Yea ☞ if I had all fayth so that I coulde moue mountaynes out of their places and haue not loue I were nothyng 3 And though I bestowe all my goodes to feede the poore and though I geue my body that I burned and haue not loue it profiteth me nothyng 4 Loue suffreth long and is curteous Loue enuieth not loue doth not frowardely swelleth not 5 Dealeth not dishonestlie seeketh not her owne is not prouoked to anger thynketh none euyll 6 Reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth 7 Suffreth all thynges beleueth all thynges hopeth all thynges endureth all thynges 8 Though y e prophesiynges fayle other tongues ceasse or knowledge vanishe away yet loue falleth neuer away 9 ☞ For our knowledge is vnperfect and our prophesiyng is vnperfect 10 But when that which is perfect is come then that which is vnperfect shal be done away 11 When I was a chylde I spake as a childe I vnderstode as a childe I imagined as a chylde But assoone as I was a man I put away chyldishnesse 12 Nowe we see in a glasse euen in a darke speakyng but then shall we see face to face Nowe I knowe vnperfectly but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowen 13 Nowe abydeth fayth hope and loue these three but the chiefe of these is loue ¶ The .xiiij. Chapter 1 He exhorteth to loue commendeth the gift of tongues and other spirituall giftes 5 But chiefely prophesiyng 34 He commaundeth women to kepe scilence in the Church 40 And sheweth what good order ought to be obserued in the Churche 1 FOlowe after loue and couet spirituall giftes but most chiefelie that ye may prophesie 2 For he that speaketh with the tongue speaketh not vnto men but vnto God For no man heareth hym Howbeit in the spirite he speaketh misteries 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh vnto men to their edifiyng to their exhortation and to their comfort 4 He that speaketh with the tongue edifieth hym selfe he that prophesieth edifieth the Churche 5 I woulde y t ye al spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied For greater is he that prophesieth then he that speaketh with tongues except he expounde it that the Churche may haue edifiyng 6 Nowe brethren yf I come vnto you speakyng with tongues what shall I profite you except I speake to you eyther by reuelation or by knowledge or by prophesiyng or by doctrine 7 Moreouer thynges without lyfe geuing sound whether it be a pipe or an harpe except they make a distinction in the soundes howe shall it be knowen what is piped or harped 8 And also yf the trumpe geue an vncertayne sounde who shall prepare him selfe to the warre 9 Euen so lykewyse when ye speake with tongues except ye speake wordes that haue signification howe shall it be vnderstande what is spoken For ye shall speake into the ayer 10 There are so many kyndes of voyces as it commeth to passe in the worlde and none of them are without signification 11 If I knowe not what the voyce meaneth I shal be lyke vnto hym that speaketh an aliaunt and he that speaketh shal be an aliaunt vnto me 12 Euen so forasmuch as ye couet spirituall giftes seke that ye may excell vnto the edifiyng of the Churche 13 Wherfore let him that speaketh with tongue pray that he may interprete 14 For yf I pray with tongue my spirite prayeth but my vnderstanding is without fruite 15 What is it then I wyll pray with the spirite and wyll pray with the vnderstandyng also I wyll syng with the spirite and wyll syng with the vnderstandyng also 16 Els when thou blessest with the spirite howe shall he that occupieth the rowme of the vnlearned say Amen at thy geuyng of thankes seyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest 17 Thou veryly geuest thankes well but the other is not edified 18 I thanke my God I speake with tongues more the ye all 19 Yet had I rather in the Churche to speake fiue wordes with my vnderstandyng to the information of other then ten thousande wordes with the tongue 20 Brethren be not chyldren in wytte Howbeit as concerning maliciousnesse be chyldren but in wytte be perfect 21 In the lawe it is written With sundry tongues and with sundry lyppes wyll I speake vnto this people and yet for all that will they not heare me sayth the Lorde 22 Wherfore tongues are for a signe not to them that beleue but to them that beleue not But prophesiyng serueth not for them that beleue not but for them which beleue 23 If therfore when all the Churche is come together in one all speake with tongues there come in they that are vnlearned or they which beleue not wyll they not say y t ye are out of your wittes 24 But yf all prophesie and there come in one y t beleueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and is iudged of euery man 25 And so are the secretes of his heart made manifest and so falleth he downe on his face and worshippeth God and sayth that God is in you of a trueth 26 Howe is it then brethren When ye come together euery one of you hath a psalme hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a reuelation hath interpretation Let all thynges be done vnto edifiyng 27 Yf any man speake with tongue let it be by two or at the most by three and that by course and let one interprete 28 But yf there be no interpreter let him kepe scilence in the Churche and let him speake to hym selfe and to God 29 Let the prophetes speake two or three and let the other iudge 30 If any reuelation be made to another that sitteth by let y e first holde his peace 31 For ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learne and all may haue comfort 32 And the spirites of the prophetes are subiect to the prophetes 33 For God is not the aucthour of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the saintes 34 Let your women kepe scilence in the Churches For it is not permitted vnto them to speake but to be vnder obedience as sayth the lawe 35 If they wyll learne any thyng let thē aske their husbandes at home For it is a shame for women to speake in the Churche 36 Sproung the worde of God from you Either came it vnto you only 37 If any man thynke hym selfe to be a prophete either spiritual let him knowe that the thinges that I write vnto you are y e commaundementes of the Lorde 38 But yf any man be ignoraunt let hym be ignoraunt 39 Wherfore brethren couet to prophesie and forbyd not to speake with tongues 40 Let all thynges be done honestlie and in order ¶ The .xv. Chapter 1 He proueth the resurrection of the dead ◠and first that Christe is risen 22 then that we shall ryse 52 and the maner howe 1 MOreouer brethren I declare vnto you the Gospell
from among their people 30 Therefore shall ye kepe myne ordinaunces that ye commit not one of these abhominable customes whiche were committed before you and that ye defile not your selues therein I am the Lorde your God ' ¶ The .xix. Chapter ' 1 A repetition of lawes pertaynyng to the ten commaundementes 9 A consideration for the poore 26 Witchcraft is forbidden ' 1 AND the Lorde spake ' vnto Moyses saying 2 Speake vnto all the congregation of y e chyldren of Israel and say vnto them Ye shal be holy for I the Lorde your God am holy 3 Ye shall feare euery man his mother and his father kepe my Sabbathes I am the Lorde your God 4 Ye shal not looke vnto idols nor make you moulten goddes I am the Lorde your God ' 5 If ye offer a peace offering vnto the ' Lorde ye shall offer it at your pleasure 6 It shal be eaten the same day ye offer it and on the morowe And if ought remayne vntyll the thirde day it shal be burnt in the fire 7 And if it be eaten the thirde day it is ' vncleane and not accepted ' 8 Therfore he that eateth it shall beare his sinne because he hath defiled the halowed thing of the Lord and that soule shal be cut of from among his people 9 When ye reape the haruest of your land thou shalt not thorowly reape the corners of the fielde neither shalt thou gather the gleaninges of thy haruest 10 Thou shalt not dishonest thy vineyarde neither gather in thorowly the grapes of thy vineyarde but thou shalt leaue them for the poore and straunger I am the Lorde your God 11 Ye shall not steale neither deale falselye ' neither lye one to another ' 12 Ye shall not sweare by my name falsely neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God I am the Lorde 13 Thou shalt not do thy neighbour wrong neither rob hym neither shall the workmans hyre abyde with thee vntyll the mornyng 14 Thou shalt not despise the deafe neither put a stumblyng blocke before the blynde but shalt feare thy God I am the Lorde 15 Ye shall do no vnrighteousnesse in iudgement thou shalt not fauour the person poore nor honour the person mightie but in righteousnes shalt thou iudge thy neighbour 16 Thou shalt not go vp and downe with tales among thy people neither shalt thou stande agaynst the blood of thy neighbour I am the Lorde 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne heart but shalt in any wyse rebuke thy neighbour suffer not sinne vpon hym 18 Thou shalt not auenge nor wayte to do displeasure agaynst the chyldren of thy people but shalt loue thy neighbour euen as thy selfe I am the Lorde 19 Ye shal kepe mine ordinaunces Thou shalt not let cattell gender with a contrary kinde neither sow thy fielde with mingled seede neither shalt thou put on any mingled garment of linnen and wollen 20 Whosoeuer lieth and medleth with a woman that is a bondmayde betrothed to a husbande but not redeemed nor freedome geuē her she shal be scourged but they shall not dye because she was not free 21 And he shall bryng for his trespasse vnto the Lorde before the doore of the tabernacle of y e congregation a Ramme for a trespasse offering 22 And the priest shall make an attonement for hym with the Ramme which is for the trespasse before the Lord concernyng his sinne whiche he hath done and the sinne which he hath done shal be forgeuen him 23 When ye come to the lande and haue planted all maner of trees conuenient to be eaten of ye shall counte the fruite thereof as vncircumcized euen three yere shall they be vncircumcized vnto you and shall not be eaten of 24 But in the fourth yere all the fruite of them shal be holy and commendable to the Lorde 25 In the fifth yere shall ye eate of the fruite thereof that it may yeelde vnto you the encrease thereof I am the Lorde your God 26 Ye shall not eate vpon blood neither shall ye vse witchcraft nor obserue tymes 27 Ye shall not rounde the corners of your heades neither shalt thou marre the tuftes of thy bearde 28 Ye shall not rent your fleshe for any soules sake nor print any markes vpon you I am the Lorde 29 Thou shalt not make thy daughter common that thou wouldest cause her to be an whore lest the lande also fall to whoredome and become ful of wickednesse 30 Ye shall kepe my Sabbathes feare my sanctuarie I am the Lorde 31 Ye shall not regarde them that worke with spirites neither seeke after soothsayers to be defiled by them I am the Lorde your God 32 Thou shalt ryse vp before the hore head and reuerence the face of the olde man and dreade thy God I am the Lorde 33 If a straunger soiourne with thee in your lande ye shall not vexe hym 34 But the straunger that dwelleth with you shal be as one of your owne nation and thou shalt loue hym as thy selfe for ye were straungers in the lande of Egypt I am the Lorde your God 35 Ye shall do no vnrighteousnesse in iudgement in metyarde in wayght or in measure 36 True balaunces true wayghtes a true Epha and a true Hin shal ye haue I am the Lorde your GOD whiche brought you out of the lande of Egypt 37 Therfore shall ye obserue all my ordinaunces and al my iudgementes and do them I am the Lorde ¶ The .xx. Chapter ' 2 They that geue of their chyldren to Moloch shall dye therfore 6 Against suche as seeke after Soothsayers 19 Of incest ' 1 AND the Lorde spake ' vnto Moyses saying 2 This shalt thou say to the chyldren of Israel whosoeuer he be of the chyldren of Israel or of the straungers that dwell in Israel that geueth of his chyldren vnto Moloch let hym be slayne the people of the lande shall ouerwhelme hym with stones 3 And I wyl set my face agaynst that man and wyll cut hym of from among his people because he hath geuen his chyldren vnto Moloch for to defile my sanctuarie to pollute my holy name 4 And though that the people of the lande hyde their eyes from the man that geueth his chyldren vnto Moloch and kyll hym not 5 I wyll put my face agaynst that man and agaynst his kynred and wyll cut hym of and all that go a whoring after hym to commit whordome with Moloch from among their people 6 If a soule turne hym selfe after suche as worke with spirites and after soothsayers to go a whoring after them I wyll put my face agaynst that soule and wyll cut hym of frō among his people ' 7 Sanctifie your selues therefore and ' be holy for I am the Lorde your God 8 Kepe ye myne ordinaunces and do them I am the Lorde whiche sanctifie you 9
booke of Esdras otherwyse called the booke of Nehemia ⧠The booke of Esther The first Chapter 3 King Ahasuerus maketh a royall feast 10 Wherevnto the queene Vasthi will not come 19 For which cause she is diuorced 20 The kinges decree touching the preeminence of man 1 IT came to passe that in the dayes of Ahasuerus this is Ahasuerus whiche raigned from India vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundred and twentie and seuen prouinces 2 Euen in those dayes when the king Ahasuerus sate on his seate royall which was in Susan the chiefe citie 3 In the third yere of his raigne he made a feast vnto all his princes seruauntes and the mightie men of Persia and Media the captaynes also and rulers of his countreys were before hym 4 And he shewed the richesse and glorie of his kingdome and the glorious worship of his greatnesse many dayes long euen an hundred and fourescore dayes 5 And when these dayes were expired the king made a feast vnto al the people that were in Susan the chiefe citie both vnto great small seuen dayes long in the court of the garden by the kinges palace 6 Where there hanged white greene and yelowe clothes fastened with cordes of fine silke and purple in siluer ringes vpon pillers of marble stones The benches also were of golde and siluer made vpon a pauement of greene white yelowe and blacke marble 7 And they dranke in vessels of gold and chaunged vessel after vessel and royal wine in aboundaunce according to the power of the king 8 And the drinking was by an order none might compell for so the king had appoynted to all the officers of his house that they shoulde do according to euery mans pleasure 9 And the queene Vasthi made a feast also for the women in the palace of Ahasuerus 10 And on the seuenth day when the king was mery after the wine he commaunded Nehuma Biztha Harbona Bigtha Abagthan Zethar and Charchas the seuen chamberlayns that did seruice in the presence of king Ahasuerus 11 To fetch the queene Vasthi with the crowne regall into the kinges presence that he might shewe the people princes her fairenesse for she was beautifull 12 But the queene Vasthi would not come at the kinges worde by his chamberlaynes Then was the king very wroth and his indignation kindled in hym 13 And the king spake to the wyse men which knewe the times for so was the kinges maner towardes all that knewe the lawe and the iudgementes 14 And the next vnto hym were Carsena Sethar Admata Thersis Mares Marsena and Memuchan the seuen princes of Persia and Media whiche sawe the kinges face and sate the first in the kingdome 15 What shall we do vnto the queene Vasthi according to the lawe because she dyd not according to the worde of the king Ahasuerus whiche he commaunded by his chamberlaynes 16 And Memuchan aunswered before the king the princes The queene Vasthi hath not onely done euyll against the king but also against all the princes and against all the people that are in all the prouinces of king Ahasuerus 17 For this deede of the queene shall come abrode vnto all women so that they shall despise their husbandes before their eyes and shall say The king Ahasuerus commaunded Vasthi the queene to be brought in before hym but she woulde not come 18 And so shal the princesses in Persia and Media say lykewise this day vnto al the kinges princes when they heare of this deede of the queene thus shal there arise to much despite fulnesse and wrath 19 If it please the king let there go a commaundement from hym and let it be written according to the lawes of the Persians and Medians and not to be transgressed that Vasthi come no more before king Ahasuerus and let the king geue her royal estate vnto an other that is better then she 20 And when this commaundement of the king which shal be made is published throughout all his empire whiche i◠great all women shall holde their husbandes in honour both among great and small 21 This saying pleased the king and the princes and the king did according to the worde of Memucan 22 For he sent letters foorth into all the kinges prouinces into euery lande according to the wryting therof and to euery people after their language that euery man shoulde be lorde in his owne house and this to be published after the language of his people The .ii. Chapter 2 After the queene is put away certeyne young maydes are brought to the king 14 Esther pleaseth the king and is made queene 22 Mardocheus discloseth vnto the king those that woulde betray hym 1 AFter these actes when the displeasure of king Ahasuerus was nowe alayed he thought vpon Vasthi what she had done what was decreed against her 2 Then sayde the kinges seruauntes that ministred vnto hym Let there be faire young virgins sought for the king 3 And let the king appoynt officers in all the prouinces of his empire that they should bring together al the faire young virgins vnto Susan the head citie to the womens buylding vnder the hande of Hegai the kinges chamberlayne that kept the women to geue them their apparell 4 And that the mayden which pleased the king should be queene in Vasthis steede And this pleased the king and he did so 5 In the citie of Susan there was a certayne Iewe whose name was Mardocheus the sonne of Iair the sonne of Semei the sonne of Cis a man of Iemini 6 Which was caryed away from Hierusalem with the captiuitie when Iekoma the king of Iuda was led away whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon caryed thence 7 And he norished Hadassa that is Esther his vncles daughter for he had neither father nor mother and she was a faire and beautifull mayden whom Mardocheus when her father mother were dead receaued for his owne daughter 8 So when the kinges commaundement and commission was published and many maydens were brought together into the citie of Susan vnder the hand of Hegai Esther was brought also vnto the kinges house vnder the hande of Hegai the keper of the women 9 And the mayden pleased hym and she founde fauour in his sight and he caused ornamentes to be geuen her speedyly and such thinges as belonged to her and appoynted her seuen comely maydens out of the kinges house fauoured both her and her gentlewomen singularly in the house of the women 10 But Esther shewed not her people and her kinred for Mardocheus had charged her that she shoulde not tell it 11 And Mardocheus walked euery day before the court of the womens house that he might knowe howe Esther did and what shoulde become of her 12 And when the appoynted time of euery mayden came that she shoulde go in to the king Ahasuerus after that she had ben twelue monethes according to the maner of the women for so were the dayes of
the Iewes I become as a Iewe that I might win the Iewes To them that are vnder the lawe I become as though I were vnder the lawe that I might win them that are vnder the lawe 21 To them that are without lawe become I as though I were without lawe when I was not without law as parteyning to the lawe of God but in the lawe of Christe to winne them that are without lawe 22 To the weake became I as weake that I might winne the weake I am made all thinges to all men that I might at the least way saue some 23 And this I do for the Gospels sake that I might haue my part therof 24 ☞ Perceaue ye not howe that they which run in a race run all but one receaueth the rewarde So run that ye may obtayne 25 Euery man that proueth maisteries abstayneth from all thynges and they do it to obtayne a crowne that shall perishe but we to obtayne an euerlasting crowne 26 I therfore so run not as at an vncertayne thing So fight I not as one that beateth the ayre 27 But I tame my body and bryng it into subiection lest by any meanes that when I haue preached to other I my selfe shoulde be a castaway ☜ ¶ The .x. Chapter 1 He feareth them with the examples of the Iewes that they put not their trust carnally in the graces of God 14 Exhortyng them to flee all idolatrie 23 and offence of their neighbour 1 BRethrē I woulde not that ye shoulde be ignoraunt howe that all our fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the sea 2 And were all baptized vnto Moyses * in the cloude * in the sea 3 And dyd * all eate of one spirituall meate 4 And * dyd all drynke of one maner of spirituall drynke And they dranke of that spirituall rocke that folowed them which rocke was Christe ☜ 5 But in many of them had God no delite For * they were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse 6 These veryly are ensamples to vs to thintent that we shoulde not lust after euyll thynges as they also lusted 7 Neither be ye idolatours as were some of them as it is written The people sate downe to eate and drynke and rose vp to play 8 Neither let vs commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one daye three and thirtie thousande 9 Neither let vs tempt Christe as some of them tempted and were destroyed of serpentes 10 Neither murmure ye as some of thē also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer 11 All these thinges happened vnto them for ensamples but they are written to put vs in remembraunce whom the endes of the worlde are come vpon 12 Wherfore let hym that thynketh he standeth take heede lest he fall 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as foloweth the nature of man But God is faythfull which shall not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but shall with the temptation make away that ye maye be able to beare it ☜ 14 Wherfore my deare beloued flee from idolatrie 15 I speake as vnto them which haue discretion iudge ye what I say 16 ☞ The cuppe of blessyng which we blesse is it not y e partakyng of the blood of Christe The bread which we breake is it not the partakyng of the body of Christe 17 For we that are many are one bread and one body in as much as we all are partakers of one bread 18 Beholde Israel after the fleshe Are not they which eate of the sacrifices partakers of the aulter 19 What say I then that the idol is any thyng Or that it which is offered to idols is any thyng 20 Nay but this I saye that the thinges which the gentiles offer they offer to deuyls not to God ☞ And I woulde not that ye shoulde haue felowshippe with the deuils 21 Ye can not drynke y e cup of the Lorde and the cup of deuils Ye can not be partakers of the Lordes table and of the table of deuyls 22 Either do we prouoke the Lorde to anger Are we stronger then he 23 All thynges are lawfull for me but all thynges are not expedient All thynges are lawfull for me but all thynges edifie not 24 Let no man seeke his owne but euery man anothers wealth 25 Whatsoeuer is solde in the market that eate and aske no question for conscience sake 26 For the earth is the Lordes and all that therin is 27 If any of them which beleue not byd you to a feast and ye be disposed to go whatsoeuer is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake 28 But yf any man say vnto you this is offred vnto idols eate not of it for his sake that shewed it and for conscience sake The earth is the Lordes and all that therin is 29 Conscience I say not thyne * but of the other For why is my libertie iudged of another mans conscience 30 For if I take my part with thankes why am I euyll spoken of for that wherfore I geue thankes 31 Whether therfore ye eate or drynke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the prayse of God ☜ 32 See that ye geue none offence neither to the Iewes nor yet to the Grecians neither to the Churche of God 33 Euen as I please all men in all thynges not seking myne owne profite but the profite of many that they might be saued ⧠The .xj. Chapter 1 He rebuketh the abuses which were crept into their Churche 4 As touchyng prayer prophesiyng 18 and ministring the Lordes supper 23 bringyng them agayne to the first institution therof 1 BE ye the folowers of me euen as I am of Christe 2 I commende you brethren that ye remember me in all thinges and kepe the ordinaunces as I deliuered them to you 3 But I wyl that ye knowe that Christ is the head of euery man And the man is the womans head And God is Christes head 4 Euery man praying or prophesiyng hauyng any thing on his head shameth his head 5 But euery woman that prayeth or prophesieth bare headed dishonesteth her head For that is euen all one as yf she were shauen 6 Yf the woman be not couered let her also be shorne Yf it be a shame for a woman to be shorne or shauen let her couer her head 7 A man ought not to couer his head forasmuch as he is the image and glorie of God But the woman is the glorie of the man 8 For the man is not of the woman but the woman of the man 9 Neither was the man created for the womans sake but the woman for the mans sake 10 ☞ For this cause ought the woman to haue power on her head for the Angels sakes 11 Neuerthelesse neither is the man without the woman neither y e woman without the man
gaue him selfe a raunsome for all a testimonie in due tymes 7 Wherevnto I am ordeined a preacher and an apostle I tell the trueth in Christe and lye not a teacher of the gentiles in fayth and veritie ☜ 8 I wyll therefore that the men praye euerywhere lyftyng vp holy handes without wrath and reasonyng 9 Lykewyse also the women that they araye them selues in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and discrete behauiour not in brayded heere either golde or pearles or costly aray 10 But that becommeth women professyng godlynesse through good workes 11 Let the woman learne in scilence in all subiection 12 But I suffer not a woman to teache neither to vsurpe auctoritie ouer y e man but to be in scilence 13 For Adam was first fourmed then Eue. 14 And Adam was not deceaued but the woman beyng deceaued was in the transgression 15 Notwithstandyng through bearyng of chyldren she shal be saued yf they continue in fayth and loue and holynesse with modestie ¶ The .iij. Chapter 2 He declareth what is the office of ministers 11 and as touchyng their families 15 the dignitie of the Churche 16 the principall poynt of the heauenly doctrine 1 THis is a faithful saying Yf a man desire y e office of a bishop he desireth a good worke 2 A bishop therfore must be blamelesse the husband of one wyfe watchyng sober comely apparelled a louer of hospitalitie apt to teache 3 Not geuen to ouermuch wine no striker not greedy of fylthy lucre but gentle abhorryng fyghtyng abhorryng couetousnesse 4 One that ruleth well his owne house hauyng chyldren in subiection with all grauitie 5 For yf a man knowe not to rule his owne house howe shall he care for the Churche of God 6 Not a young scoler lest he beyng puffed vp fall into the condempnation of the deuyll 7 He must also haue a good report of thē which are without lest he fall into the rebuke and snare of the deuyll 8 Likewise must y e ministers be graue not double tongued not geuen to much wine neither greedy of fylthy lucre 9 Holdyng the misterie of the fayth in a pure conscience 10 And let them first be proued then let them minister beyng blamelesse 11 Euen so must their wyues be graue not euyll speakers sober faythfull in all thynges 12 Let the deacons be the husbandes of one wife and such as can rule their children well and their owne housholdes 13 For they that haue ministred well get them selues a good degree and great libertie in the fayth whiche is in Christe Iesus 14 These thynges write I vnto thee hopyng to come shortly vnto thee 15 But yf I tary long that thou mayest knowe howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God whiche is the Church of the lyuyng God the pyller and grounde of trueth 16 And without doubt great is that misterie of godlynesse God was shewed in the flesshe was iustified in the spirite was scene among the angels was preached vnto the gentiles was beleued on in the worlde and was receaued vp in glorie ¶ The .iiij. Chapter 2 He teacheth hym what doctrine he ought to flee 6.8.11 and what to folowe 15 and wherin he ought to exercise hym selfe continually 1 NOwe the spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter tymes some shall depart from the fayth geuing heede vnto spirites of errour doctrines of deuyls 2 Which speake false in hypocrisie hauyng their conscience seared with an hotte iron 3 Forbidding to marrie commaunding to abstayne from meates whiche God hath created to be receaued with geuing thankes of them whiche beleue and knowe the trueth 4 For euery creature of God is good and nothyng to be refused yf it be receaued with thankes geuyng 5 For it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer 6 Yf thou put the brethren in remembraunce of these thynges thou shalt be a good minister of Iesus Christ which hast ben norysshed vp in the wordes of fayth and of good doctrine which thou hast continually folowed 7 But cast away prophane old wiues fables Exercise thy selfe rather vnto godlynesse 8 For bodyly exercise profiteth litle but godlinesse is profitable vnto all thinges hauing promise of the lyfe that is nowe and of that which is to come 9 This is a sure saying by all meanes worthy to be receaued 10 For therfore we both labour and suffer rebuke because we haue hoped in the lyuyng God whiche is the sauiour of all men specially of those that beleue 11 These thynges commaunde teache 12 Let no man despise thy youth but be thou a paterne of the beleuers in worde in conuersation in loue in spirite in fayth in chastitie 13 Tyll I come geue attendaunce to readyng to exhortation to doctrine 14 Despise not the gyfte that is in thee which was geuen thee through prophesie with the laying on of handes by the auctoritie of the eldership 15 Haue a care of these thinges and geue thy selfe vnto them that it may be seene howe thou profitest in all thynges 16 Take heede vnto thy selfe and vnto doctrine and continue therein For in doying this thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee ⧠The .v. Chapter 1 He teacheth hym howe he shall behaue hym selfe in rebukyng all degrees 3 an order concernyng wyddowes 17 The establyshyng of ministers 23 the gouernaunce of his body 24 and the iudgement of sinnes 1 REbuke not an elder but exhort him as a father the younger men as brethren 2 The elder women as mothers the younger as sisters in all chastitie 3 Honour wydowes whiche are wydowes in deede 4 But yf any wydowe haue chyldren or nephewes let them learne first to rule their owne houses godly and to recompence also their elder kynsefolkes for that is good and acceptable before God 5 And she that is a wydowe in deede and left alone hopeth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers nyght and day 6 But she that liueth in pleasure is dead beyng alyue 7 And these thynges commaunde that they may be blamelesse 8 But if any prouide not for his owne and specially for them of his housholde he hath denyed the fayth and is worse then an infidell 9 Let not a wydowe be chosen vnder three score yeres olde hauyng ben the wyfe of one man 10 And well reported of in good workes yf she haue brought vp chyldren yf she haue lodged straungers yf she haue wasshed the saintes feete yf she haue ministred vnto them that were in aduersitie yf she haue ben continually geuen to euery good worke 11 But the yonger wydowes refuse For whē they haue begun to waxe wanton agaynst Christe they wyll marrie 12 Hauyng dampnation because they haue cast away their first fayth 13 They learne to wander about from house to house idle yea not idle only but also tatlers and busybodies speakyng thynges which
21 And if he continue a day or two it shal not be reuēged for he is his money 22 If men striue hurt a woman with chylde so that her fruite depart from her and yet no destruction folow then he shal be sore punished according as the womans husbande wyll laye to his charge and he shall pay as the dayes men wyll appoynt hym 23 And if any destruction folowe then he shall geue life for life 24 Eye for eye tothe for tothe hande for hande foote for foote 25 Burnyng for burnyng wounde for wounde strype for strype 26 And if a man smyte his seruaunt or his mayde in the eye that it perishe he shall let them go free for the eyes sake 27 Also if he smyte out his seruaunt or his maydes tothe he shall let them go out free for the tothes sake 28 If an oxe gore a man or a woman that they dye then the oxe shal be stoned and his fleshe shall not be eaten but the owner of the oxe shall go quite 29 If the oxe were wont to pushe with his horne in time past and it hath ben tolde his maister and he hath not kept him but that he hath killed a man or a woman then the oxe shal be stoned and his owner shall dye also 30 If there be set to hym a sūme of money then he shal geue for the redeeming of his life whatsoeuer is layde vpō him 31 And whether he haue gored a sonne or a daughter accordyng to the same iudgement shall it be done vnto him 32 But if it be a seruaunt or a mayde that the oxe hath gored then he shall geue vnto their maister thirtie sicles and the oxe shal be stoned 33 If a man open a well or digge a pitte and couer it not and an oxe or an asse fall therein 34 The owner of the pitte shall make it good geue money vnto their maister and the dead beast shall be his 35 If one mans oxe hurt another that he dye then they shall sell the lyue oxe and deuide the money and the dead oxe also they shall deuide 36 Or if it be knowen that the oxe hath vsed to pushe in tyme past his maister hath not kept hym he shall paye oxe for oxe and the dead shal be his owne ¶ The .xxij. Chapter 1 The punishment of a theefe 5 Damage done 7 The lawe of it that is lefte to be kept 10 Howe it that is lefte with one ought to be rendred 14 That whiche is lent or letten out to hyre 16 A mayden defiled 18 Witches 19 Such as haue to do with beastes 20 An idolater 21 A straunger 23 A wydowe and a pupille 25 Money geuen to lone 26 When pledges ought to be rendred 28 Officers and princes 30 first fruites firstlynges 31 Fleshe torne of beastes 1 IF a man steale an oxe or a sheepe and kill it or sell it he shall restore fiue oxen for an oxe foure sheepe for a sheepe 2 If a theefe be found breaking vp and be smitten that he dye there shall no blood be shed for hym 3 But if the sunne be vp vpon him then there shal be blood shed for hym for he should make restitution if he haue not wherwith he shal be solde for his theft 4 If the theft be founde in his hande aliue whether it be oxe asse or sheepe he shall restore double 5 If a man do hurt fielde or vineyarde and put in his beast to feede in another mans fielde of the best of his owne fielde and of the best of his owne vineyarde shall he make restitution 6 If fire breake out and catche in the thornes and the stackes of corne or the standyng corne or fielde be consumed therewith he that kyndeled the fyre shall make restitution 7 If a man deliuer his neyghbour money or stuffe to kepe and it be stolen out of his house if the theefe be founde let hym pay double 8 And if the theefe be not founde then the good man of y e house shal be brought vnto the Iudges that it may be knowen whether he haue put his hande vnto his neyghbours good 9 And in al maner of trespasse whether it be for oxe asse or sheepe rayment or any maner of lost thing which another chalengeth to be his the cause of both parties shall come before the Iudges and whom the Iudges condemne let him pay double vnto his neyghbour 10 If a man delyuer vnto his neyghbour to kepe asse oxe sheepe or whatsoeuer beast it be and it dye or be hurt or taken away by enemies no man see it 11 Then shall an oth of the Lorde be betweene them that he hath not put his hande vnto his neyghbours good and the owner of it shall take the oth and the other shall not make it good 12 And if it be stollen from hym then he shall make restitution vnto the owner therof If it be torne in peeces then let him bryng recorde of the tearing and he shall not make it good 13 And if a man borowe ought of his neighbour and it be hurt or els dye and the owner therof be not by he shall surely make it good 14 But if the owner therof be by he shall not make it good if it be an hired thing it came for his hire 15 If a man entice a mayde that is not betrouthed and lye with her he shall endowe her and take her to his wyfe 16 And if her father refuse to geue her vnto him he shal pay money according to the dowrie of virgins 17 Thou shalt not suffer a witche to lyue 18 Whosoeuer lyeth with a beast shall be slayne for it 19 He that offereth vnto any gods saue vnto y e Lord only he shal be killed 20 Vexe not a straunger neither oppresse him for ye were straungers in the land of Egypt 21 Ye shall trouble no wydowe nor fatherlesse chylde 22 If ye shall euyll entreate them and they crye out vnto me I wyll surelye heare theyr crye 23 And then wyl my wrath waxe hotte and I wyll kyll you with the sworde your wyues shal be widowes and your chyldren fatherlesse 24 If thou lende money to any of my people that is poore by thee thou shalt not be as a tiraunt vnto him neither shalt thou lay vpon him vsurie 25 If thou take thy neyghbours rayment to pledge thou shalt deliuer it vnto him by that the sunne go downe 26 For that is his couering only euen the rayment for his skinne wherein he slepeth and when he cryeth vnto me I wyll heare him for I am mercyfull 27 Thou shalt not rayle vpon y e gods neither blaspheme y e ruler of the people 28 Thy fruites whether they be drie or moyst see thou kepe thē not backe thy first borne sonne thou shalt geue me 29 Likewise also shalt thou do with thine oxen
the archers founde him and he was wounded of shooters 4 Then saide Saul to his harnesse bearer Drawe thy sword and thrust me through therwith that these vncircumcised come not and do me shame But his harnesse bearer would not for he feared exceedingly So Saul caught a sword and fell vpon it 5 And when his harnesse bearer saw that Saul was dead he fell on a sword also and dyed 6 And thus Saul and his three sonnes and al they of his house dyed together 7 And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley sawe how they fled and that Saul his sonnes were dead they forsoke their cities and ran away and the Philistines came and dwelt in them 8 And it fortuned that on the morowe when the Philistines came to strip the dead bodies they founde Saul and his sonnes ouerthrowen in mount Gilboa 9 And when they had stript him they toke his head and his harnesse and sent them into the lande of the Philistines rounde about to shewe them vnto their idols and to the people 10 And they put his harnesse in the house of their god and set vp his head in the temple of Dagon 11 And when all they of Iabes in Gilead hearde all that the Philistines had done to Saul 12 They arose all the strongest of them and fet away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sonnes and brought them to Iabes and buried the bones of them vnder an oke in Iabes and fasted seuen dayes 13 So Saul dyed for his trespasse that he trespassed against the Lorde in that he kept not the word of the Lorde and in that he sought and asked counsaile of a woman that wrought with a spirite 14 And asked not of the Lorde and therefore he slue him and turned the kingdome vnto Dauid the sonne of Isai ¶ The .xj. Chapter 3 After the death of Saul Dauid is annoynted in Hebron 5 The Iebusites rebell against Dauid from whom he taketh the towre of Sion 6 Ioab is made captayne 10 His valiaunt men 1 THen all Israel gathered them selues to Dauid vnto Hebron saying 2 Beholde we be thy bones and thy fleshe And moreouer in tyme past euen when Saul was king thou leddest Israel out in And the Lorde thy God sayde vnto thee Thou shalt feede my people Israel and thou shalt be captayne ouer my people Israel 3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron and Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebrō before the Lorde And they annoynted Dauid king ouer Israel according to the worde of the Lorde by the hande of Samuel 4 And Dauid and all Israel went to Hierusalem which is Iebus where as were the Iebusites the inhabiters of the lande 5 And the inhabiters of Iebus sayde to Dauid Thou commest not in here Neuerthelesse Dauid wan the castel of Sion which is called the citie of Dauid 6 And Dauid sayde Whosoeuer smyteth the Iebusites first shal be the principall captayne and a lorde So Ioab the sonne of Zaruia went first vp and was made the chiefe captayne 7 And Dauid dwelt in the castell Sion and therefore they called it the citie of Dauid 8 And he built the citie on euery syde euen from Millo round about and Ioab repaired the rest of the citie 9 And Dauid prospered waxed great the Lorde of hoastes was with him 10 These are the principall men of power whom Dauid had and that claue to him in his kingdome with all Israel to make him king according to the word of the Lorde ouer Israel 11 And this is the number of the mightie men whom Dauid had Iosobeam the sonne of Hachmoni the chiefe among thirtie he lift vp his speare against three hundred and wounded them at one tyme. 12 After him was Eleazar his vncles sonne an Ahothite which was one of the three mightiest 13 He was with Dauid at Pasdammim and there the Philistines were gathered together to battaile And there was there a parcell of grounde full of barly and the people fled before the Philistines 14 And they stept foorth into the middest of the fielde and saued it and slue the Philistines and the Lorde gaue a great victorie 15 And the three of the thirtie chiefe captaynes went to a rocke to Dauid into the caue Adullam And the hoast of the Philistines abode in the valley of Rephaim 16 And when Dauid was in the holde the Philistines watch was at Bethlehem that same tyme. 17 And Dauid longed and sayde Oh that one woulde geue me drinke of the water of the well that is at the gate at Bethlehem 18 And the three brake through the hoast of the Philistines and drewe water out of the wel that was by y e gate at Bethlehem and toke it and brought it to Dauid Neuerthelesse Dauid woulde not drinke of it but rather offered it to the Lorde 19 And sayd my God forbyd it me that I shoulde do this thing Shall I drinke the blood of these men that haue put their liues in ieoperdie for with the ieoperdie of their liues they brought it therefore he would not drinke it And this did these three mightiest 20 And Abisai the brother of Ioab he also was captayne among three For he lyft vp his speare against three hundred and wounded them and had a name among the three 21 Yea among three he was more honorable then the two for he was their captayne Howbeit he attayned not to the first three 22 Banaia y e sonne of Iehoiada the sonne of a very strong man which had done many actes of Cabzeel he slue two strong lions of Moab went downe and slue a lion in a pit in time of snowe 23 And he slue an Egyptian whose stature was euen fiue cubites long and in the Egyptians hand was a speare lyke a weauers beame And the other went downe to him with a waster plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hand and slue him with his owne speare 24 Such thinges did Banaia the sonne of Iehoiada and had the name among the three mightiest 25 And was honorable among thirtie but attayned not vnto the first three And Dauid made him of his counsaile 26 The other men of armes were these Asahel the brother of Ioab Elhanan his vncles sonne of Bethlehem 27 Samoth the Harodite Helez the Pelonite 28 Ira the sonne of Ickes the Thekoite Abieser the Anatothite 29 Sibbecai the Husathite Ilai the Ahohite 30 Maharai the Nepthophathite Heled the sonne of Baana the Nethophathite 31 Ithai the sonne of Ribai of Gibea that pertayned to the children of Beniamin Benaia the Phirathonite 32 Hurai of the riuers of Gaas Abiel the Arbathite 33 Azmaueth the Baharumite Elihaba the Salabonite 34 The sonnes of Hassem the Gezonite Ionathan the sonne of Sage an Hararite 35 Ahiam the sonne of Sacar the Hararite Eliphal the sonne of Vr. 36 Hepher the Mecherathite Ahia the Pelonite 37 Hezro the Carmelite
wylleth a man to lyue on his labour and to helpe others 18 To loue his wyfe 22 The wicked taken in their owne wickednes 1 MY sonne geue heede vnto my wisdome and bowe thyne eare vnto my prudence 2 That thou mayest regarde good counsell and that thy lippes may kepe knowledge 3 For the lippes of a straunge woman are a dropping hony combe and her throte is more glistering then oyle 4 But at the laste she is as bitter as wormewood and as sharpe as a two edged sworde 5 Her feete go downe vnto death and her steppes pearce thorowe vnto hell 6 Perchaunce thou wylt ponder the path of her lyfe so vnstedfast are her wayes that thou canst not know them 7 Heare me nowe therefore O ye chyldren and depart not from the wordes of my mouth 8 Kepe thy way farre from her come not nigh the doores of her house 9 That thou geue not thy honour vnto other and thy yeres to the cruell 10 That other men be not filled with thy vertues and that thy labours come not in a straunge house 11 Yea that thou mourne not at the last when thou hast spent thy bodye and lustie youth and then say 12 Alas why hated I nurture why did my heart dispise correction 13 Wherefore was not I obedient vnto the voyce of my teachers and hearkened not vnto them that enfourmed me 14 I was come almost into all misfortune in the middest of the multitude and congregation 15 Drinke of the water of thyne owne well and of the riuers that runne out of thyne owne spring 16 Let thy welles flowe out abrode that there may be riuers of waters in the streates 17 But let them be onlye thyne owne and not straungers with thee 18 Let thy well be blessed and be glad with the wyfe of thy youth 19 Let her be as the louyng Hinde and pleasaunt Roe let her breastes alway satisfie thee and holde thee euer content with her loue 20 Why wylt thou my sonne haue pleasure in a straunge woman and embrace the bosome of a straunger 21 For euery mans wayes are open in the sight of the Lord and he pondereth all their goynges 22 The wickednes of the vngodly shall catche him selfe and with the snares of his owne sinne shall he be trapped 23 He shall dye without amendement and for his great foolishnes he shall go astray ¶ The .vi. Chapter 1 Instruction for sureties 6 The slouthfull and sluggishe is stirred to worke 1◠He discribeth the nature of the wicked 16 The thinges that God hateth 2◠To obserue the worde of God 24 To flee adulterie 1 MY sonne if thou be suretie for thy neyghbour and hast fastened thyne hande for another man 2 Thou art bounde with thine owne wordes and taken with thine owne speach 3 Therfore my sonne do this and thou shalt be discharged When thou art come into thy neyghbours daunger go thy wayes then soone humble thy selfe and with thy frendes intreate thy creditour 4 Let not thyne eyes sleepe nor thyne eye liddes slumber 5 Saue thy self as a Doe from the hand of the hunter and as a byrde from the hande of the fouler 6 Go to the emmet thou sluggarde consider her wayes and learne to be wyse 7 She hath no guyde nor ouerseer nor ruler 8 Yet in the sommer she prouideth her meate and gathereth her foode together in the haruest 9 Howe long wylt thou sleepe thou sluggishe man When wylt thou aryse out of thy sleepe 10 Yea sleepe on still a litle slumber a litle folde thyne handes together yet a litle that thou mayest sleepe 11 So shall pouertie come vnto thee as one that trauayleth by the way and necessitie like a weaponed man 12 An vngodly person a wicked man goeth with a frowarde mouth 13 He winketh with his eyes he tokeneth with his feete he teacheth with his fingers 14 He is euer imagining mischiefe and frowardnes in his heart and causeth discorde 15 Therefore shall his destruction come hastyly vpon hym sodainly shall he be all to broken and not be healed 16 These sixe thinges doth the Lorde hate and the seuenth he vtterly abhorreth 17 A proude loke a lying tongue handes that shed innocent blood 18 An heart that goeth about wicked imaginations feete that be swyft in running to mischiefe 19 A false witnesse that bringeth vp lyes and hym that soweth discorde among brethren 20 My sonne kepe thy fathers commaundement and forsake not the lawe of thy mother 21 Tye them continually in thyne heart and bynde them about thy necke 22 That shall leade thee when thou goest preserue thee when thou art asleepe and when thou awakest talke with thee 23 For the commaundement is a lanterne and the lawe a light yea chastening and nurture is the way of life 24 That they may kepe thee from the euyll woman and from the flattering tongue of the straunge woman 25 Lust not after her beautie in thyne heart lest thou be taken with her fayre lokes 26 By an harlot a man is brought to beg his bread and a woman wyll hunte for the pretious life of man 27 May a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be brent 28 Or can one go vpon hotte coales and his feete not be brent 29 Euen so whosoeuer goeth in to his neyghbours wife and toucheth her can not be vngiltie 30 Men do not vtterly despise a thiefe that stealeth to satisfie his soule when he is hungrie 31 But if he may be gotten he restoreth agayne seuen tymes as muche or els he maketh recompence with all the good of his house 32 But whoso committeth adultrie with a woman lacketh vnderstanding and he that doth it destroyeth his owne soule 33 He getteth him selfe a plague and dishonour and his reproche shall neuer be put out 34 For the ielousie and wrath of the man wyll not be entreated 35 No though thou wouldest offer hym great gyftes to make amendes he wyll not receaue them ¶ The .vij. Chapter 1 An exhortation to wysdome and to the worde of God 5 Whiche wyll preserue vs from the harlot 6 Whose maners are discribed 1 MY sonne kepe my words and lay vp my commaundements by thee 2 Kepe my commaundementes my lawe euen as the apple of thyne eye and thou shalt liue 3 Binde them vpon thy fingers and wryte them in the table of thyne heart 4 Say vnto wysdome thou art my sister and call vnderstanding thy kinsewoman 5 That they may kepe thee from the straunge woman and from the forraine woman which geueth sweete wordes 6 For at the windowe of my house I loked through the windowe 7 And behelde among the simple people and among the chyldren a young man voyde of wyt 8 Goyng ouer the streate by the corner in the way towarde her house 9 In the twylight of the euening when it began nowe to be night and darke 10 And behold there met hym a
she let hym come hyther and to the vnwyse she saith 17 Stolen waters are sweete the bread that is priuily eaten hath a good taste 18 And he doth not consider that they are but dead whiche be there and that her ghestes are in the deepe of hell The .x. Chapter ¶ In this chapter and all that folowe vnto the thirteeth the wise man exhorteth by diuers sentences which he calleth parables to folowe vertue flee vice and sheweth also what profite commeth of wisdome and what hinderaunce proceedeth of foolishnes 1 A Wyse sonne maketh a glad father but an vndiscrete sonne is an heauinesse vnto his mother 2 Treasures that are wickedly gotten profite nothing but righteousnesse deliuereth from death 3 The Lorde wyll not let the soule of the righteous suffer hunger but he taketh away the richesse of the vngodly 4 An idle hande maketh poore but a quicke labouring hande maketh riche 5 Who so gathereth in sommer is wyse but he that is sluggishe in haruest bringeth hym selfe to confusion 6 Blessinges are vpon the head of the righteous and the mouth of the vngodly kepeth mischiefe in secrete 7 The memoriall of the iust shall haue a good report but the name of the vngodly shall stincke 8 A wyse man wyll receaue warning but a prating foole shal be punished 9 He that walketh vprightly walketh surely but whoso goeth a wrong way shal be knowen 10 He that winketh with his eye wyll cause sorowe but he that hath a foolishe mouth shal be beaten 11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life but the mouth of the vngodly kepeth mischiefe in secrete 12 Hatred stirreth vp strifes but loue couereth the multitude of sinnes 13 In the lippes of him that hath vnderstanding a man shall finde wysdome but the rod belongeth to the backe of the foolishe 14 Wyse men lay vp knowledge but the mouth of the foolish is nye destruction 15 The riche mans goodes are his strong holde but their owne pouertie feareth the poore 16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to lyfe but the fruites of the vngodly to sinne 17 Nurture kepeth the way of lyfe but he that refuseth to be nurtured deceaueth hym selfe 18 He that hydeth hatred with lying lippes and he that speaketh slaunder is a foole 19 Where much babblyng is there must needes be offence and he that refrayneth his lippes is wyse 20 The tongue of the iust man is as tried siluer but the heart of the vngodly is a thyng of naught 21 The lippes of the ryghteous feede a whole multitude but fooles shall dye in their owne follie 22 The blessyng of the Lorde maketh riche and bryngeth no sorowe of heart with it 23 A foole doth wickedly and maketh but a sport of it but wisdome ruleth the man that hath vnderstandyng 24 The thing that the vngodly is afraide of shall come vpon hym but the ryghteous shall haue their desire 25 As the tempest so passeth away the vngodly and is not but the ryghteous remayneth sure for euer 26 As vineger is to the teeth as smoke is vnto the eyes euen so is a sluggishe person to them that sendeth him foorth 27 The feare of the Lorde maketh a long lyfe but the yeres of the vngodly shal be shortened 28 The patient abydyng of the righteous shal be turned to gladnesse but the hope of the vngodly shall perishe 29 The way of the Lord geueth courage vnto the godly but it is a feare for wicked doers 30 The ryghteous shall neuer be ouerthrowen but the vngodly shall not remayne in the lande 31 The mouth of the iust wyll be talking of wisdome but the tongue of the frowarde shall be cut out 32 The lippes of the ryghteous vtter that which is acceptable but the mouth of the vngodly speaketh frowarde thynges The .xi. Chapter 1 A False ballaunce is an abomination vnto the Lorde but a true wayght pleaseth him 2 Where pryde is there is shame also and confusion but wheras is lowlinesse there is wisdome 3 The innocent dealyng of the iust shall leade them but the wickednesse of the offendours shal be their owne destruction 4 Riches helpe not in the day of vengeaunce but ryghteousnesse deliuereth from death 5 The ryghteousnesse of the innocent ordereth his way but the vngodly shall fall in his owne wickednesse 6 The righteousnesse of the iust shall delyuer them but the wicked shal be taken in their owne vngodlynesse 7 When an vngodly man dyeth his hope is gone the confidence of riches shall perishe 8 The ryghteous shal be delyuered out of trouble and the vngodly shall come in his steade 9 The dissembler with his mouth hurteth his neighbour but through knowledge shall the iust be deliuered 10 When it goeth well with the ryghteous the citie is mercy and when the vngodly perishe there is gladnesse 11 In the blessyng of the ryghteous the citie is exalted but it is ouerthrowen by the mouth of the wicked 12 A foole slaundereth his neyghbour but a wise man holdeth his peace 13 A dissemblyng person wyll discouer priuie thynges but he that is of a faythfull heart wyll kepe counsayle 14 Where no counsayle is there the people decay but wheras many are that can geue counsayle there is wealth 15 He that is suretie for a straunger shall smart for it and he that hateth suretishyp is sure 16 A gratious woman getteth honour but the strong men attayne riches 17 He that is mercifull doth hym selfe a benefite but who so hurteth his neyghbour is a tiraunt 18 The vngodly worketh deceiptfull workes but he that soweth righteousnesse shall receaue a sure rewarde 19 Lyke as ryghteousnesse bringeth lyfe euen so to cleaue vnto euyll bryngeth death 20 The Lorde abhorreth them that be of a corrupt heart but he hath pleasure in them that are of an vndefiled conuersation 21 Though hand be ioyned in hande yet the wicked shall not escape but the seede of the ryghteous shal be preserued 22 A faire woman without discrete maners is lyke a ryng of golde in a swines snoute 23 The desire of the ryghteous is acceptable but the hope of the vngodly is indignation 24 Some man geueth out his goodes and is the richer but the niggarde hauyng inough wyll depart from nothyng and yet is euer in pouertie 25 He that is liberall in geuyng shall haue plentie and he that watereth shal be watered also hym selfe 26 Who so hoordeth vp his corne shal be cursed among the people but blessyng shall lyght vpon his head that geueth foode 27 He that searcheth for good thynges fyndeth fauour but who so seketh after mischiefe it shall happen vnto hym 28 He that trusteth in his riches shall haue a fall but the ryghteous shall florishe as the greene leafe 29 Who so maketh disquietnesse in his owne house he shal haue winde for
in youth and not to deferre tyll age 7 The soule returneth to God 12 Wisdome is the gyft of God and consisteth in fearing hym and keping his commaundementes 1 PVt away displeasure out of thine heart and remoue euill from thy body for chyldhood and youth is but vanitie 2 Remember thy maker the sooner in thy youth or euer the dayes of aduersitie come and or the yeres drawe nye when thou shalt say I haue not pleasure in them 3 Before the sunne the light the moone and starres be darkened and or the cloudes turne agayne after the rayne 4 When the kepers of the house shall tremble and when the strong men shall bowe them selues when the milners stand styll because they be so fewe and when the sight of the windowes shall waxe dimme 5 When the doores in the streetes shal be shut and when the voyce of the milner shal be layde downe when men shall ryse vp at the voyce of the byrde and when all the daughters of musicke shal be brought lowe 6 When men shall feare in hye places and be afraide in the streetes when the Almonde tree shall florishe and be laden with the grashopper and when all lust shal passe because man goeth to his long home and the mourners go about the streetes 7 Or euer the siluer lace be taken away and or the golden well be broken Or the pot be broken at the well and the wheele broken vpon the cesterne 8 Then shall the dust be turned agayne vnto earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God who gaue it 9 All is but vanitie saith the preacher all is but playne vanitie 10 The preacher was yet more wyse and taught the people knowledge he gaue good heede sought out the ground and set foorth many parables His diligence was to finde out acceptable wordes right scripture the wordes of trueth 11 For the wordes of the wyse are like prickes and nayles that go thorowe of the auctoures of gatheringes which are geuen of one shephearde 21 Therefore beware my sonne of that doctrine that is beside this for to make many bookes it is an endlesse worke and to muche studie weerieth the body 13 Let vs heare the conclusion of all thinges Feare God and kepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men For God shall iudge all workes and secrete thinges whether they be good or euyll ¶ The ende of the booke of the preacher otherwise called Ecclesiastes ⧠The Ballet of Ballettes of Solomon called in Latin Canticum Canticorum The first Chapter 1 The familier talke and misticall communication of the spirituall loue betweene Iesus Christe and his Churche 6 The domesticall enemies that persecute the Churche 1 O That he would kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for thy loue is more pleasaunt then wine and that because of the good and pleasaunt sauour of thy most precious baulmes 2 Thy name is a sweet smelling oyntment when it is shed foorth therfore do the maydens loue thee 3 Drawe thou me vnto thee we wyll runne after thee The kyng hath brought me into his priuie chaumbers We wylbe glad and reioyce in thee we thinke more of thy loue then of wine they that be righteous loue thee 4 I am blacke O ye daughters of Hierusalem but yet fayre and well fauoured like as the tentes of the Cedarenes and as the hanginges of Solomon 5 Marueyle not at me that I am so blacke for why the sunne hath shined vpon me my mothers chyldren haue euyll wyll at me they made me the keper of the vineyardes but mine owne vineyarde haue I not kept 6 Tell me O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest the sheepe where thou makest them rest at the noone day for why shall I be like hym that goeth wrong about the flockes of thy companions 7 If thou knowe not thy selfe O thou fayrest among women then go thy way foorth after the footesteppes of the sheepe and feede thy goates besyde the shepheardes tentes 8 Vnto the hoast of Pharaos charets haue I compared thee O my loue 9 Thy cheekes and thy necke is beautifull as the turtles and hanged with spanges and goodly iewels a neckband of golde wyll we make thee with siluer buttons 10 When the king sitteth at the table he shall smell my Nardus a bundell of myrre is my loue vnto me he wyll lye betwixt my brestes a cluster of Camphire in the vineyardes of Engaddi is my loue vnto me 11 Oh howe fayre art thou my loue Oh howe fayre art thou thou hast doues eyes O howe fayre art thou my beloued howe well fauoured art thou 12 Our bed is dect with flowres the seelinges of our house are of Cedar tree and our crosse ioyntes of Cipresse The .ij. Chapter 3 The Churche desireth to rest vnder the shadowe of Christe 8 She heareth his voyce 14 She is compared to the doue 15 And the enemies to the foxes 1 I Am the rose of the fielde and lillie of the valleys 2 As the lillie among the thornes so is my loue among the daughters 3 Like as the apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloued among the sonnes 4 My delight is to sit vnder his shadowe for his fruite is sweete vnto my throte 5 He bringeth me into his wine seller his banner spread ouer me whiche is his loue 6 Set about me cuppes of wine comfort me with apples for I am sicke of loue 7 His left hande lyeth vnder my head and his right hande shall imbrace me 8 I charge you O ye daughters of Hierusalem by the roes and hindes of the fiede that ye wake not vp my loue nor touche her tyll she be content her selfe 9 Me thinke I heare the voyce of my beloued lo there commeth he hopping vpon the mountaines and leaping ouer the litle hilles 10 My beloued is lyke a roe or a young hart beholde he standeth behinde our wall he looketh in at the windowe and peepeth thorowe the grate 11 My beloued aunswered and sayd vnto me O stande vp my loue my beautifull and go to thyne owne for lo the winter is nowe past the rayne is away and gone 12 The flowres are come vp in the field the tyme of the byrdes singing is come and the voyce of the turtle doue is hearde in our lande 13 The figge tree bryngeth foorth her figges and the vines beare blossomes and haue a good smell 14 O stande vp then and come my loue my beautifull and come I say O my doue out of the caues of the rockes out of the holes of the wall O let me see thy countenaunce and heare thy voyce for sweete is thy voyce and fayre is thy face 15 Get vs the foxes yea the litle foxes that hurt
the vines for our vines beare blossomes 16 * My loue is mine I am his whiche feedeth among the lillies vntill the day breake and till the shadowes be gone 17 Come agayne O my beloued and be lyke as a roe or a young hart vpon the wyde mountaines ¶ The .iij. Chapter 1 The Churche desireth to be ioyned inseparably to Christe her husbande 6 Her deliueraunce out of the wyldernesse 1 BY night in my bed I sought hym whom my soule loueth yea diligently sought I him but I found him not 2 I will get vp thought I go about the citie in the wayes in all the streates wyll I seeke hym whom my soule loueth but when I sought him I founde him not 3 The watchmen also that go about the citie founde me to whom I sayde Sawe ye not hym whom my soule loueth 4 So when I was a litle past them I founde him whom my soule loueth I haue gotten holde vpon hym and wyll not let him go vntyll I bryng him into my mothers house and into her chaumber that bare me 5 I charge you O ye daughters of Hierusalem by the roes and hyndes of the fielde that ye wake not vp my loue nor touch her till she be content her self 6 Who is this that commeth vp out of the wyldernesse like vapours of smoke as it were a smell of myrre frankensence and all maner spices of the Apothecarie 7 Beholde about Solomons bedsteede there stande threescore valiaunt of the most mightie in Israel They holde swordes euery one and are expert in warre 8 Euery man also hath his sworde vppon his thigh because of feare in the night 9 Kyng Solomon had made him selfe a pallace of the wood of Libanus the pillers are of siluer the couering of golde the seate of purple the grounde is pleasauntly paued with loue for the daughters of Hierusalem 10 Go foorth O ye daughters of Sion and beholde king Solomon in the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his mariage and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart ¶ The .iiij. Chapter 1 The prayses of the Churche ◠She is without blemishe in his sight 9 The loue of Christe towardes her 1 O Howe fayre art thou my loue howe fayre art thou thou hast doues eyes beside that which lyeth hid within Thy heerie lockes are lyke the wooll of a flocke of goates that be shorne vpon mount Gilead 2 Thy teeth are like a flocke of sheepe of the same bignesse whiche went vp from the washing place where euery one beareth two twinnes and not one vnfruitfull among them 3 Thy lippes are lyke a rose coloured ribande thy wordes are louely thy cheekes are like a peece of a pomegranate within thyne heere 's 4 Thy necke is like the towre of Dauid buylded with costly stones lying out on the sides wherevpon there hange a thousande shieldes yea all the weapons of the giauntes 5 Thy two breastes are lyke two twinnes of young Roes whiche feede among roses 6 O that I might go to the mountaine of myrre and to the hil of frankencense til the day breake and til the shadowes be past away 7 Thou art all fayre O my loue and no spot is there in thee 8 Come to me from Libanus O my spouse come to me from Libanus looke from the top of Amana from the top of Sanir and Hermon from the lions dennes and from the mountaines of the leopardes 9 Thou hast with loue bewitched my heart O my sister my spouse thou hast bewitched my heart with one of thyne eyes and with one chayne of thy necke 10 O howe fayre are thy breastes my sister my spouse Thy breastes are more pleasaunt then wine and the smell of thyne oyntmentes passeth all spices 11 Thy lippes O my spouse drop as the hony combe yea mylke and hony is vnder thy tongue and the smell of thy garmentes is like the smell of Libanus 12 A garden well locked is my sister my spouse a garden well locked and a sealed well 13 The fruites that are planted in thee are lyke a very paradise of pomegranates with sweete fruites as Camphire Nardus Saffron Calamus Sinamom with all sweete smellyng trees Myrre Aloes and all the best spyces a well of gardens a well of liuing waters which runne downe from Libanus 14 Vp thou north winde come thou south winde and blowe vpon my garden that the smell therof may be caryed on euery side yea that my beloued may come into his garden and eate of the sweete fruites that growe therein The .v. Chapter 1 Christe calleth his Churche to the participation of all his treasures 2 She heareth his voyce 6 She confesseth her nakednes 10 She prayseth Christe her husbande 1 I Am come into my garden O my sister my spouse I haue gathered my Myrre with my spice I haue eatē hony with my hony combe I haue drunke my wine with my milke Eate O ye frendes drinke and be merie O ye beloued 2 I am a sleepe but my heart is waking I heare the voyce of my beloued when he knocketh saying Open to me O my sister my loue my doue my dearling for my head is full of deawe and the lockes of my heere are full of the nyght doppes 3 I haue put of my coate howe can I do it on agayne I haue washed my feete howe shall I fyle them agayne 4 My loue put in his hande at the hole and my heart was moued within me 5 I stoode vp to open vnto my beloued and my handes dropped with Myrre the Myrre ranne downe my fingers vpon the locke 6 I opened vnto my beloued but he was departed and gone his way Now whē he spake my heart was gone I sought him but I coulde not finde him I cryed vpon hym neuerthelesse he gaue me no aunswere 7 So the watchmen that went about the citie founde me smote me and wounded me yea they that kept the walles toke away my kerchaffe from me 8 I charge you therfore O ye daughters of Hierusalem yf ye fynde my beloued that ye tell hym howe that I am sicke for loue 9 What maner of man is thy loue aboue other louers O thou fairest among women Or what can thy loue do more then other louers that thou chargest vs so straytly 10 As for my loue he is whyte and red coloured a goodly person among tenne thousande 11 His head is as the most fine golde the lockes of his heere are busshed blacke as a crowe 12 His eyes are as the eyes of doues by the water brookes as though they were wasshed with mylke and are set lyke pearles in golde 13 His cheekes are lyke a garden bed wherin the Apothecaries plant all maner of sweete thynges 14 His lippes are lyke lilies that droppe sweete smellyng Myrre His handes are lyke golde rynges hauyng inclosed the precious stone of
the Lordes vengeaunce is come yea he shall rewarde her agayne 7 Babylon hath ben in the Lordes hande a golden cuppe that maketh all landes drunken of her wine haue all people drunken therfore are they out of their wittes 8 But sodaynly is Babylon fallen and destroyed mourne for her bryng plasters for her woundes yf she may peraduenture be healed agayne 9 We woulde haue made Babylon whole say they but she is not recouered therfore wyll we let her alone and go euery man into his owne countrey for her iudgement is come into heauen and is gone vp to the cloudes 10 The Lorde hath brought foorth our righteousnesse and therfore come on we wyll shewe in Sion the worke of the Lorde our God 11 Make sharpe the arrowes and multiplie your shieldes for the Lorde shall rayse vp the spirite of the kyng of the Medes which hath alredy a desire to destroy Babylon this shal be the vengeaunce of the Lorde the vengeaunce of his temple 12 Set vp tokens vpon the walles of Babylon make your watch strong set your watchmen in araye yea holde priuie watches and yet for all that shall the Lorde go foorth with his deuice which he hath taken vpon them that dwell in Babylon 13 O thou that dwellest by the great waters O thou that hast so great treasure and riches thine ende is come and the reckenyng of thy wynnynges 14 The Lorde of hoastes hath sworne by hym selfe that he wyll ouerwhelme thee with men lyke grashoppers in number whiche with a courage shall crye alarum alarum agaynst thee 15 Yea euen the Lorde of hoastes that with his power made the earth with his wisdome prepared the round world and with his discretion spread out the heauens 16 Assoone as he letteth his voyce be hearde the waters in the ayre waxe fierce he draweth vp the cloudes from the endes of the earth he turneth the lightnynges to rayne he bryngeth the wyndes out of their secrete places 17 If they be esteemed by their wisdome all men are become fooles confounded be all the casters of images for the thing that they make is but deceipt and hath no breath 18 Vayne is it and an erronious worke and in the tyme of visitation it shall perishe 19 The portion of Iacob is none such but he that made all thinges whose name is the Lorde of hoastes he is the rodde of his enheritaunce 20 Thou hast ben mine hammer and weapons for warre for with thee haue I broken the people in peeces and with thee haue I destroyed kyngdomes 21 Through thee I haue beaten to powder horse and horsemen yea the charrettes and such as sate vpon them 22 Through thee I haue broken man and woman olde and young bacheler and mayden 23 Through thee I haue destroyed the sheepheard and his flocke the husbandman and his cattell the princes and the rulers 24 Therfore wyll I rewarde the citie of Babylon and all the inhabitauntes of Chaldea with all the euyll which they haue done vnto Sion yea that ye your selues shall see it saith the Lorde 25 Beholde I come vpon thee thou noysome hyll saith the Lorde thou that destroyest all landes I wyll stretch out my hand ouer thee and cast thee downe from the stony rockes and wyll make thee a burnt hyll 26 So that neither corner stones shal be taken any more out of thee but waste and desolate shalt thou lye for euermore saith the Lorde 27 Set vp a token in the lande blowe the trumpets among the heathen prouoke the nations agaynst her call the kyngdomes of Ararat Menni and Ascanez agaynst her set the prince agaynst her bryng as great a sort of terrible horses agaynst her as yf they were grashoppers 28 Prepare against them the people of the Medes with their kynges princes and all their chiefe rulers yea and the whole lande that is vnder hym 29 The lande also shall shake and be afrayde when the deuice of the Lorde shall come foorth agaynst Babylon to make the lande of Babylon so waste that no man shal dwel any more therin 30 The worthyes of Babylon shall leaue the battayle and kepe them selues in strong holdes their strength hath failed them they shal be lyke women their dwellyng places shal be burnt vp their barres shal be broken 31 One purseuaunt shall meete another yea one poste shall come by another to bryng the kyng of Babylon tidinges that his citie is taken on euery syde 32 The foordes occupied the fennes burnt vp and the souldiers sore afrayde 33 For thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel The daughter of Babylon hath ben in her tyme lyke as a threshyng floore but shortly shall her haruest come 34 Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon hath deuoured and destroyed me he hath made me an emptie vessell he swalowed me vp lyke a dragon and fylled his belly with my delicates he hath cast me out 35 My substaunce wherof he hath spoyled me and the thyng that was left me which he hath caryed away crye out against Babylon saith the daughter that dwelleth in Sion yea and my blood also agaynst the Chaldees saith Hierusalem 36 Therfore thus saith the Lorde Beholde I wyll defende thy cause and auenge thee I wyll drynke vp her sea and drye vp her water sprynges 37 Babylon shall become an heape of stones a dwellyng place for dragons a fearefulnesse and wonderyng and no man shall dwell there 38 They shall rore together lyke lions and as the young lions when they be angry so shall they bende them selues 39 In their heate I shall geue them a dinner and they shal be drunken for ioy then shall they sleepe an euerlastyng sleepe and neuer wake saith the Lorde 40 I shall cary them downe to be slayne lyke sheepe lyke weathers and goates 41 O howe was Sesach wonne O howe was the glorie of the whole lande taken howe happeneth it that Babylon is so wondred at among the heathen 42 The sea is risen ouer Babylon hath couered her with her great waues 43 Her cities are layde waste the lande lyeth vnbuilded and voyde it is a lande where no man dwelleth and where no man trauayleth through 44 Moreouer I wyll visite Bell at Babylon the thyng that he hath swalowed vp that same shall I plucke out of his mouth the gentiles also shall runne no more vnto hym yea and the walles of Babylon shall fall 45 O my people come out of Babylon that euery man may saue his life from the fearfull wrath of the Lorde 46 Be not faynt hearted and feare not at euery rumoure that shal be hearde in the lande for euery yere bryngeth newe tidinges and in the yere folowing newe tidinges and robbyng in the lande and lorde vpon lorde 47 And lo the tyme commeth that I will visite the images of Babylon and the whole lande shal be confounded yea and her slayne shall lye in the middest of her 48 Heauen and
wyther 3 Thus sayth the Lord For three wickednesses of Damascus and for foure I will not spare her because they haue threshed Gilead with iron flales 4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael and it shall deuoure the palaces of Benhadad 5 I will breake also the barres of Damascus and roote out the inhabitoures from the playne of Auen and him that holdeth the scepter out of the house of Eden and the people of Syria shall go into captiuitie vnto Kir sayth the Lord. 6 Thus sayth the Lorde For three wickednesses of Azza and for foure I will not spare her because they caried away prisoners into captiuitie to shut them vp in Edom. 7 Therfore will I sende a fire vpon the walles of Azza whiche shall deuoure her palaces 8 And I will cut of the inhabiter from Asdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ascalon turne my hande to Ecron the remnaunt of the Philistines shall perishe sayth the Lorde God 9 Thus sayth the Lorde For three wickednesses of Tyre and for foure I will not spare her because they shut the whole captiuitie in Edom and haue not remembred the brotherly couenaunt 10 Therfore will I send a fire vpon the wall of Tyre and it shall consume the palaces therof 11 Thus sayth the Lord For three wickednesses of Edom and for foure I wil not spare him because he pursued his brother with the sworde and did cast of al pitie and in his anger spoyled him continually and his indignation he kept alwayes 12 Therfore will I send a fire into Theman which shal deuoure the palaces of Bozra 13 Thus saith the Lord For three wickednesses of the children of Ammon and for foure I will not spare them because they haue ript vp the women with childe of Gilead that they might enlarge their borders 14 Therefore will I kindle a fire in the walles of Rabbah that shall consume her palaces with a great crye in the day of battell and with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde 15 And their king shall go into captiuitie he and his princes together sayth the Lorde The .ii. Chapter He prophecieth against Moab Iuda and Israel 1 THus sayth the Lorde For three wickednesses of Moab for foure I will not spare him because he burnt the bones of the king of Edom into lime 2 Therfore will I send a fire into Moab which shal consume the palaces of Carioth and Moab shall die with tumult with showting and with the sounde of the trumpet 3 And I will cut of the iudge out of the mids therof and wil slay all the princes therof with him sayth the Lorde 4 Thus sayth the Lorde For three wickednesses of Iuda and for foure I will not spare hym because they haue cast away the lawe of the Lord and haue not kept his ordinaunces and their lies caused them to erre after the which their fathers walked 5 Therfore will I send a fire into Iuda which shall consume the palaces of Hierusalem 6 Thus sayth the Lorde For three wickednesses of Israel and for foure I wil not spare hym because they solde the righteous for siluer and the poore for a paire of shoes 7 They gape for breath ouer the head of the poore in the dust of the earth peruert the way of the meke A man and his father will go in to one mayde to dishonour my holy name 8 And they lye vpon clothes layde to pledge by euery aulter and in the house of their god they drinke the wine of the condempned 9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them whose heyght was like the height of the Cedar trees and he was strong as the okes notwithstanding I destroyed his fruite from aboue and his roote from beneath 10 Also I brought you vp from the lande of Egypt led you fourtie yeres thorow the wildernesse to possesse the lande of the Amorites 11 And I raysed vp of your sonnes for prophetes and of your young men for Nazarites Is it not euen thus O ye children of Israel fayth the Lorde 12 But ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke and commaunded the prophetes saying Prophecie not 13 Beholde I am pressed vnder you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues 14 Therfore the flight shall perishe from the swift and the strong shal not strengthen his force neither shall the mightie saue his life 15 Nor he that handleth the bowe shall stande nor he that is swift of foote shall escape neither shall he that rydeth the horse saue his life 16 And he that is of mightie courage among the strong men shal flee away naked in that day sayth the Lorde The .iii. Chapter 1 He reproueth the house of Israel of ingratitude foreshewing gods most iust punishement for the same 9 Straungers are called to see the equitie of gods iudgementes against Israel 1 HEare this worde that the Lord pronounceth against you O children of Israel euen against the whole familie whiche I brought vp from the lande of Egypt saying 2 You only haue I knowen of al the families of the earth therfore I will visite you for all your iniquities 3 Can two walke together except they be agreed 4 Wyll a lion roare in the forest when he hath no pray or wil a lions whelpe crye out of his denne if he haue taken nothing 5 Can a birde fal in a snare vpon the earth where no fouler is or wil he take vp the snare from the earth and haue taken nothing at all 6 Or shall a trumpet be blowen in the citie the people be not afrayde or shall there be euyll in a citie and the Lorde hath not done it 7 Surely the Lord God wil do nothing but he reuealeth his secrete vnto his seruauntes the prophetes 8 The lion hath roared who wil not be afrayde The Lorde God hath spoken who can but prophecie 9 Proclame in the palaces at Asood and in the palaces in the lande of Egypt and say Assemble your selues vpon the mountaynes of Samaria and beholde the great tumultes in the mids thereof and the oppressed in the mids therof 10 For they know not to do right sayth the Lorde they store vp violence and robberie in their palaces 11 Therfore thus sayth the Lord God An aduersarie shall come euen round about the countrey and shall bring downe thy strength from thee and thy palaces shal be spoyled 12 Thus sayth the Lorde As the sheephearde taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legges or a peece of an eare so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus as in a couche 13 Heare and testifie in the house of Iacob saith the Lord God the God of hoastes 14 That in the day that I shall visite the
wouldest say vnto me I neuer went downe yet into the deepe nor hel neither did I euer climbe vp into heauen 9 Neuerthelesse nowe haue I asked thee but only of fire and winde and of the day wherthrough thou hast trauayled and from the which thou canst not be separated and yet canst thou geue me no aunswere of them 10 He sayde moreouer vnto me Thyne owne thynges and such as are growen vp with thee canst thou not knowe 11 Howe shoulde thy vessell then be able to comprehende the way of the highest and nowe outwardly in the corrupt worlde to vnderstande the corruption that is euident in my syght 12 Then sayde I vnto hym It were better that we were not at all then that we shoulde lyue in wickednesse and to suffer and not to knowe wherfore 13 He aunswered me and sayde I came to a forrest in a playne and the trees toke such a deuice 14 And sayde Come let vs go and fyght against the sea that it may depart away before vs and that we may make yet more woods 15 The fluddes of the sea also in lyke maner toke counsayle and sayd Come let vs go vp and fyght against the trees of the wood that there we may make vs another countrey 16 The thought and deuise of the wood was but vayne and nothyng worth for the fire came and consumed it 17 The thought of the fluddes of the sea came lykewyse to naught also for the sande stoode vp and stopped them 18 If thou were iudge nowe betwixt these two whom wouldest thou iustifie or whom wouldest thou condempne 19 I aunswered and sayde Veryly it is a foolishe thought that they both haue deuised For the grounde is geuen vnto the wood and the sea also hath his place to beare his fluddes 20 Then aunswered he me and sayde Thou hast geuen a ryght iudgement but why iudgest thou not thy selfe also 21 For lyke as the grounde is geuen vnto the wood and the sea to his fluddes euen so they that dwell vpon earth may vnderstande nothyng but that which is vpon earth and he that dwelleth aboue the heauens may only vnderstande the thynges that are aboue the heauens 22 Then aunswered I and sayde I beseche thee O Lorde let me haue vnderstandyng 23 For it was not my mynde to be curious of thy hye thynges but of such as we dayly meddle withall namely as wherfore Israel is geuen vp as a reproche to the heathen and for what cause the people whom thou hast loued is geuen ouer vnto vngodly nations and why the lawe of our forefathers is brought to naught and the written couenauntes come to none effect 24 And we passe away out of the worlde as the grasshoppers and our lyfe is a very feare and we are not worthy to obteyne mercie 25 What wyll he do then vnto his name which is called vpon ouer vs Of these thynges haue I asked question 26 Then aunswered he me and sayde The more thou searchest the more thou shalt maruayle for the worlde hasteth fast to passe away 27 And can not comprehende the thinges that are promised to the ryghteous in tyme to come for this worlde is full of vnryghteousnesse and weakenesse 28 But as concernyng the thinges wherof thou askest me I wyll tell thee The euyll is sowen but the destruction therof is not yet come 29 If the euyll nowe that is sowen be not turned vpsyde downe and yf the place where the euyll is sowen passe not away then can not the thing come that is sowen with good 30 For the corne of euyll seede hath ben sowen in the heart of Adam from the begynnyng and howe much vngodlynesse hath he brought vp vnto this tyme and howe much shall he yet bring foorth vntyll he come into the barne 31 Ponder nowe by thy selfe howe great fruite of wickednesse the corne of euyll seede bryngeth foorth 32 And when the stalkes shal be cut downe which are without number howe great a barne shall it fyll 33 Then I aunswered and sayde Howe and when shall these thinges come to passe Wherefore are our yeres fewe and euyll 34 And he aunswered me saying Haste not thou to much aboue the most highest for thy hastinesse to be aboue hym is but vayne though thou do all that thou canst for it 35 Dyd not the soules also of the ryghteous aske question of these thynges in their chambers saying * Howe long shall I hope on this fashion when commeth the fruite of my barne and our rewarde 36 And vpon this Ieremiel tharchangel gaue them aunswere and sayde Euen when the number of the seedes is fylled in you for he hath wayghed the worlde in the ballaunce 37 In measure and number hath he measured the tymes and moueth it not nor shaketh it vntyll the sayde measure be fulfylled 38 Then aunswered I sayd O Lorde Lorde nowe are we all full of sinne 39 And for our sake peraduenture it is that the barne of the ryghteous are not fulfylled because of the sinnes of them that dwell vpon the earth 40 So he aunswered me and sayde Go thy way to a woman with childe and aske of her when she hath fulfylled her nine monethes if her wombe may kepe the birth any longer within her 41 Then sayde I No Lorde that can she not And he sayde vnto me In the graue the secrete places of soules are like the wombe of a woman 42 For like as a woman that trauayleth maketh haste to escape the necessitie of the trauayle euen so do these places haste to delyuer those thynges that are committed vnto them 43 Loke what thou desirest to see it shal be shewed thee from the begynnyng 44 Then aunswered I and sayde If I haue founde fauour in thy syght and yf it be possible and if I be meete therfore 45 Shewe me then whether there be more to come then is past or more past then is for to come 46 What is past I knowe but what is for to come I knowe not 47 And he sayde vnto me Stande vp vpon the ryght syde and I shall expounde the similitude vnto thee 48 So I stoode and beholde an hotte burnyng ouen passed by before me and it happened that when the flambe was gone by I loked and behold the smoke had the vpper hande 49 After this there passed by before me a watery cloude and sent downe much rayne with a storme and when the stormie rayne was past the droppes remayned styll 50 Then sayd he vnto me Consider with thy selfe lyke as the rayne is more then the droppes and as the fire exceedeth the smoke euen so the measure of the thynges that are past hath the vpperhande and the droppes and smoke worke much in quantitie 51 Then I prayed and sayde May I lyue thynkest thou vntyll that tyme or what shall happen in those dayes 52 He aunswered me and sayde As for the tokens wherof thou askest me I may tell thee of them in part but as
God shall helpe thee shortly 14 And Tobias saide vnto him Canst thou bring my sonne to Gabelus vnto the citie of Rages in Medea and when thou commest againe I shall pay thee thy hyre 15 And the angell saide vnto him I shall leade thy sonne and bring him to thee againe 16 Then Tobias aunswered him Tell me I pray thee of what house or of what tribe art thou 17 The angel Raphael saide vnto him Seekest thou after the kinred of an hireling or an hired man him selfe for thy sonne to go with him 18 But that I make thee not carefull I am Azarias the sonne of great Hanamas 19 And Tobias aunswered Thou art come of a great kinred but I pray thee be not displeased that I desire to know thy kindred 20 The angell said vnto him Thy sonne shall I leade foorth safely and bryng him whole sounde to thee againe 21 Then aunswered Tobias and saide well go on your way and God be in your iourney and his angell beare you company 22 So when they had prepared all thinges that they woulde take with them in their iourney Tobias bade his father and his mother farewell and they went on their way both together 23 Nowe when they were gone his mother began to weepe saide The staffe of our age hast thou taken away and sent him from vs. 24 Woulde God that money had neuer ben for the which thou hast sent him away 25 For our pouertie was sufficient for vs why we shoulde haue counted it rychesse that we saw our sonne here 26 Then saide Tobias vnto her Weepe not our sonne shall go safely and come to vs againe sounde and thyne eyes shall see him 27 For I trust that the good angell of God shall beare him company and order well all the thinges that he doth so that he shall come to vs againe with ioy 28 At these wordes his mother left of from weeping and held her peace The .vj. Chapter 2 Tobias deliuered from the fishe 8 Raphael sheweth him certaine medicines 19 He conducteth him toward Sara 1 SO Tobias went on his way and a dogge folowed him and the first night they abode by the water of Tigris 2 Then went he out to washe his feete and beholde there came foorth an horrible fishe to deuour him 3 Of whom Tobias was afrayde and cryed with a loude voyce saying Lord he commeth vpon me 4 And the angell saide vnto him Take him by the gyll and drawe him to thee And he did so and drew him vpon the lande and the fishe began to leape at his feete 5 Then saide the angell vnto him Take out the bowels of this fishe as for the heart the gal and the lyuer keepe them by thee for these thinges are necessary and good for medicines 6 Tobias did so and rosted the flesh and they tooke it with them in their iourney the residue they salted as much as was sufficient for them tyll they came to Rages a citie of the Medes 7 Then Tobias asked the angell and saide vnto him I pray thee brother Azaria tell me whereto are these thinges good of the fishe that thou hast bidden me keepe 8 The angell aunswered him and said If thou layest a peece of the heart vpon the coales the smoke thereof dryueth away all maner of euill spirites whether it be from man or from woman so that from thencefoorth the same shall come no more vnto them 9 The gal is good to annoynt or to strike the eyes withall where as there is any blemishe in them so that they shal be whole 10 And Tobias saide vnto him Where wilt thou that we remaine The angell aunswered 11 And saide Here is a nye kinsman of thyne and of thy tribe one Raguel by name which hath a daughter called Sara hath neither sonne nor daughter but her 12 All his good belongeth vnto thee and thou must mary her 13 And therefore desire her of her father and he shall geue her thee to wyfe 14 Then aunswered Tobias and saide As I vnderstand she hath ben maryed vnto seuen husbandes and they all are dead and I haue heard say that the deuill slue them 15 I am afrayd therfore lest such thinges happen vnto me also which if it came to passe seeing I am the onely sonne of my father and my mother I should bryng them in their age with sorowe to their graues 16 Then saide the angell Raphael vnto him Heare me I wyll tell thee what they be of whom the deuil hath power 17 Namely they that receaue mariage after such a fashion that they shut God out from them and from their heart and geue them selues to their owne lust euen as it were an Horse Mule which haue no vnderstanding vpon such hath the deuill power 18 But when thou takest her and art come in to the chamber withhold thy selfe from her three dayes and geue thy diligence vnto nothing but vnto prayer with her 19 And in the first night rost the lyuer of the fishe and the deuill shal be driuen away 20 The second night shalt thou be receaued into the company of the holy patriarches 12 The third night shalt thou obtayne the blessing of God so that whole children shall be borne of you 22 After the third night take the mayden in the feare of God and more for the desire of children then for any fleshely lust that in the seede of Abraham thou mayest obtayne the blessing in children ¶ The .vii. Chapter Tobias maryeth Sara Raguels daughter 1 THen went they in to Raguel which receaued them ioyfully 2 And when Raguel loked vpon Tobias he saide vnto Anna his wyfe How lyke is this young man vnto my sisters sonne 3 And when he had spoken this he said Whence be ye ye young men and our brethren They saide Of the tribe of Nephthali out of the captiuitie of Niniue 4 Then said Raguel vnto them Know ye my brother Tobias They saide yea we know him well 5 And when he had spoken much good of him the angell saide vnto Raguel Tobias of whom thou askest is this young mans father 6 Then Raguel bowed him selfe downe and wept and toke him about the necke and kissed him 7 And saide Gods blessing haue thou my sonne for thou art the sonne of a good vertuous man 8 And Anna his wyfe and Sara his daughter wept also 9 Now when they had talked together Raguel bade kill a wether to make a feaste And when he had exhorted them to sit downe to dinner 10 Tobias saide I wyll neither eate nor drinke here this day except thou first graunt me my petition and promise me to geue me thy daughter Sara 11 When Raguel heard this he was astonied for he knewe what had happened vnto the other seuen men that went in vnto her and he began to feare that it shoulde chaunce vnto him also in lyke maner And while he stoode so in doubt and gaue the young man no aunswere 12 The angell
without the striking of any battayl set men to kepe the welles that they drawe no water out of them so shalt thou destroy them without sworde or at the least they shall be so feeble that they must be fayne to geue ouer the citie which they thinke not able to be wunne for so much as it lyeth in the mountaynes 10 These wordes pleased Holophernes wel and all his men of warre and he set an hundreth at euery well round about 11 And when this watch had endured twentie dayes the cesternes and all that had water fayled them that dwelt in the citie of Bethulia so that in the whole citie they had not drincke inough for one day for the people had water geuen them dayly in a measure 12 Then came the men and women young persons and children al vnto Osias and sayd al with one voyce 13 God be iudge betwixt vs and thee for thou hast dealt euyll with vs thou wouldest not speake peaceably with the king of the Assyrians therefore hath God solde vs into their handes 14 And there is no man to helpe vs wheras we are brought downe before their eyes in thirst and great destruction 15 Therefore gather now together all the people that be in the citie that we may all yeelde our selues wyllyngly vnto the people of Holophernes 16 For better it is that we be captiue and prayse the Lorde with our liues then to be slayne perishe and to be laughed to scorne and shamed of euery man when we see our wiues and children die before our eyes 17 We take heauen and earth this day to record the God of our fathers whiche punisheth vs according to the deseruing of our sinnes and geue you warning that ye geue vp the citie nowe into the power of Holophernes hoast that our end may be short with the sworde which els shal endure long for want of water and for thirst 18 When they had spoken out these wordes there was a great weeping and howling in the whole congregation and that of euery man and they cryed a whole houre long vnto God with one voyce 19 Saying We haue sinned with our fathers we haue done a misse we haue dealt wickedly 20 Thou that art gratious haue mercie vpon vs or punishe our vnrighteousnes with thyne owne scourge and geue not those ouer that knowledge thee vnto a people which knowe thee not 21 That they may not say among the heathen Where is their God 22 And when they were so weery with this crying and weeping that they helde their peace 23 Osias stoode vp with watry eyes and sayde O take good heartes vnto you deare brethren and be of good cheare and let vs wayte yet these fiue dayes for mercie of the Lorde 24 Peraduenture he shal put away his indignation geue glorie vnto his name 25 But if he helpe vs not when the fiue dayes are past we shall do as ye haue sayde The .viii. Chapter 1 The parentage life and conuersation of Iudith 11 She rebuketh the fayntnesse of the gouernours 12 She sheweth that they shoulde not tempt God but wayte vpon him for succour 33 Her enterprise against the enemies 1 ANd it happened when these wordes came to the eares of Iudith a widdowe which was the daughter of Merari the sonne of Idox the sonne of Ioseph the sonne of Osia the sonne of Elai the sonne of Iamnor the sonne of Gedeon the sonne of Raphaim the sonne of Achitob the sonne of Melchia the sonne of Enan the sonne of Nathania the sonne of Salathiel the sonne of Simeon the sonne of Ruben 2 And her husband was called Manasses whiche dyed in the dayes of the barlye haruest 3 For whyle he was binding the sheaues together in the fielde the heate came vpon his head and he died at Bethulia his citie and there was he buried beside his fathers 4 Nowe was Iudith his desolate wyddowe three yeres and sixe monethes 5 And in the higher partes of her house she made her selfe a priuie chamber where she dwelt beyng closed in with her maydens 6 She ware a smocke of heere and fasted al the dayes of her life except the Sabbathes and newe moones and the solempne dayes that the people of Israel kept 7 She was a very faire and beautiful person her husbande also had left her great riches a plenteous houshold great vnmoueable possessions many cattell 8 This Iudith was a woman of a very good report with euery one for she feared the Lord greatly and there was no body that spake an euyll worde of her 9 When this Iudith hearde how Osias had promised the people that after the fift day he woulde geue vp the citie vnto the Assyrians she sent for the elders Chabri and Charmi. 10 And when they came to her she sayde What thing is this wherin Osias hath consented that if God helpe not within fiue dayes he will geue ouer the citie to the Assyrians 11 What are ye that ye tempt the Lorde 12 This deuice obtayneth no mercie of God but prouoketh hym vnto wrath and displeasure 13 Will ye set the mercie of the Lorde a time and appoynt him a day after your will 14 Neuerthelesse for so much as the Lord is pacient let vs rather repent in this powring out teares and beseching hym of grace 15 For God threatneth not as a man neither will he be prouoked vnto wrath as the children of men 16 And therfore let vs heartyly fal downe before him and serue hym with a meeke spirite 17 And with weeping eyes say vnto the Lorde that he deale with vs according to his owne wil speedyly in mercie that like as our heart is nowe vexed and brought low through the pride of them it may so be comforted through his grace 18 In so much as we folowe not the sinnes of our fathers which forsoke their God and worshipped other gods 19 For the which sinne they perished with the sword were spoyled and brought to shame of al their enemies As for vs we knowe none other God but only hym 20 For whose comfort let vs tary with meekenesse and he shall require make inquisition for our blood from the vexations of our enemies he shall bring downe all the heathen that rise vp against vs and put them to dishonour euen the Lord our God 21 Therefore deare brethren seyng ye are the honorable and elders in the people of God and their lyfe hangeth all vpon you lift vp their heartes with your exhortation that they may call to remembraunce howe our fathers also in times past were tempted that they might be proued if they worshipped their God a right 22 They ought to remember howe our father Abraham beyng tempted tryed through many tribulations was found a louer and friende of God 23 So was Isahac so was Iacob so was Moyses and all they that pleased God passed stedfast in faith through many folde troubles 24 Againe they that receaued not their temptations with the feare
thought scorne to yeelde them selues vnto you that they myght finde mercie in your sight 13 Therefore haue I deuised by my selfe after this maner I wyll go before the prince Holophernes and tell him all their secretes and wyll shewe him how he may come by them and winne them so that not one man of his hoast shall perishe 14 And when these men had heard her wordes and considered her faire face they were astonied for they wondred at her excellent beautie 15 And saide vnto her Thou hast saued thy lyf◠by findinge out this deuice that thou wouldest come downe to our lorde 16 And be thou sure that when thou commest vnto him he shall entreate thee well and thou shalt please him at the heart So they brought her in to Holophernes pauilion and tolde him of her 17 Nowe when she came in before him immediately he was ouercome and taken with her beautie 18 Then said his seruauntes who would despise the people of the Iewes that haue so faire women should we not by reason fight against them for these 19 So when Iudith sawe Holophernes sitting in a canapie that was wrought of purple silke golde smaragde and precious stones 20 She looked fast vpon him bowed her selfe and fel downe vpon the earth And Holophernes seruauntes tooke her vp agayne at their lordes commaundement The .xj. Chapter 1 Holophernes comforteth Iudith 3 and asketh the cause of her comming 5 She deceaueth him by her faire wordes 1 THen said Holophernes vnto her Be of good cheare and feare not in thyne heart for I neuer hurt man that would serue Nabuchodonosor the king 2 As for thy people if they had not despysed me I should not haue lyft vp my speare against them 3 But tell me nowe what is the cause that thou art departed from them and wherefore art thou come vnto vs 4 And Iudith saide vnto him Syr vnderstand the wordes of thy handemayden for if thou wylt do after the wordes of thy handmayden the Lorde shall bryng thy matter to a prosperous effect 5 As Nabuchodonosor the king of the earth lyueth and as his power liueth which is in thee to the punishment of all men that go wrong al men shal not onely be subdued vnto him through thee but al the beastes also of the fielde 6 For all people speake of thy prudent actiuitie and it hath euer ben reported how thou onely art good and mightie in all his kingdome and thy discretion is commended in all landes 7 The thing is manifest also that Achior spake it is well knowen what thou commaundest to do vnto him 8 For this is playne and of a suretie that our God is so wroth with vs by the reason of our sinnes that he hath shewed by his prophetes vnto the people howe that for their sinnes he wyll delyuer them ouer vnto the enemie 9 And for so much as the children of Israel knowe that they haue so displeased their God they are sore afrayde of thee 10 They suffer great hunger also and for want of water they are dead now in a maner 11 Moreouer they are appoynted to slay all their cattaile that they may drinke the blood of them 12 And are purposed to spend the holy thinges of their God which he hath forbydden them to touch as of corne wine and oyle they wil consume those thinges which they ought not to touch with their handes Seing nowe that they do these thinges it is a playne case that they must needes be destroyed 13 Which when I thy handmayden perceaued I fled from them and the Lord hath sent me to shewe thee these thinges 14 For I thy handmayden worship God euen here now besyde thee and thy handmayden shal go foorth and I wyl make my prayer vnto God 15 And he shall tell me when he wyll rewarde them their sinne then shall I come and shewe thee and bring thee through the middest of Hierusalem so that thou shalt haue al the people of Israel as sheepe without a shephearde there shall not so much as one dogge barke against thee 16 For these thinges are shewed me by the prouidence of God 17 And for so much as God is displeased with them he hath sent me to tell thee the same 18 These wordes pleased Holophernes and all his seruauntes which marueyled at the wysedome of her and said one to another 19 There is not such a woman vpō earth in fauour in beautie and discretion of wordes 20 And Holophernes said vnto her God hath done well that he hath sent thee hither before thy people that thou mayest geue them into our handes 21 And for so much as thy promise is good if thy God perfourme it vnto me he shal be my God also and thou shalt be excellent and great in the court of Nabuchodonosor and thy name shal be spoken of in all the lande ¶ The .xii. Chapter 1 Iudith woulde not pollute her selfe with the meate of the Gentiles 5 She maketh her request that she might go out by night to pray 11 Holophernes causeth her to come to the banquet 1 THen commaunded he her to go in where his treasure lay and charged that she shoulde haue her dwellyng there and appoynted what shoulde be geuen her from his table 2 Iudith aunswered him and saide As for the meate that thou hast commaunded to geue me I may not eate of it as now lest I displease my God but wyll eate of such as I haue brought with me 3 Then saide Holophernes vnto her If these thinges that thou hast brought with thee fayle what shall we do vnto thee 4 And Iudith saide As thy soule lyueth my Lorde thy handmayden shall not spend all this tyl God hath brought to passe in my hande the thinges that I haue deuised So his seruauntes brought her into the tent whereas he had appoynted 5 And as she was going in she desired that she might haue leaue to go foorth by night and before day to her prayer and to make intercession vnto the Lord. 6 Then commaunded Holophernes his chamberlaynes that she should go out and in at her pleasure to pray vnto God those three dayes 7 And so in the night season she went foorth into the valley of Bethulia and washed her selfe in the well water 8 And comming vp she besought the Lorde God of Israel that he woulde prosper her way for the deliueraunce of his people 9 And so she went in remayned cleane in her tent tyll she toke her meate in the euening 10 Vpon the fourth day it came to passe that Holophernes made a supper vnto his seruauntes and saide vnto Vagao his chamberlayne Go thy way counsell this Hebruesse that she may be wylling to consent to kepe company with me 11 For it were a shame vnto all the Assyrians that a woman shoulde so laugh a man to scorne that she were come from him vnmedled withall 12 Then went Vagao vnto Iudith and saide Let not the good daughter be afrayde
and my braunches are the braunches of honour and louing fauour 19 As the vine haue I brought foorth fruite of a sweete sauour my floures are the fruite of honour and riches 20 I am the mother of beautie of loue of feare of knowledge and of holy hope I geue eternall thinges to all my children to whom God hath commaunded 21 In me is all grace of lyfe and trueth in me is all hope of lyfe and vertue 22 O come vnto me al ye that be desirous of me fill your selues with my fruites 23 For my spirite is sweeter then hony and so is myne inheritaunce more then the hony combe the remembraunce of me endureth for euer more 24 They that eate me shall haue the more hunger and they that drinke me shall thirst the more 25 Who so hearkeneth vnto me shall not come to confusion and they that worke in me shall not offende they that take me to be knowen shall haue euerlasting lyfe 26 All these thinges are the booke of lyfe the couenaunt of the highest and the knowledge of the trueth Moyses commaunded the lawe in the preceptes of righteousnesse for an heritage vnto the house of Iacob and committed the promise vnto Israel 27 Be not weery to behaue yourselues valiauntly with the Lord that he may also confirme you Cleaue vnto him for the Lord almightie is but one God and besides hym there is none other sauiour 28 Out of Dauid his seruaunt he ordeyned to rayse vp a most mightie king sitting in the seate of honour for euermore 29 This filleth with wysdome lyke as the fludde of Phison and as the fludde of Tigris when the newe fruites are a growing 30 This bringeth a plenteous vnderstanding like Euphrates and filleth it vp as Iordane in the time of haruest 31 This maketh nurture to breake foorth as the light and as the water Gehon in the haruest 32 The first hath not knowen her perfectly no more shall the last seke out the grounde of her 33 For her thought is fuller then the sea and her counsell is profounder then the great deepe 34 I wysdome haue cast out fluddes I am as a great water brooke out of the riuer I am as the riuer Dorir and as a water conduite am I come out of the garden of pleasure 35 I sayde I will water the garden of my young plantes and fil the fruite of my byrth So my water brooke became exceeding great and my riuer approched vnto the sea 36 For I make doctrine to be vnto al men as light as the faire morning and I shal make it to be euer the clearer 37 I will pearse thorowe all the lower parties of the earth I will loke vpon al such as be a sleepe and lighten all them that put their trust in the Lorde 38 I shall yet powre out doctrine lyke as prophecie and leaue it vnto such as seke after wysdome and their generations shall I neuer fayle vnto the holy euerlasting worlde 39 Beholde howe that I haue not laboured for my selfe onely but for all them that seke after the trueth The .xxv. Chapter 1 Of three thinges whiche please God and of three which he hateth 7 Of nyne thinges that be not to be suspect and of the tenth 15 Chiefely of the malice of a woman 1 THree thinges there are that my spirite fauoureth which be also alowed before God and men The vnitie of brethren the loue of neyghbours a man and wyfe that agree well together 2 Three thinges there be which my soule hateth and I vtterly abhorre the life of them A poore man that is proude a riche man that is a lyar and an old body that doteth and is vnchaste 3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth what wilt thou find then in thine age 4 O howe pleasaunt a thing is it when gray headed men are discrete and when the elders can geue good counsell 5 O howe comely a thing is wisdome vnto aged men yea vnderstanding counsel to men of honour is a glorious thing 6 The crowne of olde men is to haue much experience and the feare of God is their worship 7 There be nyne thinges which I haue iudged in my heart to be happy and the tenth will I tell foorth vnto men with my tongue A man that whyle he liueth hath ioy of his children and seeth the fal of his enemies 8 Well is hym that dwelleth with an houswyfe of vnderstanding and that hath not fallen with his tongue and that hath not ben fayne to serue such as are vnmeete for him 9 Well is hym that findeth a faythfull friend and well is him which talketh of wysdome to an eare that heareth hym 10 O howe great is he that findeth wysdome and knowledge Yet is he not aboue him that feareth the Lorde 11 The feare of God hath set it selfe aboue all thinges 12 Blessed is the man vnto whom it is graunted to haue the feare of God vnto whom shall he be likened that kepeth it fast 13 The feare of God is the beginning of his loue and the beginning of fayth is to cleaue fast vnto it 14 The heauinesse of the heart is all the punishement and the wickednesse of a woman goeth aboue all 15 All punishement and plague is nothing in comparison of the plague of the heart euen so al wickednesse is nothing to the wickednesse of a woman 16 What so euer happeneth vnto a man is nothing in comparison of it that his euil willers do vnto him and al vengeaunce is nothing to the vengeaunce of the enemie 17 There is not a more wicked head then the head of the serpent and there is no wrath aboue the wrath of a woman 18 I wyll rather dwel with a lion and dragon then to kepe house with a wicked wyfe 19 The wickednesse of a woman chaungeth her face she shal moffle her countetaunce as it were a beare and as a sacke shal she shew it among the neyghbours 20 Her husbande is brought to shame among his neyghbours because of her when he heareth it it maketh him to sigh 21 All wickednesse is but litle to the wickednesse of a woman the portion of the vngodly shall fall vpon her 22 Lyke as the clymyng vp a sandy way is to the feete of the aged euen so is a wife full of wordes to a still quiete man 23 Loke not to narowly vpon the beautie of a woman lest thou be prouoked in desire towarde her 24 The wrath of a woman is dishonour and great confusion If a woman get the mastrie then is she contrarie to her husbande 25 A wicked wyfe maketh a sory heart an heauy countenaunce and a dead wound Weake handes feeble knees is a woman that her husband is not the better for 26 Of the woman came the beginning of sinne thorowe her we all are dead 27 Geue thy water no passage no not a litle neither geue a
wicked handes toke the holy vessels which other kinges and cities had geuen thyther for the garnishing honour of the place them toke he in his handes vnworthyly and defiled them 17 So mad was Antiochus that he considered not how that God was not a litle wroth for the sinnes of them that dwelt in the citie for the which such confusion came vpon that place 18 And why if it had not happened them to haue ben lapped in many sinnes this Antiochus assoone as he had come had sodenly ben punished and shut out of his presumption like as Heliodorus was whom Seleueus the king sent to robbe the treasurie 19 Neuerthelesse God hath not chosen the people for the places sake but the place for the peoples sake 20 And therefore is the place become partaker of the peoples trouble but afterward shall it enioy the wealth of them And lyke as it was now forsaken in the wrath of almightie God so when the great God is reconsiled it shal be set vp in hie worship againe 21 So when Antiochus had taken a thousand and eyght hundred talentes out of the temple he gat him to Antioch in al the haste thinking in his pride that he might make men saile vpon the drye lande and to go vpon the sea such an hie minde had he 22 He left deputies there to vexe the people at Hierusalem left he Philip a Phrygian in maners more cruell then him selfe that set him there 23 At Garizim he left Andronicus and Menelaus which were more greeuous to the citezins then other 24 Nowe as he was thus set in malice against the Iewes he sent Apollonius a cruell prince with an armie of twentie and two thousand commaunding him to slay those that were of perfect age and to sell the women maydens and children 25 When he came now to Hierusalem he faigned peace kept him still vntill the Sabbath day and then he commaunded his men to take them to their weapons for the Iewes kept holy day 26 And so he slue all them that were gone foorth to the open play running here and there through the citie with his men weaponed and murthered a great number 27 But Iudas Machabeus which was the tenth fled into the wildernesse led his lyfe there with his company among wylde beastes and vpon the mountaynes dwelling there and eating hearbes lest they shoulde be partakers of the filthynesse The .vj. Chapter 1 The Iewes are compelled to leaue the lawe of God 4 The temple is defiled 12 The readers are admonished that they shall not abhorre the aduersitie wherewith the Lorde afflicteth them 28 The greeuous paine of Eleazarus 1 NOt longe after this sent the king an olde man of Antioch for to compell the Iewes to transgresse the ordinaunces of the fathers of the lawe of God 2 To defile the temple that was at Hierusalem and to call it the temple of Iupiter Olimpius and that they shoulde be in Garizim as those which dwel at the place of Iupiter the harberous 3 This wicked sedition of the vngodlie was heauy vpon all the people 4 For the temple was full of voluptuousnes bibbing and bolling of the heathen of rybaudes and harlots together the women went into the holy place and bare in that was not lawfull 5 The aulter also was full of vnlawfull thinges which the law forbiddeth to lay vpon it 6 The Sabbathes were not kept the other solempne feastes of the land were not regarded to be plaine there durst no man be knowē that he was a Iewe. 7 In the day of the kinges birth they were compelled parforce to offer and when the feaste of Bacchus was kept they were constrayned to weare gar landes of iuie and so to go about to the honour of Bacchus 8 Moreouer through the counsell of Ptolomeus there went out a cōmaundement vnto the next cities of the heathen against the Iewes that the lyke custome banketting should be kept 9 And who so would not conforme them selues to the maners of the Gentiles should be put to death then might a man haue seene the present miserie 10 For there were two women accused to haue circumcized their sonnes whom when they had led rounde about the citie the babes hanging at their brestes they cast them downe headlonges ouer the walles 11 Some that were crept in dennes and had kept the Sabbath were accused vnto Philip and brent in the fire because that for the feare of God they kept the commaundement so stiffely and would not defende them selues 12 Now I beseche all those which reade this booke that they refuse it not for these fals of aduersitie and iudge the thinges that are happened for no destruction but for a chastening of our people 13 And why When God suffereth not sinners long to folow their owne minde but shortly punisheth them it is a token of his great louing kindnesse 14 For this grace haue we of God more then other people That he suffreth not vs long to sinne vnpunished lyke as other nations 15 That when the day of iudgement commeth he may punishe them in the fulnes of their sinnes 16 If we sinne he correcteth vs but he neuer withdraweth his mercie from vs and though he punishe with aduersitie yet doth he neuer forsake his people 17 But let this that we haue spoken now with fewe wordes be for a warning and exhortation of the heathen Now wyll we come to the declaring of the matter 18 Eleazar one of the principall scribes an aged man and of a well fauoured countenaunce was constrained to gape with open mouth and to eate swynes fleshe 19 But he desiring rather to dye gloriously then to lyue with shame offered him selfe willingly to the martirdome 20 Now when he saw that he must nedes go to it he toke it patiently for he was at a poynt with himselfe that he would not consent to any vnlawful thing for any pleasure of lyfe 21 They that stoode by being moued with pitie but not a right for the olde frendship of the man toke him aside priuilie and prayed him that he would let such fleshe be brought him as were lawfull to eate and then to make a countenaunce as though he had eaten of the flesh of the sacrifice like as the king commaunded 22 For so he might be deliuered from death and so for the olde frendship of the man they shewed him this kindnes 23 But he began to consider discreetely and as became his age and the excellencie of his auncient yeres and the honour of his gray heares whereunto he was come and his most honest conuersation from his childhood but chiefely the holy law made and geuen by God therefore he aunswered consequently and willed them straightwayes to send him to the graue 24 For it becommeth not mine age saide he in any wyse to dissemble whereby many young persons might thinke that Eleazar being fourscore yeres olde and ten were nowe gone to a straunge religion 25