded to call for the ponge meÌ„ y t they myght declare theyr meaninges them selues by mouth So when they were sente for came in the kynge sayde vnto them shewe vs make vs to vnderstande what the thynges are that ye haue wrytten Then beganne the fyrst which had spekeÌ„ of the strength of wyne sayde O ye men wyne is meruelous stroÌ„ge and ouercommeth theÌ„ y â— dryncke it it disceaueth y â— mynde and bringeth both y â— poore man the Kynge to dotage vanyte Thus doth it also with the bonde man with the fre with the poore and ryche it taketh awaye theyr vnderstaÌ„dynge maketh theÌ„ carelesse mery so that none of theÌ„ remembreth any heuynes dette or dewty It causeth a maÌ„ to thynke also y â— the thynge which he doth is honest good and remembreth not that he is a kynge nor that he is in auctoryte that he ought not do such thynges Moreouer when men are drynckynge they forget all frendshype all brotherly fayth fulnes loue but as soone as they are dronkeÌ„ they drawe out y â— swerde and wyll fyght wheÌ„ they are layed downe froÌ„ the wyne so rysen vp agayne they can nat tel what they dyd iudge ye nowe is nat wyne y â— strongest For who wolde els take in hande to do suche thynges And when he had spoken thys he helde his tonge ¶ The declar â—â—yon of the. ii last sentences of the yonge meÌ„ propounded in the Chapter before of whiche the laste that to the veâ—â—â—ye beareth the vyctory in all thynges is moste commended and alowed Durius wryteth letters to all the rulers vnder hym thaâ— they shoulde â—yde zoâ—o baâ—ell to the buyldynge of Ierusalefn CAPI IIII. THEN the seconde which had sayde that the Kyng was stronger beganne to speake sayenge D ye men are nat they the strongest moste excelleÌ„te y e coÌ„quere the lande the see and all that is in the see and in the earth Nowe is the kynge lorde af all these thynges hath dominion of theÌ„ all loke what he coÌ„maundeth it is done If he sende his men forth a warfare they go and breake downe hylles walles and towres They are slayne and sleye other men theÌ„ selues ouerpasse nat the kyinges worde If they get the victory they bryng y â— kynge all the spoyle Lyke wyse the other y â— medle nat with warres and fyghtynge but tyl the grounde when they reape they brynge tribute vnto the Kynge And yf the kynge a lone do but commaunde to kyll they kyll yf he coÌ„maunde to forgeue they forgeue yf he commaunde to smyte they smyte yf he byd dryue awaye they dryue awaye yf he commaunde to buylde they buylde yf he commauÌ„de to breake downe they breake downe yf he commauÌ„de to plante they plante The commen people and the rulers are obedient vnto hym And the kynge in the meane season sytteth hym downe eateth drynketh and taketh hys test then kepte they watch rounde aboute the kynge and nat one of them darre get hym out of the waye to do his owne busynes but must be obedieÌ„t vnto the kynge at a worde Iudge ye nowe D ye meÌ„ howe shulde nat he go farre aboue vnto whom men are thus obedient And wheÌ„ he had spokeÌ„ this he helde hê toÌ„ge The thyrde whose name was Zorobabel whiche had spoken of wemen and of trueth began to saye after this maner O ye men it is not the greate kynge it is not the multitude of men neyther is it wyne that excelleth who is it then that hath the Lordshyp ouer them Haue not wemen borne the kynge and all the people that rule those thinges Haue not wemen borne theÌ„ and brought theÌ„ vp that plaÌ„te the vynes wherout the wyne coÌ„meth They make garmentes for all men they geue honour vnto all men and without wemeÌ„ cannot men lyue If they gather golde and syluer and all precious thynges se a faire well fauoured woman they leaue all together and turne their eyes onely vnto y â— woman and gape vpon her haue more desyre vnto her theÌ„ vnto the syluer golde or any maner of precious thynge A man leaueth his father y â— brought hi vp leueth his owne naturall countre cleaueth vnto the womaÌ„ yee he â—eopardeth his lyfe with the womaÌ„ remembreth nether father nor mother nor countre By this then ye must nedes knowe that wemen haue the dominion ouer you Doth it not greue you A man taketh hys swerde and goeth his way to steale to kyll to murther to sayle vpon the see and seyth a lyon and goeth in the darckenes when he hath stollen disceyued and robbed he bryngeth it vnto his loue Agayne a man loueth his wyfe better then father and mother yee many one there be y â— renne out of theyr wyttes and become boÌ„dmen for theyr wyues sakes many one also haue peryshed haue ben slayne haue synned because of wemen And now beleue me I knowe a kynge whiche is great in his power and al landes stande in awe of hym and no man dare laye hande vpon him yet dyd I se that Apame the daughter of the great kyng Bartacus the kynges concubyne sat besyde the kynge vpon the ryght hande toke of his crowne from his head set it vpon her owne heade and smote the kyng with her left hande Moreouer the kynge loked vpon her with open mouth if she laughed vpon him he laughed
also but yf she toke any displeasure with hiÌ„ the kynge was fayne to flatter her to gyue her good wordes tyll he had gotten her fauour agayne O ye men are not wemen then stronger Greate is the earth hye is the heaueÌ„ Who doth these thinges TheÌ„ y â— kyng y â— Princes loked one vpon another So he beganne to speake of y â— trueth O ye men are not wemeÌ„ stronger â–ª Greate is the earth hye is the heauen swyft is the course of the sonne â–ª he coÌ„paseth the heauen rouÌ„de about and fetcheth his course agayne to his owne place in one daye Is he not excelleÌ„t that dothe this â–ª yee greate is the trueth stronger then al thinges All the earth calleth vpoÌ„ the trueth the heauen prayseth it all worckes shake and tremble at it and with it is no vnrightuous thynge Wyne is vnryghtuous the Kyng is vnryghtuous wemeÌ„ are vnryghtuous al y â— chyldren of men are vnryghtuous yee all theyr workes are vnryghtuous and there is no trueth in theÌ„ in theyr vnryghtuousnes also shall they be destroyed perysh As for the trueth it endureth is alway stroÌ„ge it lyueth and coÌ„quereth for euermore worlde without ende The trueth accepteth no personnes it putteth no differeÌ„ce betwixt the rych or poore be twyxt the myghtye or simple but doth right vnto euery maÌ„ whether they be euil or good and all men are louyngly delte withal in the workes of it In the iudgement of it there is no vnryghteous thyng but strength kyngdome and power and magtesty for euermore Blessed be thae God of trueth And with that he helde his tong and all the people cryed sayd Great is the trueth and aboue all Then sayde the kynge vnto him Aske what thou wylt more then is appoynted in the wrytyng and I shall geue it the for thou art founde wyser then thy companyons thou shalt syt nexte me be called my kynsmaÌ„ Then sayd he vnto the kynge Remembre thy promyse and vowe whyche thou haâ—â— vowed and promysed in the daye when thou camest to y â— kyngdome to buylde vp IerusaleÌ„ to sende againe al the vessels and Iewels that were takeÌ„ away out of Ierusalem whiche Cyrus seperated when he offred in Babylon wold sende theÌ„ agayne And thy mynde was to buylde vp the temple whiche the Edomytes brent when Ierusalem was destroyed by the Chaldees This onely O kynge is the thing that I requyre this is the maiesty which I desyre and aske of the that thou perfourme the vowe which thou w t thyne owne mouth hast made vnto the kynge of heauen Then Darius the kynge stode vp and kyssed hym wrote a letter vnto al the debites and Shreues to al the Lordes and nobles that they shulde conuey him forth and at theÌ„ y â— wolde go vp w t him to buylde Ieru saleÌ„ He wrote a letter also vnto al y â— shreues y â— were in Celosiria Phenices vnto Libanus that they shuld drawe â—â—dretreâ—s from Lybanus vnto IerusaleÌ„ to buylde the cytie withall Moreouer he wrote vnto all the Iewes that were gone out of his realme into Iewry because of y e fredome that no officer no ruler nor shreue shulde come to theyr dores and that all theyr lande which they had conquered shuld be fre not tributary And that y e Edomites shulde geue ouer the cities and villages of the Iewes whiche they had takeÌ„ in yee and that they shulde yerely geue xx talentes to the buyldyng of the teÌ„ple vntyll the tyme that it were fynyshed and to the dayly halowyng of y â— brent offeriÌ„ges as it is commaunded ten talentes yearely also And that all they which come from BabyloÌ„ to buylde the cytie shulde haue fre lybertie they and theyr chyldren all the Prestes He wrote the greatnesse also commauÌ„ded that the holy garmeÌ„t shulde be geueÌ„ theÌ„ wherin they ministred and wrote that commaundemeÌ„tes shulde be geuen to the Leuites vntyll the day that the house were fyny shed and Ierusalem buylded vp and commauÌ„ded that all they that watched the cytie shulde haue theyr porcyons and wages He gaue ouer also al the vessels that Cyrus had seperated from Babylon all that Cyrus had geuen in commaundemente the same charged he also that it shulde be done and sent vnto Ierusalem Nowe when this yong maÌ„ was gone forth he turned his face towarde Ierusalem and praysed y â— kynge of heauen and sayde â–ª * Of the commeth the victory of the coÌ„meth wysdome clearenesse I am thy seruauÌ„t Blessed art thou which hast geuen me wysdome the wyll I prayse O Lord thou God of our fathers And so he toke the letters and weÌ„t vnto Babylon And when he came there he tolde thys vnto all his brethren that were at Babylon and they praysed the God of their fathers that he had geueÌ„ them refreshyng and libertye to go vp and to buylde IerusaleÌ„ the teÌ„ple wherin the name of the Lord is called vpon they reioysed with instrumeÌ„tes and gladnesse seuen dayes longe ¶ They that returne to Ierusalem are nombred They begynne to laye the foundacyon of the teÌ„ple but are let by the meanes of enemes and so is the buyldynge dryuen of by the space of two yeares CAPI V. AFter this were the pryncypall men of all the vyllages chosen in the trybes kynredes that they shulde go vp with theyr wyues and chyldren with theyr seruauntes and maydens with all theyr catel and substaunce And Darius the kyng sent with theÌ„ a thousande horsmen to conuey them safely vnto Ierusalem and theyr brethren were glad playeng vpon instrumentes and syngyng and he caused them to go together w t them And these are the names of the men whiche wente vp out of the vyllages accordynge to the trybes Of the Preestes the sonne of Phinehes the sonne of Aaron Iesus the sonne of Iosedec Ioachim the sonne of Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel of the kynred of Dauid out of y â— kinred of Phares of the trybe of Iuda which spake woÌ„derfull thynges vnder Darius the Kynge of Persia in the seconde yere of his raigne in y â— first moneth of Nisan These also are they of Iewry which came vp and turned agayne vnto Ierusalem out of the captyuyte that Nabuchodonosor the Kynge of Babylon had brought vnto Babylon And euery man sought hys porcyon agayne in Iewry hys cytye they that came with Zorobabel and with Iesus Nehemias Saraias Raâ—laias Elâ—â—eus Emmanius Mardocheus Beelserus Mechpsa Rochor Oliorus Emonias one of they re Prynces And the noÌ„bre of theÌ„ accordynge to theyr kynredes and rulers were The chyldren of Phares two thousande an huÌ„dreth lxxij The chyldren of Ares iij. M. an C. and. lvij The chyldren of Femo an C. xlij The sonnes of Iesus and Ioabes a. M. iij. C. two The sonnes of Beniu ij M. iiij C. and. lxx The sonnes of Choroba ij C. v. The sonnes of Banica an C. and. lxviij
gyue thy seruaunt leaue that we may pray before the that thou mayest gyue sede vnto oure herte tyllynge to our vndestandyng that there maye coÌ„me frute of it that euery one which is corrupte and beareth the state and place of a man may lyue For thou art alone we al are one work manshyppe of thy handes lyke as thou hast sayd and lyke as the body is fashioned now in the mothers woÌ„be thou geuest the meÌ„bres and thy creature is preserued in fyre water .ix. monethes doth thy worke suffre thy creature whiche is fashyoned in her but the thing that preserueth and it that is preserued shall both be kept together and wheÌ„ tyme is the wombe delyuereth the thynge that is kepte and growen in her For thou hast commauÌ„ded the brestes to geue mylcke vnto the fruyte that the thyng which is created and fashyoned may be noryshed for a tyme and then thou dysposest ordrest it with thy mercy bringeste it vp w t thy righteousnes nurturest it in thy lawe refourmest it with thy vnderstandyng mortifiest it as thy creature makest it lyuyng as thy worcke Seyunge then that thou destroyest him which with so great labours is created and fashyoned thorowe thy commaundemeÌ„t thou couldest lyghtly ordeine also that the thynge which is made myght be preserued And thys I speake now of all men in generall as y u knowest but of thy people for whose sake I am sory of thy inheritauÌ„ce for whose cause I mourne and of Israell for whom I am wofull and for Iacob for whose sake I am greued therfore begynne I to pray before the for my selfe for them for I se the fall of vs euen of vs that dwel vpon earth But I haue herde the swiftnes of y â— iudge which is to come therfore heare my voice and vnderstande my wordes and I shall speake before the. Thys is the begynnynge of the wordes of Esdras before he was receaued And I sayde O Lorde thou that dwellest in euerlastignesse whose eyes are lyfte vp in the ayre whose stoole is exceadynge hye whose glory maiesty may not be comprehended before whom the Hostes of aungels stande with treÌ„bling whose kepyng is turned in wynde and fyre whose worde is true whose talckynge is stedfaste whose commaundement is stronge whose ordinaunce is fearful whose loke drieth vp the depthes whose wrath maketh the mouÌ„taynes to melte awaye and whose trueth beareth wytnes O heare the prayer of thy seruaunt and marke with thyne eares the petycyon of thy creature For whyle I lyue I wyll speake and so longe as I haue vnderstanding I wyl answere O loke not vpon the synnes of thy people which serue the in trueth Haue no respecte vnto the wicked studies of the Heathen but to the desyre of those that kept thy testimonyes with sorowes Thyncke not vpoÌ„ those that haue walked fameâ—ly before the but vpon them whiche with wyll haue knowen thy feare Let it not be thy wyll to destroye them which haue had beastly maners but to loke vpon theÌ„ that haue clearly taught thy law Take thou no indignacyoÌ„ at theÌ„ which are worse then beastes but loue them that all waye put theyr trust in thy ryghteousnes glory for we our fathers haue al the same sycknes and dysease but because of our sinnes thou shalt be called mercyfull For yf thou hast mercy vpon vs y â— shalt be called mercyfull where as we haue no worckes of righteousnes for the righteous whiche haue sayed vp many good worckes together shal out of theyr dedes receaue rewarde For what is man that thou shuldest take displeasure at him Or what is the corruptible mortal generacyon that thou shul dest be so rough towarde hym For of a trueth there is no man amonge them that be borne but he hath dealte wyckedly and among the faithful there is none whiche hath not done amysse For in thys O Lord thy ryghteousnes and thy goodnes shal be praysed and declared yf thou be mercyfull vnto them which are not rych in good worckes Then answered he me and sayde Some thinges hast thou spoken a right and according vnto thy wordes it shall be For I wyl not verely consydre the worckes of them which haue synned before death before the iudgment before destruccyon but I wyll reioyce ouer the worcke and thought of the ryghteous I wyll remeÌ„bre also the pylgremage the holy makynge and the rewarde Lyke as I haue spoken now so shal it come to passe For as the husbande man so weth much sede vpon the grounde and planteth many trees and yet alwaye the thynge that is sowne or planted is not al kepte safe nether doth it all take rote Euen so is it of theÌ„ that are sowne in the worlde they shall not all be salued I answered then and sayde If I haue fouÌ„de grace then let me speake Like as the husbande mans sede perisheth yf it receaue not rayne in dewe season or it there come to much rayne vpoÌ„ it Euen so perysheth man also which is created with thy handes and is lyke vnto thyne owne ymage and to thy selfe for whose sake thou hast made al thynges and lykened hym vnto the husbande mans sede Be not wroth at vs O Lorde but spare thy people and haue mercy vpon thyne owne inherytaunce O be mercyfull vnto thy creature Then answered he me sayde Thinges present are for the preseÌ„te thinges to come for suche as be to come For thou lackeste yet much seynge thou mayest loue my creature aboue me I haue oft times drawne me vnto the but neuer to the vnryghteous In this also thou art maruelous before y â— Hieit in that thou hast humbled thy selfe as it becommeth the and haste not regarded thyne owne selfe that thou art had iÌ„ such honour amoÌ„ge the ryghteous Therfore shall great wrechednes and mysery come vpoÌ„ theÌ„ that in the latter tyme shall dwell in the worlde because they haue walcked in greate pryde But vnderstande thou for thy selfe and seke out glory for such as be lyke the for vn to you is paradyse opened the tre of lyfe is planted the tyme to come is prepared plenteousnes made ready a cytie is buylded for you a rest is prepared yee perfecte goodnes and wysdome The rote of euel is marcked from you the weaknes mothe is hyd froÌ„ you into hell flyeth corrupcyon in forgetfulnes Sorowes are vanyshed awaye and in the ende is shewed the treasure of immortalyte And therfore aske thou no more questions concernyng the multytude of theÌ„ that peryshe For they haue taken libertye despysed the Hyeste thought scorne of hys lawe and forsaken his wayes Morouer they haue troden downe hys ryghteous and sayde in theyr herte that there is no God yee and that wyttingly for they dye For lyke as the thige that I haue spoken of is made ready for you Euen so is thyrst payne prepared for them For it was not hys wyll that man shulde come
his youth and the tymes begynne to waxe olde For the tyme is deuided into twelue partes and ten partes of it are gone all redye and halfe of the tenth parte yet remayneth there y t which is after the half of the tenth parte Therfore prepayre and ordre thy house and refourme thy people comforte suche of them as be in trouble and tel nowe of the destruccion let go from the mortall thoughtes cast awaye the burthens of man put of the weake nature laye vp in some places the thoughtes that are most heuy vnto the and haste the to flyt from these tymes for suche euyl and wyckednesse as thou hast now sene happen shal they do yet muche worsse For the weaker that the worlde and the tyme is the more shal synne and wyckednes increase in them that dwel vpon earth For the truth is fled farre away lesyng is harde at haÌ„de For nowe hasteth the vysion to come that thou hast sene Then answered I before the sayde Beholde Lorde I wyl go as y â— hast coÌ„maunded me refourme the people which are present But they y â— shall be borne afterwarde who wylexhorte or rebuke theÌ„ Thus the worlde is set in darknes they that owel therin are w t out lyght for thy lawe is kyndled because no man knoweth the thynges that are done of the or y â— shall be done If I haue founde grace before the seÌ„de the holy ghost into me I shall wryte al that hath bene done in the world seus the begynnyng which was wryt ten in thy lawe that meÌ„ may fynde the path and that they whiche wyll lyue in the latter dayes may lyue And he answered me sayeng Go thy way gather the people together say vnto them that they seke the not for fourtye dayes but loke thou gather the many boxe trees and take with the Sarea Dabria Selemia Ecanus and Asiel these fyue which are redy to wrytte swyftely and come hyther and I shall lyght a candle of vnderstandynge in thyne herte whiche shall not be put out tyl the thinges be perfourmed which thou shalt beginne to wryt And then shalt thou declare some thynges openly vnto the perfecte and some thynges shalt thou shewe secretly vnto the wyse Tomorowe this houre shalte thou begynne to wryte Then went I forth as he commaunded me and gathered al the people together and sayde Heare these wordes O Israell Oure fathers at the begynnynge were straungers in Egygte from whence they were deliuered and receyued the lawe of lyfe whiche they kepte not whiche ye also haue transgressed after them Then was thys lande and the lande of Syon parted amonge you by lot to possesse But your fathers and ye your selues also haue done vnryghtuousnes and haue not kepte the wayes whiche the Hyest commaunded you And for so muche as he is a rightuous iudge he toke from you in time the thyng that he had geuen you And nowe are ye here and your brethren amonge you Therfore yf so be that ye wyll subdue youre owne vnderstandynge and refourme youre herte ye shal be kepte alyue and after death shall ye optayne mercy For after death shal the iudgemente come when we shall lyue agayne and then shal the names of the ryghtuous be manifest the worckes of the vngodly shal be declared Let no man therfore come now vnto me nor aske any question at me these fourtye dayes So I toke the fyue men as he commauÌ„ded me and we wente into the felde and remayned there The nexte day a voyce called me sayinge Esdras open thy mouth and drynke that I geue the. Then opened I my mouth beholde he reached me a ful cuppe which was ful as it were w t water but y â— couâ—er of it was lyke fyre And I toke it and drancke And when I had droncke it my herte had vnderstandyng wysdome grew in my brest for my sprete was kepte in remeÌ„braunce and my mouth was opened shut nomore The hyest gaue vnderstandyng vn to the fyue men that they wrote the hye thinges of the nyght which they vnderstode not But in the nyght they dyd eate breade as for me I spake in the day and helde my tong by nyght In. xl dayes they wrote two hundreth and foure bokes And it happened when the fourtye dayes were fulfilled that the Hyest spake sayinge The fyrste that thou hast wrytten speake openly the worthy vnworthy maye rede it But kepe the. lxx last that thou mayst shew it onely to suche as be wyse among thy people For in them is the sprynge of vnderstandynge the fountayne of wysdome and the streame of knowledge And I dyd so ¶ The punyshment that euyl people shal haue which God commaundeth Esdras to shewe vnto them CAPI XV. BEholde speake thou in the eares of my people y â— wordes of prophecy whiche I wyll put in thy mouth saieth the Lorde and cause theÌ„ to be wryten in a letter for it is the trueth Feare not the ymaginacioÌ„s agaynst the. Let not the vnfaithfulnes of theÌ„ trouble the that speake against the. For all the vn faythful shall dye in their vnfaythfulnes Beholde sayeth the Lorde I wyl bryng plages vpon the worlde the swearde hongre death and destruccion for wyckednes hath the vpper hande in all the earthe and theyr shamefull workes are fulfylled Therfore sayeth the Lorde I wyll holde my tonge nomore vnto theyr wyckednesse whiche they do so vngodly nether wyl I suffre theÌ„ in the thinges that they deale wyth all so wyckedly Beholde the innocente bloude of the troubled crieth vnto me and y â— soules of the rightuous complayne continually and therfore sayeth the Lorde I wyl surely auenge receyue vnto me all the innocent bloude from amonge them Beholde my people is led as a flocke of shepe to be slayne I wyll not suffre them nowe to dwell in Egypte but wyll brynge theÌ„ out with a myghtye haÌ„de and a stretched out arme and smyte it with plages as afore and wyll destroye all the lande of it Egypte shall mourne and the foundacions of it shal be smytten with the plage and punyshment that God shall brynge vpon it They that tyll the groundâ— shal mourne for theyr sedes shall be destroyed thorow the blastynge and hayle and an horryble starre Wo worth the worlde and them that dwell therin for the swearde and theyr destrucyon draweth nye and one people shall stande vp to fyght agaynst another swerdes in their haÌ„des For men shal be vnstedfast and some shal do vyolence vnto other they shal not regarde theyr kyng and prynces the wayes of theyr doinges and haÌ„dlinges in theyr power A man shall besyre to go into the cyte shal not be able For because of theyr pryde the cyties shal be brought in feate the houses shall shake and men shall be afrayed A man shall haue no pytie vpon hys neyghboure but one shall prouoke another vnto batayle to spoyle theyr goodes because of the
hert shal be laden with sorowes and the vn godly sinner wyl heape one sinne vpon another The couÌ„cel of y â— proude hath no health for the plante of synne shall be roted oute in them not knowen The herte of hym that hath vnderstanding shal perceaue hye thinges and a good eare wyl gladly herken vnto wisdome An herte that is wyse and hath vnderstandynge wyll abstayne from synnes increase iÌ„ the workes of righteousnes Water quencheth burnynge fyre mercy reconcileth synnes God hath respecte vnto hym that is thanckeful he thyncketh vpon hym agaynst the tyme to come so that when he falleth he shall fynde a stronge holde ¶ Almeâ— muste be done with all menkenes The studye of wysdome and her frute A iudge ought to be mercyfull An exhortacyon to eschue euell and to do good CAPI IIII. MY soÌ„ne defraude nat the poore of his almes and turne not away thyne eyes from him that hathe nede Despise not an hongrye soule defye nat the poore in hys necessite greue not the herte of hym that is helplesse and withdrawe nat the gyfte from the nedefull Refuse nat the prayer of one y â— is in trouble turne nat awaye thy face from the nedy Cast nat thyne eyes asyde from the poore for any euell wyll that thou geue hym not occasion to speake euell of y â— For if he complayne of the in y â— bytternes of hys soule his prayer shall be herde euen he y â— made him shal heare hym Be curteous vnto the company of y â— poore huÌ„ble thy soule vnto the elder bowe downe thy head to a man of worshyppe Let it not greue the to bowe downe thyne eare vnto y â— poore but paye thy dett and geue hym a frendly answere and that with mekenesse Delyuer hym that suffreth wronge from the hande of the oppressour and be nat faint harted when thou syttest in iudgement Be mercyfull vnto the fatherlesse as a father be in steade of an housbande vnto theyr mother so shalt thou be as an obedieÌ„t sonne of the Hyest and he shal loue the more then thy mother dothe Wysdome bretheth lyfe into her chyldren receaueth them that seke her wyl go before theÌ„ in the waye of ryghteousnes He that loueth her loueth life and they that seke her dilygently shall haue greate ioye They that kepe her shal haue the herytage of lyfe for where she entreth in there is the blessing of God They y â— honour her shal be y â— seruauÌ„tes of the holy one they y â— loue her are beloued of god Who so geueth eare vnto her shall iudge the Heathen he that hathe respecte vnto her shall dwele safely He that beleueth her shal haue her in possessyon his generacyoÌ„ shal endure for wheÌ„ he falleth she dothe go with hym choseth him amonge the best Feare drede temptacyon shall she brynge vpon hym trye hym in her doctryne tyll she haue so proued him in his thoughtes that he coÌ„mytte his soule vnto her Then shal she stablishe him bring the ryght waye vnto hym make him a glad man shewe hym her secretes heape vpon hym the tresures of knowledge and vnderstandynge of ryghteousnes But yf he go wronge she shall forsake him and geue him ouer into the handes of hys enemye My sonne make much of the tyme eschue the thinge that is euell for thy lyfe shame not to saye the trueth For there is a shame that bryngeth synne there is a shame that bryngeth worshippe fauoure Accepte no person after thyne owne wyll that thou be nat confounded to thyne owne decaye Be not a shamed of thy neyghboure in hys aduersyte kepe not backe thy counsel whoÌ„ it maye do good nether hyde thy wysdome in her bewty For in the tonge is wysdome knowne so is vnderstandinge knowledge and lernyng in the talkinge of the wyse and stedfastnesse in the workes of righteousnes In no wyse speake agaynste the worde of trueth but be ashamed of the lyes of thyne owne ignorauÌ„ce Shame not to coÌ„tesse thine erroure submytte not thy selfe vnto euery man because of synne Withstande not the face of the myghtye stryue y â— not agaynste the streame But for righteousnes take paynes with all thy soule for the trueth stryue thou vnto death and God shall fyght for the agaynst thyne enemyes Be not hasty in thy tonge nether slacke and negligeÌ„t in thy workes Be not as a lyon in thyne owne house destroying thy housholde folkes and oppressing theÌ„ that are vnder the. Let not thyne hande be stretched out to receaue and shut when thou shuldest geue CAPI V. ¶ In â—ythcâ— maye we nat put any confydence The vengeaunce of God ought to be feared and to repeÌ„taunce maye we usâ— be slowe TRust not vnto thy ryches saye not tush I haue ynough for my lyfe For it shal not helpe in the tyme of vengaunce temptacyon Folowe not the lust of thyne owne herte in thy strength and saye nat tush howe haue I had strength or who wyl brynge me vnder because of my workes for douties God shall auenge â—t And saye nat I haue synned and what euell hathe happened me For the almyghty is a pacieÌ„t rewarder Because thy synne is forgeuen the be not therfore without feare nether heape one synne vpon another And saye not rush the mercy of the Lorde is greate he shal forgeue me my synnes be they neuer so many For lyke as he is mercyful so goeth wrath from him also his indygnacion coÌ„meth downe vpon synners Make no taryenge to turne vnto the Lorde put nat of froÌ„ day to day for sodenly shal his wrath come and in the tyme of vengaunce he shall destroye the. Trust not in wicked ryches for they shall not helpe the in the day of punyshment and wrath Be not caried about to euery wynde and go nat into euery waye for so dothe the synner that hathe a double tonge Stande fast in the waye of the Lorde be stedfast in thy vnderstaÌ„dyng abyde by the worde and folowe y â— worde of peace righteousnes Be gentle to heare the worde of God that thou maiest vnderstaÌ„de it make a true answere with wysdome Be swyft to heare but slowe pacyent in geuynge answere If y â— hast vnderstaÌ„dynge shape thy neyghboure an answere If no laye thyne hande vpon thy mouth lest thou he trapped in an vndiscrete worde so confounded Honour worshyppe 〈◊〉 a mans wyse talkynge but the tonge of the vndiscrese is his owne destruccion Be nat a preuy accuser as longe as thou lyuest vse no sclaunder with thy tonge For shame sorowe goeth ouer the these an euel name ouer hym y â— is double longed but he y â— is a preuy accuser of other men shal be hated enuyed coÌ„founded Se that thou iustyfie the small greate alyke ¶ It is the propertye of a synner to be euell longed
them Many suche thynges hathe myne eye sene greater thynges then these haue I herde with myne eares In the congregation of the vngodly shall a fyre burne and among vnfaythful people shal y â— wrath be kyndled The olde giauÌ„tes optayned no grace for theyr synnes which were destroied trusting to theyr owne strength Nether spared he theÌ„ amonge whom Loth whiche was a strauÌ„ger but smote them and abhorred them because of the pryde of theyr wordes He had no pytie vppon them but destroyed all the people that were so stoute in synne And for so muche as he ouersawe not the syxe huÌ„breth thousande that gathered themselues together in y â— hardenesse of theyr hert it were maruell yf one beyng hardnecked shulde be fre For mercy and wrath is w t hym he is bothe myghtye to forgyue and to poure out displeasure Lyke as hys mercy is great euen so is his punyshment also he iudgeth a man accordyng to hys workes The vngodly shal not escape in his spoyle and the long pacience of him that sheweth mercy shal not byde behynde All mercy shal make place vnto euery man accordyng to the worthynes of his workes and after the vnderstandyng of his pylgremage Saye not thou I wyll hyde my selfe froÌ„ God for who wyll thyncke vpon me from aboue I shall not be knowen in so greate a heape of people for what is my soule amoÌ„ge so many creatures Behold the heauen yee the heauen of heauens the depe the earthe and all that therin is shal be moued at hys presence the Mountaynes the hylles and the foundaryons of the earth shall shake for feare when God visiteth them These thynges dothe no herte vnderstande but he vnderstandeth euery herte and who vnderstandeth his wayes No man seyth hys stormes and the moste parte of hys worckes are secrete Who wyll declare the worckes of hys ryghtuousnes Or who shal be able to abyde them For the couenaunte is farre frome some and tryenge out of men is in the ende He that is humble of herte thyncketh vpon suche thynges but an vnwyso and erronyous man casteth hys mynde vnto foolysshe thynges My sonne herken thou vnto me and learne vnderstandynge and marcke my wordes with thyne herts I wyll geue the a sure doctryne playnely shall I instructe the marke my wordes then in thyne here for in ryghtuousnes of the sprete do I speake of the woÌ„ders that God hath shewed amoÌ„g his worckes from the begynnnyng And in the trueth do I shew the knowledge of him God hath set hys worckes in good ordre frome the begynnynge and parte of them hath he sundered from the other He hath garnyshed hys worckes from euerlastynge and they beginnynges accordyng to theyr generacyons None of them hindered another nether was any of them dysobediente vnto hys wordes After thys God loked vpon the earthe and fylled it with hys goodes With all maner of lyuyng beastes hath he couered the grouÌ„de they al shall be turned vnto earth agayne CAPI XVII ¶ The creacyon of man and the goodnesse that God haths done vnto hym Of aulmes and repentaunce GOd shope man of the earth and made hym after hys owne ymage and turned hym vnto earthe agayne and clothed hym wyth hys owne strength He gaue hym the nombre of dayes and certayne tyme yee and gaue hym power of the thynges that are vpon earthe He made all flesh to stande in awe of hym so that he had the domynyon of all beastes and foules He made out of hym an helper lyke vnto hym selfe and gaue them dyscrecyon and tonge eyes and eares and a herte to vnderstande and fylled them with instruceyon and vnderstaÌ„dynge He created for theÌ„ also the knoweledge of the sprete fylled theyr hertes wyth vnderstaÌ„ding and shewed theÌ„ good euyll He set his eye vpon theyr hertes declarynge vnto them hys greate and noble worckes that they shulde prayse hys holy name together reioyse of his wonders and be tellynge of hys noble Actes Besyde thys he gaue them instruccyon and the lawe of lyfe for an heretage He made an euerlastyng couenaunt with them and shewed them hys ryghtuousnesse and iudgemeÌ„tes They sawe his glory wyth theyr eyes and theyr eares herde the matesty of his voice And he sayd vnto them beware of all vnryghtuous thynges He gaue euery man also a commaundemente concernynge his neyghbour Theyr wâ—â—yes are euer before him and are not hyd from his eyes He hathe set a ruler vpon euery people but Israel is y â— Lordes porcyon All their workes are as y â— Sunne in syght of God and hys eyes are alwaye lo kynge vpon theyr wayes All theyr vnryghtuousnesses are manyfest vnto hym and all theyr wyckednesses are open in his syght The mercy y â— a man sheweth is as it were a purse with hym and the grace that is geueÌ„ to man preserueth hym as the aple of an eye At the last shall he awake rewarde euery man vpoÌ„ his heade and shall turne them together into the nethermost partes of y â— earth But vnto theÌ„ that wyll repent he hath geeuen the waye of ryghtuousnes As for suche as be weake he coÌ„forted them suffred them and sendeth them the porcyon of the veryte O turne then vnto the Lorde forsake thy sines make thy prayer before the Lord do the lesse offence turne agayne vnto y â— Lorde forsake thyne vnryghtuousnes be an vtter enemye to abhomynacion learne to knowe the ryghtuousnes and iudgemeÌ„tes of God staÌ„d in the porcyon that is set forth for the and in the prayer of the most hie god Go in the porcyon of the holy worlde with suche as be lyuyng geue thankes vnto God Who wyll prayse the Lorde in the hell Abyde not thou in the erroure of the vngodly but geue hym thanckes before death As for the deade thanckefulnesse peryshed from hym as nothyng Geue thou thanckes in thy lyfe yee whyle thou art liuyng whole shalt thou geue thanckes and prayse God and reioyse in his mercy O how great is the louiÌ„g kyndnesse of the Lorde his mercyful good nesse vnto suche as turne vnto hym For all thynges may not be in maÌ„ and why the soÌ„ne of maÌ„ is not immortall and he hath pleasure in the vanite of wyckednes What is more cleare then the Sunne yet shall it fayle Or what is more wycked then the thynge that fleshe bloude hath ymagyned that same shal be reproued The Lord seyth the power of the hye heaueÌ„ al are but earth asshes ¶ The maruelous worckes of God â–ª the â—nysetye and wretchednes of man Agaynst God ought we not to complaynt Praye muste we contynuallye CAPI XVIII HE that lyueth for euermore made all thynges together God onely is ryghtuous and remayneth a vyctoryous kynge for euer Who shall be able to expresse the workes of him Who wyll seke out the gronÌ„de of his noble Actes Who shall declare the power of his greatenesse Or who wyll take
vpon hym to tell out his mercy As for the wonderous workes of the Lorde there may nothynge be taken from theym nothynge maye be put vnto them neyther maye the grounde of them be founde out But when a man hath done hys best he muste begyune agayne and when he thyncketh to become to an ende he muste go agayne to hys laboure What is man Wherto is he worth What good or euyll can he do If the nombre of a maÌ„s dayes be almost an hundreth ye re it is muche Lyke as the droppes of rayne are vnto the see and as a grauell stone is in comparyson of the saÌ„de so are these few yeares to y â— dayes of euerlastynge Therfore is the Lord pacient with them and poureth out his mercye vpon them He sawe and perceyued the thoughtes and ymaginacyons of theyr hert that they were euyll therfore heaped he vp hys mercyfull goodnes vpon them and shewed them the waye of ryghtuousnes The mercy that a maÌ„ hath reacheth to his neygh boure but the mercy of God is vpon all flesh He chasteneth he teacheth and nurtoureth yee euen as a shepherde turneth agayne hys flocke so dothe he all them that receyue chastenyng nurtoure and doctryne Mercyful is he vnto them that stande in awe of hys iudgementes My sonne when thou doest good make no grudgyng at it and whatsoeuer thou geuest speake no disconfortable wordes Shal not the dew coule the heate eueÌ„ so is a worde better then a gyft Is not a freÌ„dly worde a good honest gyft but a gracious maÌ„ geueth theÌ„ both A foole shall cast a man in y e teeth and that roughly and a gyft of the nygarde putteth out the eyes Get the ryghtuousnesse before thou come to iudgement Lerne before thou speake and go to physicke or euer thou be sycke examen iudge thy selfe before the iudgement come so shalt thou fynde grace in the syght of God Humble thy selfe afore thou be sycke in tyme of thy dyscease she we thy conuersacyon Let not to praye alway and stande not in feare to be refourmed vnto death for the rewarde of God endureth for euer Before thou prayest prepare thy soule and be not as one that tempted God Thynke vpon the wrathful indingnacyon y e shal be at the ende the houre of vengeauÌ„ce wheÌ„ he shal turne away his face Whe y â— hast ynough remeÌ„bre the tyme of hongre when thou art rich thinke vpon the tyme of pouer te and scarcenesse From the mornynge vntyll the euenyng the tyme is chaunged and al suche thynges are sone done in y â— syght of God A wyse man feareth God in all thynges in the dayes of traÌ„sgressyon he kepeth hym selfe from sâ—â—ne A discrete man hath pleasure in wysdome and he that findeth her maketh much of her They y e haue had vnderstanding haue dealt wysely in wordes haue vnderstaÌ„de the truth ryghtuousnes haue sought out wyse seÌ„tences iudgemeÌ„tes Folowe not thy lustê but turne the froÌ„ thyne owne wyll For yf y â— geuest thy soule her desires it shal make thin enemies to laugh the to scorne Take not thy pleasure in greate voluptuousnes medle not to much wtal Make not to great chere of the thyng that thou hast woÌ„ne by auauÌ„tage lest thou fal into pouerte haue nothyng in thy purse ¶ Wyne and whoredome brynge men to pouertye â–ª In thy wordes muste thou vse dyscrecyon The difference of the wysdome of God and man Wherby thou mayeâ—i knowe what is in a man Correcâ—yon muste be vsed without angâ—e CAPI XIX A Labouryng man that is geueÌ„ vnto droÌ„ kennes shall not be rych he that maketh not much of smal thiges shall fat by lytle litle Wyne wemen make wyse men reÌ„nagates put men of vnderstandynge to reprofe and he that accompanieth aduoâ—iterers shal become a wycked man Moches wormes shall haue hym to herytage yee he shal be set vp to a greater example and hys soule shal be roted out of the noÌ„bre He that is hastye to geue credence is lyght mynded and doth agaynst hym selfe Who so reioyseth in wyckednes shal be punyshed he that hateth to be refourmed hys lyfe shal be shortned he that abhorreth babling of wordes quencheth wyckednesse He that offendeth agaynst his owne soule shall repente it and he that reioyseth in wyckednesse shall be punyshed Rehearse not a wycked churlysh worde twise and thou shalt not be hidered Shewe thy secretes nether to frende nor foo and if y â— hast offended tell it not out For he shall herken vnto the and marke the and wheÌ„ he fyndeth oportunite he shall hate y â— so shal he be alwaye aboute y â— If y â— hast herde a worde agaynst thy neyghbour let it be dead w t in the be sure thou shalte haue no harme therby A foole trauayleth w t a worde lyke as a womaÌ„ that is payned w t bearynge of a chylde Lyke as an arowe shot in a dogges thyghe so is a worde in a fooles hert Tell thy frende his faute least he be ignoraunt say I haue not done it or yf he haue spoken that he do it nomore Reproue thy neyghbour that he kepe his tong if he haue spokeÌ„ that he say it nomore Tell thy neyghbour his faute for oft tymes an offeÌ„ce is made and geue not credeÌ„ce to euery worde A man falleth somtyme with hys tong but not with hys wyl For what is he y â— hath not offended in his tong Geue thy neyghboure warnyng before thou threaten hym and geue place vnto the lawe of the Lorde The feare of God is all wysdome he that is a ryght wyse man kepeth y â— lawe As for the doctryne of wyckednesse it is no wysdome and the prudence of synners is no good vnderstandyng it is but wyckednes abhominacioÌ„ a blaspheming of wysdome A symple man of small vnderstandyng that feareth God is better then one y â— hath much wysdome and trangresseth the lawe of the Hyest A crafty sotell man can be wyse but he is vnryghtuous and with gyftes he wresteth the open and manifest lawe A wycked man can behaue hym selfe humblye and can douke with his heade and yet is he but a disceauer within He hydeth hys â—ice disguiseth it because he shulde not be knowen he preuenteth the. And though he be so weake y â— he can do y â— no harme yet wheÌ„ he may fynde oportunite he shall do some euyll A maÌ„ may be knowen by his face one that hath vnderstandyng maye be percyeued by the loke of his countenaunce A mans garment laughter goynge declare what he is ¶ Of correccion and repentaunte Of the gyfte of the wyse man and of the foole Of lyâ—age CAPI XX. SOME man reproueth hys neyghboure ofte tymes but not in due season Agayne some man holdeth hys tonge and he is wyse and dyscrete It
of the lorde so is a vertuous wyfe the bewtye of all her house Lyke as the clere lyght is vpon y â— holy candelsticke so is the bewre of y â— face vpoÌ„ an honest body Lyke as the golden puers are vpon the sockettes of syluer so are the fayre legges vnto a woman that hath a costant mynde Perpetual are the foundacioÌ„s that be layde vpon a whole stonye rocke so are the commaundementes of God vpon the herâ—e of an holy woman There be two thinges that grene my hert and in the thyrde is a displeasure come vpoÌ„ me When an expert man of warre suffreth scarsenes aâ—d pouerte When men of vnderstandynge and wysdome are not sert by And when one departeth from ryghteousnes vnto synne Who so doth suche the Lorde hathe prepared him vnto the swerde There be two maner of thynges whiche me thynke to be herde perylous A marchauÌ„t can not lyghtly kepe hym from wronge nether a taueruer him selfe from synne ¶ Of the poâ—e that wolde be ryche The probacyon of the man that feareth God The vnconstantnesse of a foole The â—â—tretes of a trende are not to be vttred The wycked ymagineth euell whiche â— turneth vpon hym selfe CAPI XXVII BEcause of pouerte haue many one offended and he that seketh to be ryche turneth his eyes asyde Lyke as a nayie in the wall stycketh fast betwyxte two stones euen so doth synne sticke betwyxte the byes and the seller If he holde hym not dilygently in the feare of the Lorde his house shall soone be ouerthrowen Lyke as when one syfteth the fylthynes remayneth in the syue So remayneth there some vncleane thynge in the thought of man The ouen proueth the potters vessell so dothe temptacyoÌ„ of trouble trye ryghteous men The tre of the felde is knowen by hys frute so is the thought of mans herte knowne by hys wordes Prayse no man excepte thou haue herde him for a man is knowen by his wordes If thou folowest ryghteousnes thou shalt get her and put her vpoÌ„ the as a fayre garmente And thou shalt dwel with her she shal defende the for euer and in the daye of knowledge thou shalt finde sted fastnesse The byrdes resorte vnto theyr lyke so doth the truth turne vnto them that be occupyed withall The lyon wayteth the praye so dothe synners lurke vpon the workers of wyckednes The talkynge of hym that feareth God is nothynge but wysdome as for a foole he chauÌ„geth as the Moone If thou be amonge the vndiscrete kepe thy worâ—â— to a conuenient tyme but amonge suche as be wyse speake on hardely The talkynge of fooles is abhominacion and theyr sporte is volupteousnesse and mysnurtoure Moch swearynge maketh the hearre to stande vp and to striue with suche stoppeth the eares The stryfe of the proude is bloudesheddynge and theyr blasphemynge is heuy to heare Who so discouereth secretes leseth his credence and fyndeth no frende after his wyl Loue thy frende and bynde thy selfe in faythfulnes with hym but yf y â— bewrayest his secretes thou shalt not get hym agayne For lyke as the man is that destroyeth hys enemye so is he also that dealeth falsly in the frendshyp of his neyghboure Lyke as one that letteth a byrde go out of his hande cannot take her agayne Euen to thou yf thou geue ouer thy frende thou canst not get him againe Yee thou canst not come by him for he is to farre of He is vnto the as a Roo escaped out of the snare for his soule is wounded As for woundes they may be bounde vp agayne an euell worde maye be reconcyled but who so bewrayeth the secres of a frende there is no more hope to be had vnto hym He y â— wyncketh with the eyes ymageneth some cuell and no man shall take hym from it when thou art present he shall hylie commeÌ„de and prayse thy wordes but at the last he shall turne his tayle and scauÌ„der thy sayenge Many thynges haue I hated but nothynge so euell for the Lord himselfe also abhorreth soch a one Who so casteth a stone on hye it shall fall vpon hys awne head and he that smyteth with gyle woundeth him selfe Who so dyggeth a pyt shall fall therin he that layeth a stone iÌ„ his neghbours waye shall stomble theron he that layeth a snare for another shal be takeÌ„ in it him self Who so geueth a wycked noysome councell it shall come vpoÌ„ hym selfe he shal not knowe from whence The proude blaspheme and are scornefull but vengeaunce lurketh for them as a lyon They that reioyse at the fal of y e ryghteous shal be taken in the snare anguysh of herte shall consume them before they dye Anger rygorousnesse are two abhominable thynges the vngodly hath theÌ„ both vpoÌ„ hym We ought not to desyre vengeauÌ„ce but to forgeue the office of the wyces of the tonge and of the daughters therof CAPI XXVIII HE that seketh vengeaunce shal fynde vengeaunce of the Lorde which shall surely kepe hym his synnes Forgeue thy neyghboure the hurt that he hath done the and so shall thy synnes be forgeueÌ„ the also whcÌ„ thou prayest AmaÌ„ that beareth hatred agaynst another howe darre he desyre forgeuenesse of God He that sheweth no mercy to a man whiche is lyke him selfe howe darre he aske forgeuenesse of his synnes If he that is but flesh beareth hatred kepeth it who wyll intreate for his synnes RemeÌ„bre the ende and let enemyte passe whiche seketh death and destruccyon and abyde thou in the commaundementes RemeÌ„bre the commaundement so shalt thou not be rygorous ouer thy neyghboure Thyncke vpoÌ„ the couenaunt of the Hyest forgeue thy neyghbours ignoraunce Beware of stryfe thou shalt make thy synnes fewer For an angrie man kindleth variauÌ„ce and the vngodly disquyeteth frendes and putteth discorde amonge them that be at peace The more wod there is y e more vehement is the fyre and the myghtier that meÌ„ be the greater is the wrath and the loÌ„ger the strife endureth the more it burneth An hastye brawlynge kynleth a fyre an hastye stryte sheddeth blouoe A tonge also that beareth false witnesse bryngeth death If thou blowe the sparke it shal burne If y â— spyt vpon it it shall go forth and both these out of y e mouth The sclauÌ„deret a dubble tonged is cursed for many one y â— be frendes setteth he at varyaunce The thyrde tonge hath disquieted many one and dryuen them frome one lande to another Stronge cyties of the ryche hath it broken downe and ouerthrowen the houses of greate men The streÌ„gth of the people hath it brought downe and bene the decaye of myghtye nacyons The thyrde tonge hath cast out many an honest woman and robbed them of theyr labours Who so herkeneth vnto suche shall neuer fynde rest and neuer dwel safely The stroke of the rod maketh yedders but the stroke of the tonge smyteth the bones in sunder Their be many that haue peryshed
gatheryng What is become of them that coyned syluer and were so carefull and coulde not bryng theyr workes to passe They be coted out gone downe to hell other men are come vp in theyr steades Yonge men haue sene lyght dwelte vpon earth but the way of reformacyon haue they not knowen nor vnderstande the pathes therof nether haue theyr chyldren receaued it yet ryght farre is it froÌ„ them It hath not bene herde of in the lande of Canaan nether hath 〈◊〉 bene sene at Theman The Agarenes sought after wysdome but that whiche is earthly lyke as the marchauÌ„tes of the lande do They of Theman are connynge also and they laboure for wysdome vnderstandynge but the waye of true wysdome they knowe not neyther do they thincke vpon the pathes therof O Israell howe great is the house of God how large is the place of his possession Great is he hathe none ende yee vnmeasurable What is become of those famouse gyauntes that were so great of bodies so worthy men of warre Those had not the Lord chosen nether haue they founde the waye of reformacyon therefore were they destroted for so much as they had no wysdome they perysshed because of theyr foolyshnesse Who hathe gone vp into heauen to take wysdome there and brought her downe froÌ„ the cloudes Who hath gone ouer the see to fynde her and hath chosen her aboue golde so brought her hyther No man knoweth the wayes of wysdome neyther is there any that can seke out her pathes But he y â— woteth all thynges knoweth her and he hathe fouÌ„de her out w t hys fore knowledge This same is he which prepared the earth at y â— begynnynge fylled it with all maner of foules beastes When he sendeth out y â— lyght it goeth and when he calleth it agayne it obeyeth hym with feare The Starres kepe theyr watche and geue theyr lyght yee and that gladly When he calleth them they say here we be And so wyth chearefulnesse they shewe lyghte vnto hym that made them This is oure God and there shall none other be compared vnto hym It is he that hath founde out all wysdome and hath geuen her vnto Iacob his seruaunt and to Israel his beloued After warde dyd he shewe hym selfe vpon earthe and dwelt amonge men ¶ The rewarde of them that kepe the lowe and the punyshement of them that despyse it A comfortynge of the people beynge in captynâ—â— A complaynte of Ierusalem and vnder the fygure thereof of the Churche A consolacyon and comtortynge of the same CAPI IIII. THis is the Booke of the commaundementes of God and the lawe that endureth for euer All they that kepe it shall come to lyfe but such as forsake it shal come to death Turne the O Iacob and take hold of it walcke by this waye thorow his bryghtnesse and shyne Gene not thyne honoure to another and thy worshyppe to a straunge people O Israell howe happye are we seyng that God hath shewed vs suche thinges as are pleasaunt vnto hym Be of good chere thou people of God O thou auncient Israel Nowe are ye solde amonge y â— Heathâ— howbeit not for your vtter destruccyon but because ye prouoked God the Lord to wrath and displeasure therfore were ye delyuered vnto your enemyes for ye displeased y â— euerlastynge God that made you offeringe vnto deuels not to God Ye haue forgotten hym that brought you vp and your nursse haue ye greued O Ierusalem Whan she sawe y â— the wrath of God was commynge vpon you she sayde Herken O ye that dwell aboute Syon for God hathe brought me in to great heuynes why I se the captiuite of my people of my sonnes and daughters which the euerlastyng God wyll bryng vpon them With ioy did I norish theÌ„ but nowe must I leaue them with wepynge and sorowe Let no man reioyce ouer me wyddowe forsaken which for the synnes of my chyldreÌ„ am desolate of euery man For why they departed from the lawe of God they wold not knowe hys ryghtuousnes nor walcke in the way of his coÌ„maundementes and as for the pathes of the trueth and godlynes they had no lust to go in them O ye dwellers aboute Syon come and let vs call to remembraunce the captyuyte y â— the euerlasting God hath brought vpoÌ„ my sonnes my daughters He hath brought a people vpon them froÌ„ farre an vncurteous people and of a straunge language whiche nether regarde the olde nor pytie the yonge These haue caryed awaye the deare beloued of my wyddowes leauynge me alone both desolate and chyldlesse But alas what can I helpe you Now he that hath brought these plages vpoÌ„ you delyuer you also from the handes of your enemyes Go your waye O my chyldren go youre waye for I am desolate forsaken I haue put of the clothynge of peace and put vpon me the sack cloth of prayer and for my tyme I wyll call vpon the most Hyest Be of good cheare O my chyldren crye vnto the Lorde and he shall delyuer you from the power of y â— prynces youre enemyes For verely I haue euer a good hope of your prosperous health yee a very gladnes is come vpon me from the holy one because of the mercy that ye shall haue of our euerlastynge sauyour With mournynge and wepynge dyd I let you go fro me but with loye and perpetuall gladnesse shall the Lorde brynge you agayne vnto me Lyke as the neyghboures of Syon sawe your captiuite from God Euen so shal they also se shortly your health in god which shall come on you with great honour and euerlastyng worshyppe O my chyldreÌ„ suffre pacieÌ„tly the wrathe that shall come vpon you For the enemye hath persecuted the but shortely thou shalte se his destruccyon and shalte treade vppon hys necke My derlynges haue gone rough harde wayes for they are led awaye as a flocke that is scatred abroade with the enemies But be of good comforte O my chyldren and crye vnto the Lorde For he that led you awaye hath you yet in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce and lyke as ye haue bene mynded to swarue from your God so shall ye nowe endeuour your selues x. tymes more to turne agayne to seke him For he y â— hath brought these plages vpoÌ„ you shal bryng you euerlasting â—oy agayne w t your helth Take a good herte vnto the O IerusaleÌ„ for he whyche gaue the y e name exhorteth the so do The wycked doers that nowe put the to trouble shal perysh and suche as haue reioy sed at thy fall shal be punyshed The cytyes whom thy chyldren serue and that haue caryed awaye thy sonnes shal be correcte For lyke as they be nowe glad of thy decaye and reioyse at thy fall so shall they mourne in their owne destruccioÌ„ The ioye of their multytude shal be taken away and their cheare shal be turned to sorowe For a fyre shall fall
a great rich man had a fayre orcharde ioyninge vnto his house And to h◠resorted the Iewes comēly because he was a mā of reputacion among thē The same yere were there made two Iudges suche as the Lorde speaketh of Al the wyckednesse of Babylon cōmeth from the elders that is from the iudges whiche seme to rule the people These came ofte to Ioachims house and all such as had any thyng to do in the law came thyther vnto them Nowe when the people came agayne at after noone Susanna went into her husbādes orcharde to walcke The elders seinge this that she wente in daylye and walcked they burned for luste to her yee they were almost out of theyr wyttes and caste downe theyr eyes that they shulde not se heauen nor remembre that God is a ryghtuous iudge For they were both wounded with the loue of her nether durst one shew another his grefe And for shame they duest not tel her there in ordinate lust that they wold fayne haue had to do with her Yet they layed wayte for her earnestly from daye to day that they myght at the least haue a syght of her And the one sayde to the other Up let vs go home forit is diner tyme. So they wēt their way frō her When they returned agayne they came together enquyryng out y ◠matter betwyxte them selues yee the one tolde y ◠other of hys wycked lust Then appoynted they a tyme when they myght take Susanna alone It happned also y ◠they spyed out a conuenient tyme when she went forth to walke as her maner was and no body wyth her but two maydens thought to wasshe her selfe in the gardē for it was an hote season And there was not one person there excepte the two elders had y ◠hyd them selues to beholde her So she sayde to her maydens go fet me oyle and sope and shut the orcharde dore that I may wash me And they dyd as she bad them and shut the orchard dore and went out them selues at a backe dore to fet the thyng that she had commaūded but Susanna knewe not that the elders laye there hyd within Nowe when the maydens were gone forth the two elders gat them vp and ranne vpō her saying now the orcharde dores are shut that no man can se vs we haue a lust vnto the therfore cōsente vnto vs and lye wyth vs. If thou wylt not we shal brynge a testymoniall agaynst the that there was a yonge felo we wyth the and that thou hast sente away thy maydēs from the for the same cause Susanna syghed sayde Alas * I am in trouble on euery syde Though I folow your mynde it wyll be my death yf I cōsent not vnto you I can not escape your hādes Wel it is better for me to fall into your hāde with out the dede doynge then to synne in y e syght of the Lorde and wyth that she cryed out wyth a loude voyce the elders also cried out agaynst her Then rāne there one to the orchard dore and smote it open Nowe when the seruauntes of the house herde the erye in the orchard they russhed in at the backe dore to se what the matter was So when the elders tolde them the seruauntes were greatly ashamed for whyethere was neuer such a reporte made of Susanna On the morowe after came the people to Ioachim her husbande the two elders came also full of myscheuous ymaginacyon agaynst Susanna to brynge her vnto death and spake thus before the people Sende for Susanna the daughter of Helchias Ioachims wyfe And imediately they sente for her So she came wyth her father mother her chyldrē and all her kynred Now Susanna was a tender person and maruelous fayre of face Therfore the wycked men commaunded to take of the clothes from her face for she was couered that at the leest they might so be satisfyed in her buety Then her frendes yee and all they that knewe her beganne to wepe Those two elders stode vp in the myddest of the people layed theyr handes vpon the heade of Susanna which wepte and loked vp towarde Heauen for her herte had a sure toust in the Lord. And the elders sayde As we were walkynge in the orchard alone thys woman came in with her two maydēs whom she sente away from her and sparred the orcharde dores wyth that a yonge felow whiche there was hyd came vnto her and laye with her As for vs we stode in a corner of the orcharde And when we sawe this wyckednes we ranne to her and perceaued that they had medled together But we could not holde him for he was stronger then we thus he opened the dore and gat him away Now when we had taken thys woman we asked her what yonge felowe thys was but she wolde not tel vs. This is the matter and we be wytnesses of the same The comen sorte beleued them as those that were the elders and iudges of the people and so they condemned her to death Susāna cryed out with a loude voyce and sayd O euerlastyng God thou sercher of secretes thou that knowest al thynges afore they come to pas thou wotest that they haue borne false wytnes agaynste me beholde I muste dye where as I neuer dyd any suche thynges as these men haue malycyously inuented agaynst me And the Lorde herde her voyce For when she was led forth to death the Lorde raysed vp the sprete of a yonge chylde whose name was Daniel whiche cryed with a loude voyce I am cleane from this bloude Then al the people turned them towarde hym and sayde What meane these wordes that thou hast spoken Daniel stode in the myddest of thē and sayde Are ye suche fooles O ye chyldren of Israel that ye can not discerne nor know the truth Ye haue here condemned a daughter of Israell vnto death and know not y ◠trueth wherfore Go syt on iudgement agayne for they haue spoken false wytnesse agaynst her Wherfore the people turned agayne in al the hast And the elders that is the pryncypall heades sayde vnto him come syt downe here amonge vs and shewe vs this matter seyng God hath geuē the as greate honoure as an elder And Daniel said vnto thē Put these two asyde one from another and then shall I heare thē When they were put asunder one frome another he called one of them and sayde vnto hym O thou olde canckerd earle that hast vsed thy wickednesse so lōg thyne vngracyous dedes which y u hast done afore are nowe come to lyght For thou hast geuen false iudgementes thou hast oppressed the innocent letten the gyltye go fre where as yet y ◠Lord sayeth The innocent ryghtuous se thou sley not Wel thā yf thou hast sene her tell me vnder what tre sawest thou them talkyng together He answered vnder a Molbery tree And Danyel sayde very well now thou lyest euen vpon thyne head Lo
and commaunded hym to be aueÌ„nged of the chyldren of Israel So they stode vp and came with a greate hooste into the lande of Iuda sendynge messengers to Iudas his brethren speakynge vnto them wyth peaceable wordes but vnder disceyte Therfore Iudas his people beleued not theyr sayinge for they sawe that they were come wyth a great Hoste After this came the scribes together vnto Alcimus Bachides trustynge the best vnto them And fyrste the Assideans requyred peace of them sayinge Alcimus the preste is come of the sede of AaroÌ„ how can he disceyue vs So they gaue them louynge wordes swore vnto them and sayde we wyll do you no harme neither your freÌ„des they beleued them But the very same daye toke they lx men of them slewe them accordynge to the wordes that are wrytten They haue caste the fleshe of thy saynetes shed their bloude rouÌ„de aboute Ierusalem there was no maÌ„ y e wolde bury them So there came a greate feare drede amonge the people sayinge there is neither trueth nor ryghtuousnesse in theÌ„ for they haue broken the appoyntmente othe that they made And Bachides remoued his hoste from Ierusalem and pytched hys tente at Betzecha where he sent forth toke many of them that had forsaken hym He slewe many of the people also and caste them into a greate pyt Then commytted he the lande vnto Alcimus and lefte men of warre wyth hym to helpe hym Bachydes him selfe went vnto the kynge And thus Alcimus defended his hye presthode al suche as vexed Israel resorted vnto hym In so muche that they optayned the lande of Iuda dyd muche euyll vnto the Israelites Nowe when Iudas sawe all the mischefe that Alcimus and his coÌ„pany had done yee more then the Heythen them selues vnto the Israelites He went forth rounde aboute all the borders of Iewrye and punysshed those vnfaithful rennagates so that they came no more out into the couÌ„tre So when Alcimus sawe that Iudas and his people had gotten the vpperhande and that he was not able to abide them he went agayne to the kyng and sayde all the worste of them that he coulde Then the kyng sent Nicanor one of his chefe prynces whiche bare euyl wyll vnto Israel and commaunded hym that he shulde vtterly destroye the people So Nicanor came to Ierusalem with a great hoste and sent vnto Iudas and hys brethren wyth frendely wordes but vnder disceyte sayinge there shall be no warre betwyxte me you I wyll come wyth a fewe men to se howe ye do with freÌ„dshype Upon thys he came vnto Iudas and they saluted one another peaceably but y â— enemyes were appoynted to take Iudas by vyolence Neuertheles it was tolde Iudas that he came vnto hym but vnder disceyte wherfore he gat hym awaye from him wold se hys face no more When Nicanor perceyued that his councell was bewrayed he went out to fight agaynste Iudas besyde Carpharsamala where there were slayne of Nicanors hoste v. M. men and the resydue sled vnto the Castell of Dauyd After this came Nicanor vp vnto mount Syon and the prestes with the elders of the people wente forth to salute him peaceably to shewe him the burnt sacrifices that were offered for the kynge But he laughed them and the people to scorne moked them defyled their offeringes spake disdaynedly yee and swore in his wroth sayenge If Iudas and his hoste be not delyuered nowe into my haÌ„des as soone as euer I come agayne fare well I shall burne vp thys house Wyth that wente he out in a greate angre Then the prestes came in and stode before the aulter of the temple wepynge sayinge for so muche as thou O Lorde haste chosen this house that thy name myght be called vpoÌ„ therin that it shulde be an house of prayer and peticion for thy people Be avenged of this man and his host and let theÌ„ he slayne with the sweard remembre y e blasphemies of them and suffre them not to contynue any longer When Nicanor was gone from Ierusalem he pytched hys tente at Bethoron and there an hoste met hym out of Syria And Iudas came to Adarsa with thre thousande men made his prayer vnto God sayinge O Lorde because the messengers of kynge Senacherib blaphemed the the Angel weÌ„te forth and slewe an hundreth foure score and fyue thousaÌ„de of them Euen so destroy thou thys hoste before vs to daye y â— other people maye knowe howe that he hath blasphemed thy Sanctuary and punysh hym accordyng to hys malyciousnesse And so the hoostes stroke y â— felde the thyrtene daye of the Moneth Adar and Nicanors hoste was discomfyted he him selfe was fyrste slayne in the battayle When Nicanors men of warre sawe that he was kylled they cast awaye their weapens and fled but the Iewes folowed vpon them an whole dayes iourney from Adazer vnto Gazara blowynge with the troÌ„pettes and makynge tokeÌ„s after them So the Iewes came forth of all y â— townes there aboute and blewe out theyr hornes vpoÌ„ them and turned agaynste them Thus were they all slayne not one of them lefte Then they toke their substauÌ„ce for a pray and smote of Nicanors heed and hys ryght hande whiche he helde vp so proudly and brought it with them and hanged it vp afore Ierusalem Wherfore the people were excedyngly reioysed and passed ouer that day in greate gladnesse And Iudas ordeyned y â— the same daye namely the thyrtynth daye of the moneth Adar shulde be kepte in myrth euery yere Thus the lande of Iuda was in rest a lytle whyle ¶ Iudas consyderynge the power and godly pollyâ—yâ— of the Romaynes maketh peace with them The reâ—ceypt of the Romayncâ— sent vnto the Iewee CAPI VIII IUdas herde also the fame of the Romaynes that they were myghtye baleaunte men a greable to all thingê y â— are requyred of them and make peace with al men which come vnto them and how they were doughtye men of streÌ„gth Besydes that it was tolde hym of their battayles noble actes whiche they dyd in Galatia howe they had conquered them and brought them vnder trybute and what greate thynges they had done in Spayne howe that with theyr wysdome sober behauour they had wonne the Mynes of syluer and golde that are there and optayned all the lande with other places farre from them howe they had discomfyted and slayne downe the kynges that came vppon them from the vttermost parte of the earth and howe other people gaue them trybute uery yeare Howe they had slayne and ouercome Philip and Perses kynges of Cethim other mo in battayle whiche had brought they re ordynaunce agaynst them howe they discomfyted great Antyochus kyng of Asia that wolde nedes fyghte wyth theym hauynge an hundreth and twentye ElephaÌ„tes with horssemen Charettes and a very great hooste howe they toke hym selfe alyue and ordeyned hym with
was sayde of some that IohnÌ„ was rysen agayne from death and of some that Elias had appeared and of some that one of the olde Prophets was rysen agayne And Herode sayde IohnÌ„ haue I beheaded but who is this of whom I heare suche thynges and he desyred to se hym And the apostles returned and tolde hym all that they had done And he toke them and wente asyde in to a solitarye place nygh vnto the citie that is called Bethsaida which when the people knewe they folowed hym And he receyued them and spake vnto them of the kyngdome of God and healed them that had nede to be healed And when the day began to weare away then came the twelue and sayde vnto hym sende the people away that they may go in to the townes and nexte villages and lodge and get meate for we are here in a place of wyldernesse But he sayde vnto them Gyue ye them to eate And they sayde We haue no mo but fyue looues and two fysshes excepte we shuld go bye meate for all this people And they were aboute a fyue thousande men And he sayd to his disciples Cause them to syt downe by fyfties in a company And they dyd so and made them al to syt downe And he toke the fyue looues and the two fysshes and loked vp to heuen and blessed them and brake and gaue to the disciples to set before the people And they al dyd eate and were satisfied And there was taken vp of that remayned to them twelue baskettes full of broken meate And it fortuned as he was alone prayeng his disciples were with hym he asked them sayenge Who say the people that I am They answered and sayde IohnÌ„ Baptyst Some say Elias And some saye that one of the olde Prophettes is rysen He sayde vnto them But whom saye ye that I am Symon Peter answered and sayde Thou arte the Christ of God And he warned and coÌ„maunded them that they shulde tell no maÌ„ that thynge sayeng The son of man must suffre many thynges and be reproued of the elders and of the hygh preestes and scribes be sleyne and ryse agayne the thyrde day And he sayde to them all yf any man wyll come after me let hym denye hym selfe and take vp his crosse dayly and folowe me ☞ For who soeuer wyll saue his lyfe shal lose it But who soeuer doth lose his lyfe for my sake the same shall saue it For what aduauntageth it a man yf he wynne the hoole world and loose hym selfe or run in damage of hym selfe For who so is ashamed of me and of my wordes of hym shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he cometh in his maiestye and in the maiestye of his father and of his holy angels I tell you of a trueth ☞ There be some standyng here whiche shall not taste of death tyll they se the kyngdome of God And it fortuned that about an eyght dayes after these sayenges he toke Peter and IohnÌ„ and Iames and wente vp in to a mountayne to pray And as he prayed the fassyon of his countenaunce was chaunged and his garment was whyte and shone And beholde there talked with hym two men which were Moses and Elias that appeared in the maiestye spake of his departynge whiche he shulde ende at Ierusalem But Peter and they that were with hym were heuy with slepe And when they awoke they sawe his maiestye and two men standyng with hym And it chaunced as they departed frome hym Peter sayde vnto Iesus Mayster it is good beynge here for vs Let vs make also thre tabernacles one for the and one for Moses and one for Elias and wyst not what he sayde Whyle he thus spake there came a cloude and ouershadowed them they feared when they were come in to the cloude And there came a voyce out of the cloude sayenge This is my deare son heare him And as soone as the voyce was past Iesus was founde alone And they kepte it close tolde no maÌ„ in those dayes any of those thynges whiche they had sene And it chaunsed that on the nexte day as they came downe from the hyll moche peple met hym And beholde a maÌ„ of the company cryed out sayenge Mayster I beseche the beholde my son for he is all that I haue and se a spirite taketh hym sodeynly he cryeth and †he knocketh and teareth hym that he fometh agayne and with moche payne departeth from hym when he hath rent hym and I besought thy disciples to cast hym oute and they coulde not Iesus answered sayd O faythlesse and croked nacion how long shall I be with you and shall suffre you Brynge thy sonne hyther As he was yet a comynge the fende rent hym and tare hym And Iesus rebuked the vncleane spirite and healed the chylde and delyuered hym to his father And they were all amased at the myghtye power of god But while they wondred euery one at all thynges whiche he dyd he sayd vnto his disciples Let these sayengê synke downe in to youre eares For it wyll come to passe that the sonne of man shal be delyuered in to the handes of men But they wyst not what that worde mente and it was hyd from them that they vnderstode it not And they feared to aske hym of that sayenge And there entred a thoughte amonge them whiche of them shulde be the greatest When Iesus perceyued the thought of theyr hertes he toke a chylde and set hym harde by hym and sayde vnto them Who soeuer receyueth this chylde in my name receyueth me And who soeuer receyueth me receyueth hym that sent me For he that is least amonge you all the same shal be great And IohnÌ„ answered and sayde Mayster we sawe one castynge oute deuyls in thy name and we forbad hym bycause he folowed not with vs. And Iesus sayde vnto hym forbyd ye hym not For he that is not agaynst vs is with vs. And it fortuned when the tyme was come that he shulde be receyued vp he set his face to go to Ierusalem and sent messengers before hym And they wente and entred in to a citye of the Samaritans to make redye for hym And they wolde not receyue hym bycause his face was as though he wolde go to Ierusalem When his disciples Iames and IohnÌ„ sawe this they sayd Lorde wylte thou that we coÌ„maunde fyre to come downe from heuen consume them euen as Elias dyd Iesus turned about and rebuked them sayenge ye wote not what maner a spirite ye are of For the son of man is not come to destroy mennes lyues but to saue them And they went to an other towne ✚ And it chaunsed that as they were walkyng in the way a certayne man sayd vnto hym I wyll folowe the whyther soeuer thou wylt go Iesus sayd vnto hym Foxes haue holes and byrdes of the ayre haue nestes but the
rysen Remember howe he spake vnto you when he was yet in Galile sayenge that the sonne of man must be delyuered in to the handes of synfull men and be crucyfyed and the thyrde daye aryse agayne And they remembred his wordes and returned from the Sepulcre and tolde al these thynges vnto those eleuen and to all the remenaunt It was Mary Magdalen and Ioanna and Mary Iacobi and other that were with them whiche tolde these thynges vnto the apostles And theyr wordes semed vnto them fayned thynges neyther byleued they them Then arose Peter and tan vnto the Sepulcre and loked in and sawe the lynnen clothes layde by them selfe and departed wondrynge in hym selfe at that whiche had happened ⊢ ✚ And beholde two of them went that same daye to a towne called Emaus which was from Ierusalem aboute thre score furlonges and they talked togyther of all these thinges that had happened And it chaunsed that whyle they comoned togyther and â—â—aso ned Iesus hym selfe drewe neare and went with them But theyr eyes were holden that they shulde not knowe hym And he sayd vnto them What maner of comunicacions are these that ye haue one to an other as ye walk are sad And the one of them whose name was Cleophas answered and sayde to hym arte thou onely a straunger in Ierusalem hast not knowen the thynges whiche haue chaunsed there in these dayes He sayd vnto them what thynges And they sayde vnto hym of Iesus of Nazareth whiche was a prophet myghtye in dede and worde before God and all the people and howe the hygh preestes and our rulers delyuered hym to be condemned to death haue crucified hym But we trusted that it had bene he whiche shulde haue redemed Israell And as touchynge all these thynges to daye is euen the thyrde day that they were done Yea and certayne women also of our company made vs astonyed whiche came early vnto the sepulcre and founde not his bodye and came sayeng that they had senâ— a vision of angels whiche sayde that he was alyue And certayne of them whiche were with vs went to the sepulcre founde it euen so as the women had sayd but hym they sawe not And he sayd vnto them O fooles slowe of herte to by leue all that the prophets haue spoken Ought not Chryst to haue suffred these thynges and to entre in to his glorye And he began at Moses all the prophettes and interpreted vnto them in all scriptures whiche were wrytten of hym And they drewe nygh vnto the towne which they went vnto And he made as though he wolde haue gone further And they coÌ„strayned him sayenge abyde with vs for it draweth towarde nyght and the daye is farre past And he went in to tary with them And it came to passe as he sat at meate with them he toke breade and blessed it and brake and gaue to them And theyr eyes were opened and they knew hym he vanysshed out of theyr syght And they sayd bytwene themselues dyd not our hertê burne within vs whyle he talked with vs by the waye and opened to vs the scryptures And they rose vp the same houre and returned agayne to Ierusalem and founde the eleuen gathered togyther them that were with them sayeng the Lorde is tysen in dede and hath appered to Simon And they tolde what thynges were done in the way howe they knewe hym â–ª in breakyng of breade ⊢ As they thus spake ✚ Iesus hym selfe stode in the myddes of them and sayeth vn to them peace be vnto you †It is I feare not But they were abasshed and afrayde supposed that they had sene a spirite and he sayd vnto them Why are ye troubled or why do thoughtes aryse in your hertes Beholde my handes and my fete that it is euen I my selfe Handle me and se for a spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye se me haue And wheÌ„ he had thus spoken he shewed them his handes his fete And whyle they yet byleued not for ioy and wondred he sayd vnto them Haue ye here any meate And they offered hym a pece of a broyled fysshe and of a hony combe â–ª And he toke it and dyd eate before them And he sayd vnto them These are the wordes whiche I spake vnto you whyle I was yet with you that all must nedes be fulfylled whiche were wrytten of me in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophettes and in the Psalmes Then opened he theyr wyttes that they myght vnderstande the scryptures and sayd vnto them Thus it is wrytten and thus it behoued Chryst to suffre and to ryse agayne from death the thyrde daye and that repentaunce and remyssyon of synnes shulde be preached in his name among all nacyons ⊢ and must begyn at Ierusalem And ye are wytnesses of these thynges ✚ And beholde I wyll sende the promesse of my father vpon you But tary ye in the citye of Ierusalem vntyl ye be endued with power from on high And he led them out in to Bethany and lyfte vp his handes and blessed them And it came to passe as he blessed them he departed from them and was caryed vp in to heuen And they worshypped hym and returned to Ierusalem with great ioye and were contynually in the temple praysyng and laudyng God ⊢ Amen ¶ Here endeth the Gospell of Saynt Luke ¶ The Gospell of Saynt IohnÌ„ ¶ The euerlastynge byrthe of Chryst and howe he became man The testymony of IohnÌ„ The callyng of Andrewe Peter c. CAPI Primo ✚ IN the begynnynge was the worde the worde was with God and God was the worde The same was in the beginnyng with God All thynges were made by it without it was made no thynge that was made In it was lyfe and the lyfe was the lyght of men and the lyght shyneth in darkenes the darkenes comprehended it not There was sent from God a man whose name was IohnÌ„ The same came as a wytnes to beare wytnes of the lyght that al men through hym myght byleue ☞ He was not that lyght but was sent to beare wytnes of the lyghte That lyght was the true lyghte whiche lyghteth euery man that cometh into the worlde He was in the worlde the world was made by hym and the worlde knew him not He came among his owne and his owne receyued hym not But as many as receyued hym to them gaue he power to be the sonnes of God euen them that byleued on his name whiche were borne not of bloode nor of the wyll of the flesshe nor yet of the wyl of man but of God And the same worde became flesshe and dwelte amonge vs and we sawe the glory of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father full of grace and trueth ⊢ ✚ IohnÌ„ beareth wytnes of hym cryeth sayenge This was he of whome I spake which though he
Dauid was So was there dissencyon amonge the people bycause of hym And some of them wolde haue taken hym but no man layde handê on hym TheÌ„ came the minysters to the hygh Preestes and pharyses And they sayde vnto them why haue ye not brought hym The minysters answered neuer man spake as this man doeth Then answered them the Pharyses are ye also disceyued Doeth any of the rulers or of the pharyses byleue on him But this comon people whiche knowe not the lawe are cursed Nicodemus sayeth vnto them he that came to Iesus by nyght was one of them Doth our law iudge any man before it heare hym and knowe what he hath done They answered and sayde vnto hym arte thou also of Galile Search loke For out of Galile aryseth no Prophette And euery man went vnto his owne house ⊢ ¶ A woman is taken in aduoutrye Chryst delyuereth her The fredom of suche as folowe Chryst whom they accuse to haue the deuyll within hym and go aboute to stone hym CAPI VIII ✚ IEsus went vnto mounte Olyuete and early in the mornynge he came agayne in to the temple and all the people came vn to hym and he sat downe and taught them And the Scrybes and Pharises brought vn to him a woman taken in aduoutrye when they had set her in the myddes they saye vnto hym Mayster this woman was taken in aduoutrye euen as the dede was a doynge Moses in the lawe commaunded vs that soch shulde be stoned But what sayest thou This they sayde to tempte hym that they myght accuse hym But Iesus stouped down with his fynger wrote on the ground So when they contynued askyng hym he lyfte hym selfe vp and sayde vnto them let hym that is among you without syn cast the fyrst stone at her And agayne he stouped downe and wrote on the grounde And as soone as they herde this they went out one by one begynnyng at the eldest And Iesus was lefte alone and the woman standynge in the myddes When Iesus had lyfte vp hym selfe saw no man but the woman he sayd vnto her woman where are those thyne accusers Hath no man condemned the She sayde No man Lorde And Iesus sayde Neyther do I condempnethe Go and synne no more ⊢ ✚ Then spake Iesus agayne vnto them sayenge I am the lyght of the worlde He that foloweth me doth not walke in darknes but shall haue the lyght of lyfe The Pharyses therfore sayde vnto hym thou bearest recorde of thy selfe thy recorde is not true Iesus answered and sayde vnto them though I beare recorde of my selfe yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I came whyther I go But ye can not tell whence I come and whyther I go Ye iudge after the fleshe ☞ I iudge no man And yf I iudge my iudgemet is true For I am not alone but I and the father that sent me It is also wrytteÌ„ in your lawe that the testimony of two men is true I am one that beareth wytnesse of my selfe and the father that sent me beareth wytnes of me Then sayde they vnto hym where is thy father Iesus answered ye neyther know me nor yet my father Yf ye had knowen me ye shuld haue knowen my father also These wordes spake Iesus in the treasurye as he taught in the temple no man layde handes on hym for his houre was not yet come ⊢ Then sayde Iesus agayne vnto them ✚ I go my way and ye shall seke me shal dye in your synnes Whyther I go thyther can ye not come Then sayde the Iues wyll he kyll hym selfe bycause he sayeth whyther I go thyther can ye not come And he sayde vnto them ye are from beneath I am from aboue Ye are of this world I am not of this worlde I sayde therfore vnto you that ye shall dye in your synnes For yf ye byleue not that I am he ye shall dye in your synnes Then sayd they vnto hym who arte thou And Iesus sayeth vnto them Euen the very same thynge that I speake vnto you I haue many thynges to saye and to iudge of you Yea and he that sent me is true And I speake in the worlde those thynges which I haue herde of him Howbeit they vnderstode not that he spake of his father Then sayde Iesus vnto them when ye haue lyfte vp an hygh the sonne of man then shall ye knowe that I am be and that I do nothyng of my selfe but as my father hath taught me euen so I speake these thynges and he that sent me is with me The father hath not lefte me alone for I do alwayes those thynges that please hym ⊢ As he spake these wordes many byleued on hym ✚ Then sayde Iesus to those Iues whiche byleued on him Yf ye continue in my worde then are ye my verye disciples and ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shall make you free They answered hym We be Abrahams seede were neuer bonde to any man howe sayest thou then ye shal be made free Iesus answered them verely verely I saye vnto you that who soeuer coÌ„mytteth synne is the seruaunt of synne And the seruaunt abydeth not in the house for euer But the sonne abydeth euer Yf the sonne therfore shall make you free then are ye free in dede I knowe that ye are Abrahams seede but ye seke meanes to kyll me bycause my worde hath no place in you I speake that whiche I haue seene with my father and ye do that whiche ye haue seene with your father They answered and sayde vnto hym Abraham is our father Iesus sayeth vnto them Yf ye were Abrahams chyldren ye wolde do the dedes of Abraham But nowe ye go aboute to kyll me a man that hath tolde you the trueth whiche I haue herde of God this dyd not Abraham Ye do the dedes of your father Then sayde they to hym we were not borne of fornicacioÌ„ We haue one father euen god Iesus sayde vnto them Yf God were youre father truely ye wolde loue me For I proceded forth and came from god Neyther came I of my selfe but he sent me Why do ye not knowe my speche Euen bycause ye can not abyde the hearynge of my worde Ye are of youre father the deuyll and the lustes of your father wyll ye serue He was a murtherer from the begynnynge abode not in the trueth bycause theyr is no trueth in hym When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne For he is a lyer and the father of the same thynge And bycause I tell you the trueth therfore ye byleue me not ✚ Whiche of you rebuketh me of synne Yf I say the trueth why do ye not bileue me He that is of God heareth goddes wordes Ye therfore heare them not bycause ye are not of God Then answered the Iues and sayd vnto hym Saye we not well that thou arte a Samaritane and haste the
deuyll Iesus answered I haue not the deuyll but I honour my father and ye haue dishonoured me I seke not myne owne prayse there is one that seketh and iudgeth Uerely verely I saye vnto you yf a man kepe my sayenge he shall neuer se death Then sayd the Iues vnto hym Nowe know we that thou haste the deuyll Abraham is deade and the Prophettes and thou sayest yf a man kepe my sayenge he shal neuer tast of death Arte thou greater then oure father Abraham which is dead and the prophettes are dead Whome makest thou thy selfe Iesus answered Yf I honoure my selfe myne honoure is nothynge It is my father that honoureth me whiche ye saye is youre God and yet ye haue not knowen hym but I knowe hym And yf I saye I knowe hym not I shall be a lyer lyke vnto you But I knowe hym and kepe his sayenge Youre father Abraham was glad to se my daye and he sawe it retoysed Then sayde the Iues vnto hym thou arte not yet l. yeare olde and haste thou sene Abraham Iesus sayde vnto them Uerely verely I saye vnto you ere Abraham was borne I am Then tooke they vp stoones to caste at hym But Iesus hyd hym selfe and went out of the temple ⊢ ¶ Chryst maketh the man to se that was borne blynde CAPI IX ✚ ANd as Iesus passed by he sawe a man whiche was blynde from his byrth And his disciples asked hym sayenge Mayster who dyd synne this man or his father and mother that he was borne blynd Iesus answered Neyther hath this man synned nor yet his father and mother but that the workes of God shulde be shewed in hym I must worke the workes of hym that sent me whyle it is daye The nyght cōmeth whē no man can worke As longe as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the worlde As soone as he had thus spoken he spatte on the grounde and made claye of the spytle rubbed the claye on the eyes of the blynde and sayde vnto hym Go wasshe the in the poole of Syloe whiche by interpretacyō is as moche to saye as sent He went his way therfore and wasshed and came agayne seynge So the neyghbours and they that had sene hym before howe that he was a begger sayde is not this he that sat and begged Some sayde this is he Agayne other saybe †No but he is lyke hym He hym selfe sayde I am euen he Therfore sayde they vnto hym Howe are thyne eyes opened He answered and sayde The man that is called Iesus made claye and anoynted myne eyes and sayde vnto me Go to the pole Silot and wasshe And when I went and wasshed I receyued my syght Then sayde they vnto hym where is he He sayde I can not tell They brought to the Pharises him that a lytel before was blynd and it was the Sabboth day when Iesus made the claye and opened his eyes Then agayne the pharises also asked hym how he had receyued his syght He sayd vnto them he put claye vpon myne eyes and I wasshed and do se. Therfore sayde some of the Pharyses this man is not of God bycause he kepeth not the Sabboth daye Other sayde howe can a man that is a synner do soche myracles And there was a stryfe monge them They spake vnto the blynde man agayne what sayest thou of hym bycause he hath opened thyne eyes He sayde He is a Prophet But the Iues dyd not byleue of the man howe that he had ben blynde and receyued his syght vntyll they called the father and mother of hym that had receyued his syght And they asked them sayenge Is this your sonne whome ye saye was borne blynde Howe doth he nowe se then His father and mother answered them and sayde we knowe that this is our sonne and that he was borne blynde but by what meanes he nowe seeth we can not tell or who hath opened his eyes can we not tell He is olde ynough aske hym let hym answeare for hym selfe Soche wordes spake his father and mother bycause they feared the Iues. For the Iues had conspyred alredye that yf any man dyd cōfesse that he was Chryst he shulde be excommunicate out of the Sinagoge Therfore sayde his father and mother he is olde ynough aske hym Then agayne called they the man that was blynde and sayde vnto hym Gyue God the prayse we knowe that this man is a synner He answered therfore and sayde Whyther he be a syn̄er or no I can not tell One thyng I am sure of that where I was blynde nowe I se. Then sayde they to hym agayne What dyd he to the Howe opened he thyne eyes He answered them agayne I tolde you ere whyle and ye dyd not heare Wherfore wolde ye heare it agayne Wyl ye also be his disciples Then rated they him and sayde Be thou his disciple We are Moses disciples We are sure that God spake vnto Moses As for this felowe we knowe not from whence he is The man answered and sayde vnto them this is a merueylous thynge that ye wote not from whence he is and yet he hath opened myne eyes For we be sure that ☞ God heareth not synners But yf any man be a worshypper of God obedient vnto his wyll hym heareth he Synce the worlde began was it not herde that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blynde Yf this man were not of GOD he coulde haue done nothyng They answered and sayde vnto hym thou arte all togyther borne in synne and dost thou teache vs And they caste hym out Iesus herde that they had excommunicate hym and when he had founde hym he sayde vnto hym doest thou bileue on the son of God He answered and sayde Who is it Lorde that I myght byleue on hym And Iesus sayde vnto hym Thou haste sene hym and he it is that talketh with the. And he sayde Lorde I byleue and worshypped hym ⊢ And Iesus sayde vnto hym ☞ I am come vnto iudgement in to this worlde that they whiche se not myght se and they which se myght be made blynde And some of the Pharises whiche were with hym herde these wordes and sayde vnto hym are we blynde also Iesus sayde vnto them ☞ Yf ye were blynde ye shulde haue no synne But nowe ye snye we se therfore youre synne remayneth ¶ Chryst is the true shepheerde and the dore of the sheper he telleth the trueth therfore the Iues take vp slone◠to cast at hym and call his preachynge blasphemye and go aboute to take hym CAPI X. ✚ VErely verely I say vnto you he that entreth not in bye the dore into the shepefolde but climmeth vp some other way the same is a thefe and a robber But he that entreth in bye the dore is the shepheerde of the shepe to hym the porter openeth and the shepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne shepe bye name and leadeth them out And when he
incredyble vnto you that god shuld rayse againe the deed I also verely thought in my selfe that I ought to do many contrary thynges clene agaynste the name of Iesus of Nazareth which thyng I also dyd in Ieresalem And many of the saynctes dyd I shut vp in preson and had receaued auctoryte of the hye Prestes And when they were put to deeth I gaue the sentence And I punysshed them ofte in euery synagoge coÌ„pelled them to blaspheme was yet more mad vpon them persecuted them euen vnto straunge cites About whiche thiÌ„ges as I went to Damasco with auâ— toryte lycence of the hye Prestes euen at mydday O king I sawe in the way a light from heauen aboue the bryghtnes of the sonne shyne rounde about me them whiche iorneyed with me When we were al fallen to the erthe I hearde a voyce speakyng vnto me and saying in the Hebrue tonge Saul Saul why persecutest thou me It is harde for the to kicke agaynste the pryckes And I sayde Who art thou Lorde And he sayde I am Iesus whom thou persecutest but ryse and stand vpon thy fete For I haue apered vnto the for thys purpose to make the a mynyster and a wytnes both of those thinges which thou hast sene and of those thynges in the whyche I wyll appere vnto the delyuering the froÌ„ the people and from the gentils vnto whom nowe I sende the to open theyr eyes that they maye turne from the darcknes to lyghte from the power of Satan vnto God that they may receaue forgeuenes of sinnes and inheritaunce amonge them which are sanctifyed by fayth that is towarde me Wherfore O kynge Agryppa I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision but shewed fyrst vnto them of Damasco and at Ierusalem and thorowe oute all the coastes of Iewry then to the geÌ„tyls that they shulde repent and turne to God and do such workes as become them that repent For thys cause the Iewes caught me in the temple went about to kyl me Seyng therfore that I haue obtayned helpe of God I contynue vnto this day witnessyng both to smal and to greate sayinge none other thynges then those which the prophetes and Moses dyd saye shuld come that Christe shulde suffer and that he shuld be the first that shuld ryse froÌ„ deeth shuld shewe lyght vnto the people and to the gentyls As he thus spake for hym selfe Fest us sayde with a loude voyce Paul thou act besyde thy selfe Much learning doth make the mad And Paul sayde I am not mad most deare Festus but speake the wordes of trueth and sobernes For the kyng knoweth of these thynges before whom I speake frely neither thinke I that any of these thynges are hydden from hym For this thyng was not done in a corner Kynge Agrippa beleuest thou the Prophetes I wote wel that thou beleuest Agrypa sayde vnto Paul Sumwhat thou bringest me in mynde for to become Christen And Paul sayde I wolde to God that not onely thou but also all that heare me to day were not somwhat onely but altogether such as I am except these bondes And when he had thus spoken the kynge rose vp and the debite Bernice they that sate with them And when they were goue aparte they talked betwene them selues saying This maÌ„ doeth nothyng worthy of deeth nor of bondes Then sayde Agrippa vnto Festus Thys man myght haue bene let loose yf he had not appealed vnto Cesar. ¶ Paul â—hppeth toward Rome Iulyus the Captayne intrenteth hym curteously â— â–ª at the last they suffer shyp wrake CAPI XXVII WHan it was concluded that we shuld sayle into Italy they delyuered bothe Paul and certayne other presoners vnto one named Iulius an vnder captayne of Cesars soudiars And we entred into a ship of Adramicium and loosed from lande apointed to sayle by the coastes of Asia â–ª one Aristarcus out of Macedonia of the couÌ„tre of Thessalonia being with vs. And the next day we came to Sidon And Iulius courteously entreated Paule and gaue hym lyberte to go vnto hys frendes to refresshe him selfe And whan we had launched fronâ— thence we sayled harde by Cypers because the wyndes were contracye And whan we had sayled ouer the see of Cylycya Pamphilia we came to Myra which is i Lycya And there the vnder captayne founde a shippe of AlexaÌ„dria ready that sayled into Italy and he put vs therin And when we had sailed slowly many dayes scace were come ouer agaynste Guydon because the winde with stode vs we sayled herde by the coastes of CaÌ„dy ouer agaynst Salmo and with muche worcke sayled beyonde it came vnto a place which is called the faire haueÌ„s Nye wherunto was the cytye of Lasea â–ª when muche tyme was spente whan sayling was nowe ieoperdous because also that they had ouerloÌ„ge fasted Paul put theÌ„ in remembrance sayde vnto them Syrs I perceaue that thys vyage wyll be wyth hurte muche damage not of the ladinge ship onely but also of oure lyues Neuerthe lesse the vnder captayne beleued the gouerner and the master of the shyppe more then thinges which were spoken of Paul And because the hauen was not coÌ„modious to wynter in many toke counsell to departe thence if by any meanes they might attaine to Phenices there to wynter whiche is an hauen of Candy lyeth towarde the southwest and northwest wynde When the south wynde blewe they supposynge to obtayne their purpose loosed vnto Asson and sayled past all Candy But not long after there arose agaynst their purpose a flawe of wynd oute of the northeast And when the shyppe was caught could not resist the winde we let her go draue with the wether But we were caried in to an yle whyche is named Clauda and had much worke to come by a bote whiche they toke vp vsed helpe and made fast the ship fearyng lest they shulde fal ☞ into the Sirtes And so they let downe a vessell and were caryed The nexte daye when we were tossed wyth an exceadynge teÌ„pest they lyghtened the shyp the thyrde day we cast out with oure owne handes the takiyng of the shippe When at the last neyther the soÌ„ne nor starres in many dayes appearch no small tempest laye vpon vs all hope that we shuld escape was then takeÌ„ away But after long abstynence Paul stode forth in the myddes of them sayde Syrs ye shuld haue barkened to me and not haue loosed from CaÌ„dy neyther to haue brought vnto vs this harme losse And nowe I exhorte you to be of good chere For there shal be no losse of any mans lyfe amonge you saue of the ship onely For there stode by me this nyght the angell of God whose I am and whom I serue saying feare not Paul thou must be brought before Cesar. And lo God hath geuen the all them that sayle with the. Wherfore syrs be of good chere for I beleue God that
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
are otherwyse cannot be hyd ¶ The dutie of seruauÌ„tes towarde theyr maysters â–ª Against suche an are not satisfyed with the worde of God â–ª Agaynst couetousnes A good lesson for ryche men CAPI VI. LEt as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke counte theyr maysters worthye of all honoure that the name of God and his doctryne be not euell spoken of â—e that they whiche haue beleuynge maysters despise theÌ„ not because they are brethreÌ„ but rather do seruyce for as much as they are be leuyng beloued ê‘takers of the benefite These thynges teache and exhorte If any man folow other doctrine encline not vnto the wholsome wordes of oure Lorde Iesu Christ and to the doctrine which is accordynge to Godlynesse he is pufte vp and knoweth nothyng but wasteth his braynes about questions stryfe of wordes wherof sprynge enuye stryfe raylynges euell surmisynges vayne disputacyons of men that haue corrupt myndes and that are robbed of the truth which thynke y â— lucre is godlynes From them y â— are soch seperate thy self Godlynes is greate ryches If a man be coÌ„tent with that he hathe For we brought nothynge into the worlde nether maye we cary any thynge out But when we haue fode rayment we must therwith be content They that wylbe ryche fall into temptacyon and snares âšœ of the deuell into many folyshe and noysome lustes which drowne meÌ„ into perdicion and destruccyon For coueteousnes of money is the rote of all euel which whyle some lusted after they erred froÌ„ the sayth tauglyd theÌ„ selues with many sorowes But thou man of God flye suche thynges Folowe ryghtewesnes godlynes fayth loue pacyence â—eakenes Fyght the good fyght of fayth Laye hande on eternal lyfe wher vnto thou art also called hast professed a good professyon before many wytnesses I geue y â— charge i y â— syght of God which quickneth all thynges before Iesu Christ which vnder Poncius Pylate wytnessed a good witnessyng that y â— kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dement be without spotte vurebukeable vntyll the apperynge of oure Lorde Iesus Christ whiche appearyng in his tyme he shall shewe that is blessed myghty onely kynge of kynges lorde of lordes whiche onely hathe immortalite dwelleth in the lyght that no man can attayne whom no man hath sene nether can se vnto whom be honoure and rule euerlastynge Amen Charge theÌ„ which are rych in this world that they be not hye mynded nor trust in vncertayne ryches but in the lyuynge God which geueth vs abouÌ„dauÌ„tly all thynges to enioye theÌ„ that they do good that they be ryche in good workes that they be redy to geue and gladly to dystribute layinge vp in store for them selues a good foundacyon against the tyme to come y â— they may obtayne eternall lyfe O Timothe saue y â— which is geâ—en the to kepe and a voyde vngostly vanytyes of voyces oposicions of science falsly so called whyche scyence whyle some profyssed they erred as coÌ„cernynge y â— fayth Grace be with the. Amen ¶ Sent from Laodicea which is the chefest cytie of Phri gia Pacaciana ¶ The secoÌ„de Epistle of Saynt Paul the Apostle vnto Timothe ¶ Panâ— exhorteth Timothe to stedfastnesse and pacyence 〈◊〉 persecucyon and to contynue in the doctryne that he had taught him A commendacyon of Onesyphorus CAPI I. PAul an Apostle of Iesu Christe by the wyll of God accordinge to the promes of lyfe whiche is in Christ Iesu. To Tymothe hys beloued soÌ„ne Grace mercy and peace from God the father and from Iesu Christe oure Lorde I thynke God whom I serue from myne elders with pure coÌ„scyence that without any ceasynge I make mencion of the in my prayers nyght and daye desyringe to se the myndfull of thy teares so that I am fylled with ioye when I call to remeÌ„brauÌ„ce the vnfayned fayth that is in the whiche dwelt fyrst in thy graund mother Lois and in thy mother Eunica I am assure that it dwelleth in the also Wherfore I warne the that thou stere vp the gyfte of God which is in y â— by the puttynge on of my handes For God hath not geueÌ„ to vs the spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of sobrenes Be not thou therfore ashamed of the testymony of oure Lord neyther be ashamed of me which am his prisoner but suffre thou aduersite wyth the Gospel accordyng to the power of God whiche saued vs and called vs with an holy callynge not accordynge to oure dedes but according to his owne purpose grace whiche was gyuen vs thorowe Christ Iesu before the worlde beganne but is nowe declared openly by the appearynge of our sauiour Iesu Christe whiche hath put away death and hath brought lyfe and immortalite vnto lyght thorowe the Gospell whervnto I am apoynted a preacher Apostle and a teacher of the Gentyls for the whiche cause â–ª I also suffre these thynges Neuerthe lesse I am not ashamed For I knowe and am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is able to kepe that whych I haue comitted to his kepynge agaynst that day Se that thou haue the ensample of the holsome wordes whiche thou hast heard of me with fayth and loue that is in Christ Iesu That good thynge whiche was committed to thy kepyng hold fast thorow the holy ghost whiche dwelleth in vs. This y â— knowest howe that al they which are in Asia be turned from me Of which sorte are Phigelus and Hermogenes The Lorde gyue mercye vnto the housholde of Onesiphorus for he oft refresshed me and was not ashamed of my cheyne but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligeÌ„tly fouÌ„de me The Lord grauÌ„t vnto him that he may fynde mercy with the Lord at that day And in how many thinges he ministred vnto me at Ephesus thou knowest very wel ¶ Lyke as in the fyrste Chapter so here he exhorteth hym to be constant in trouble to suffre manly and to abyde faste in the wholsome doctryne of our Lorde Iesus Christ. CAPI II. THou therfore my soÌ„ne be strong in the grace that is thorow Christ Iesu in the thynges that thou haste herde of me by many wytnesses The same commytte thou to faythful men which shal be apt to teach other also Thou therfore suffre afflyccyons as a good soudier of Iesu Christ. No man that warreth entaÌ„glith him self with worldly busynes and that because he maye please him which hath chosen him to be a soudier And though a man stryne for a mastery yet is he not crowned except he stryue lawfully The husband man that laboureth muste fyrst receyue of the frutes Consider what I say The Lorde gyue the vnderstandyng in all thynges ⊢ Remembre that Iesus Christ of the sede of Dauid rose agayne froÌ„ death accordyng to my gospel wherin I suffre trouble as an euyll doer eueÌ„ vnto bondes
But the worde of God was not bounde Therfore I suffre all thynges for the electes sakes that they myght also obtayne that saluacion whiche is in Christ Iesu with eternal glory It is a true sayinge for yf we be dead w t hym we shall also lyue with hym If we be paciente we shal also raygne wyth hym If we denye hym he also shall denye vs If we beleue not yet abydeth he faythful He cannot denye him selfe Of these thinges put them in remembraunce and testyfie before the Lorde that they folowe no contencious wordes which are to no pfet but to the peruertyng of the hearers Study to shewe thy selfe laudable vnto god a workman y â— nedeth not to be ashamed distributing the word of trueth iustly As for vnghostly vanityes of voices passe y â— ouer them For they wyl encreace vnto greater vngodlynes and their wordes shall fret euen as doth the disease of a cancre of whose noÌ„bre is Hymeneus Philetus whiche as concernynge the trueth haue exced sayinge that the resurreccyon is past all redy and do destroye the fayth of some But the sure grouÌ„de of god standeth styl and hath this seale the Lord knoweth theÌ„ that are his And let euery man that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquite Notwithstanding in a great house are not onely vessels of golde and of syluer but also of wood and of earth some for honour some vnto dishonour Yf a maÌ„ therfore pour ge hiÌ„ selfe from such men he shal be a vessell saÌ„ctified vnto honour mete for the vses of y â— Lord prepared vnto al good workes Lustes of youth auoyde but folow righ tuousnes fayth loue peace wyth theÌ„ that cal on the Lorde with a pure herte Folysh and vnlearned questioÌ„s put from the knowyng that they do but gendre stryfe The seruaunt of the Lorde muste not stryue but be gentle vnto al men apte to teach one that can suffre the euyl with mekenes and can infourme theÌ„ that resyst âšœ the trueth if that God at any tyme wyll gyue theÌ„ repentauÌ„ce for to knowe the trueth and that they maye come to them selues agayne out of the snare of the deuyll whiche are holden captyue of hym at his wyll ¶ He prophecyeth of the paâ—clous tymes sâ—â—tâ—â—h oâ—t ypocryâ—â— Persecuâ—ion for the Gospel CAPI III. THis know that in the last dayes shal come parelous tymes For men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedieÌ„t to fathers mothers vnthaÌ„kful vngodly vn kynd trucebrekers false accusers riotours fearce despisers of theÌ„ which are good tray tours heady hye mynded gredy vpoÌ„ volup tuousnes more then the louers of God hauyng a similitude of godlynes but haue denied the power therof such abhorre For of this sorte are they which entre into houses bryng into boÌ„dage wemen laden w t sinne which wemen are led w t diuers lustes euer lernig ueuer able to come vnto the know ledge of the trueth As Iannes Iambres with stode Moses euen so do these also resist the trueth meÌ„ they are of corrupte myndes and lewde as coÌ„cernyng the fayth but they shall preuayle no lenger For their madnes shal be vttered vnto all men euen as theirs was But thou hast sene the experience of my doctrine fassioÌ„ of lyuyng purpose fayth longe sufferyng loue pacience persecucions and affliccions which happened vnto me at Antioche at â—co niuÌ„ and at Lystra which persecucioÌ„s I suffred paciently And from them al the Lorde deliuered me Yee and all they that wyll lyue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffre persecucion But the euyll men dysceyuers shal wexe worsse and worsse whyle they deceyue and are deceyued them selues But continue thou in the thinges which thou hast learned which also were committed vnto the knowing of whom thou haste learned them and for as much also as of a chylde thou hast knoweÌ„ the holy scriptures which are able to make the learned vnto saluacion thorowe the fayth which is in Christ Iesu All scrypture gyuen by inspiracyon of God is profytable to teache to improue to ameÌ„de to instruct in rightuousnes that the man of God may be perfect prepared vnto all good workes ¶ He exhorteth Timothe to be feruent in the worde and to susâ—â—e Aduersite moketh meÌ„cion of his owne death and byd deth Tymothe come vnto hym CAPI IIII. I Testifie therfore before God before the Lord Iesu Christ whiche shall iudge the quicke dead at his apperyng in his kyngdome preach y â— the worde be feruent in seasoÌ„ out of season Improue rebuke exhorte w t al long suffryng doctrine For the time wyl come when they shall not suffre wholsome doctrine but after their owne lustê shal they whose earrs ytche get theÌ„ an heape of teachers shal withdraw their eares from the trueth and shal be turned vnto fables But watch y â— in al thingê suffre affliccions do the worke of an EuaÌ„gelyste fulfyll thyne offyce vnto the vtmost âšœ Be sober For I am now redy to be offred the time of my departyng is at haÌ„de I haue fought a good fyght I haue fulfylled my course I haue kept the fayth FroÌ„ hence forth there is layde vp for me a crowne of rightuousnes which the Lord that is a rightuous iudge shal giue me at that day not to me only but vnto al theÌ„ also that loue hê coÌ„ming Do thy diligeÌ„ce that y u maiest come shortly vnto me For Demas hath forsakeÌ„ me and loueth this present worlde and is departed vnto Thessalonica Crescens is gone to Galacia Titus vnto Dalmacia Onely Lucas is w t me Take Marke bryng him with the for he is profitable vnto me for the ministracion And Tichiâ—us haue I sent to Ephesus The cloke that I left at Troada with Carpus when thou commest brynge with the and the bokes but specially the partchâ—â—â—t Alexander the copper smyth dyd me muche euyl the Lorde rewarde hym accordynge to his dedes of whom be thou ware also For he hath greatly withstaÌ„de our wordes At my fyrst answeryng no man assysted me but also forsoke me I pray God that it may not be layde to their charges ✚ Notwithstanding the Lord assisted me strengthed me that by me the preachyng shulde be fulfylled to the vtmost that al the GeÌ„tyls shulde heare And I was delyuered out of the mouth of the Lyon And the Lord shall delyuer me from all euyl doyng shal kepe me vnto his heauenly kyngdome To whoÌ„ be prayse for euer euer Amen Salute Prisca Aquila the houshold of Onesiphorus Erastus abode at Corinthum Trophimus haue I left at MylctuÌ„ sycke Do thy dylygeÌ„ce that y â— mayest come before witer Eubolus gretith the so doth Pudens Lynus Claudia al the brethreÌ„ The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy spirite Grace be with you Amen
heaueÌ„ Where as he sayth yet once more it sygnifyeth the remouynge awaye of those thynges which are shaken as of thynges whych haue ended their course that the thinges which are not shaken maye remayne Wherfore yf we receaue the kyngdome which is not moued we haue grace wherby we maye so serue God and that we maye please hym wyth reuerence godly feare For oure God is a consumynge fyre ¶ He exhorteth vs vnto loue to hospitalite to thinke vpon suche as be in aduersyte to mayntayne wedlocke to auoyde coueteousnesse to make muche of them that preache Gods worde to beware of straunge learnynge to be coâ—â—tenâ—â— to luster rebuke with Chryste to be thankfull vnto God and pâ—ebyâ—â—t vnto suche as â—e 〈◊〉 auctoryte CAPI XIII LET brotherly loue contynue Be not forgetful to lodge straungers For ther by haue dyuers meÌ„ lodged angels vnwares Remember theÌ„ that are in bondes euen as though ye were bounde w t them youre selues Be myndefull of them whiche are in aduersyte as ye whiche are yet in the bodye Wedlocke is to be had in honoure amonge all meÌ„ and the bed vndefyled As for whore kepers aduoutrers God shal iudge them Let youre conuersacyon be without coueteousnes be contente with suche thynges as ye haue all ready For he hath sayde I wyll not fayle the nether forsake the so that we may boldly saye the Lorde is my helper and I wyll not feare what man may do vnto me RemeÌ„ber them which haue the ouersyght of you which haue spoken vnto you y e worde of God Whose fayth se y e ye folow consyder the ende of theyr conuersacion Iesus Christ yesterdaye and to daye and the same contenueth for euer ⊢ ✚ Be not caryed aboute with diuers straunge learnyng For it is a good thynge that the herte be stablysshed with grace not with meates whiche haue not proffeted them that haue had theyr pastyme in theÌ„ We haue an aulter wherof they maye not eate whiche serue in the tabernacle For the bodyes of those beastes whose bloud is brought into y e holy place by the hye preste to pourge synne are burnt w t out the teÌ„tes Therfore Iesus also to saÌ„ctifye the people with his owne bloude suffered without the gate Let vs go forth therfore vnto hym out of the tentes and suffer rebuke with hym For here haue we no contynuynge cytie but we seke one to come By hym therfore do we offer sacrifyce of laude alwayes to God that is to saye the frute of those lyppes whiche confesse hys name To do good and to distribute forget not for with suche sacrifyces God is pleased ⊢ ✚ Obeye theÌ„ that haue the ouersight of you submyt your selues vnto them for they watch for your soules eueÌ„ as they that must geue a coÌ„ptes that they may do it with ioye and not with grefe For that is an vnproffytable thynge for you Praye for vs. For we truste we haue a good conscience amonge all men and desyre to lyue honestly But I desyre you the more that ye so do that I maye be restored to you the sooner The God of peace that brought agayne froÌ„ deeth our Lorde Iesus the great shepperde of the shepe thorowe the bloude of the euerlastynge testament make you parfecte in all good workes to do his wyl brynge to passe that the thinge which ye do may be pleasauÌ„t in his syght thorow Iesus Christ. To whoÌ„ be prayse for euer whyle the worlde endureth Amen ⊢ I beseche you brethren suffer the worde of exhortacyon for we haue wrytten vnto you 〈◊〉 feawe wordes Ye knowe oure brother Timothe that he is at lybertye with whom yf he come shortly I wyll se you Salute theÌ„ that haue the ouersyght of you and all the sayntes They of Italy salute you Grace be with you all Amen ¶ Sent from Italy by Timotheus ⧠The Epistel of Saynct Iames. ¶ He exhorteth to reioyce â–ª in trouble and thankfully to receaue the worde of God true religion or deuocioÌ„ what it is CAPI I. IAmes the seruaunt of God and of the Lorde Iesus Christ sendeth gretynge to the twelue trybes which are scatered abroade ✚ My brethren countie for an excedyng ioye wheÌ„ ye fall into dyuers temp tacyons knowinge this that the trying of youre fayth gendreth pacyence let pacieÌ„ce haue her parfect worke that ye may be perfecte and sounde lackynge nothynge If any of you lacke wysdome let hym aske of him that geueth it euen God which geueth to all men indifferently and castech no maÌ„ in the teeth and it shal be geuen hym But let hym aske in fayth and wauer not For he that douteth is lyke a waue of the see whych is tost of the wyndes and caryed with violence Nether let that man thinke that he shall receaue any thing of the Lorde A waueryng mynded man is vnstable in al his wayes Let the brother which is of lowe degre reioyce whan he is exalted Agayne let hym that is rych reioyce whaÌ„ he is made lowe For euen as the flower of the grasse shall he passe awaye For the sonne ryseth with heat and the grasse wydereth and his flowre falleth awaye and the beautye of the fassyon of it peryssheth euen so shall the ryche man perysshe with his wayes Happy is the man that endureth tempta cyon for when he is tryed he shall receaue the crowne of lyfe whiche the Lorde hathe promysed to them that loue hym ⊢ Let no man saye when he is tempted that he is tempted of God For God cannot tempte vnto euell because he tempteth no man But euery man is tempted whan he is drawne awaye and entysed of his owne concupiscence Then when iust hath conceaued she bryngeth forth synne synne when it is synysshed bryngeth forth deeth Do not erre my deare brethreÌ„ ✚ Euery good gyfte and euery parfayt gyft is from aboue and coÌ„meth downe from the father of lyghtes with whom is no variabienes nether is he chaunged vnto darcknes Of his owne wyll begat he vs with the worde of trueth that we shulde be the fyrst frutes of his creatures Wherfore deare brethren let euery maÌ„ be swyfte to heare slowe to speake slowe to wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that which is ryghteous before God Wherfore laye a parte all fylthynes superstuyte of malicyousnes receaue with mekenes the worde that is graffed in you whiche is able to saue youre soules ⊢ ✚ And se that ye be doaers of the worde and not hearets onely deceauynge youre owneselues For yf any maÌ„ heare y â— worde and declareth not the same by hys workes he is lyke vnto a maÌ„ beholoyng his bodely face in a glasse For assone as he hath loked on himselfe he goeth his waye forgetteth immediatly what his fassyon was But whoso loketh in y â— parfayt lawe of libertye and continueth therin yf he be not a forgetful hearer but