When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wyne and knewe not whence it was but the ministers which drewe the water knewe the gouernour of the feast calleth the brydegrome 10 And sayth vnto hym Euery man at the begynnyng doth set foorth good wine and when men haue well dronke then that which is worse But thou hast kept the good wyne vntyll nowe 11 This begynnyng of miracles dyd Iesus in Cana of Galilee and shewed his glory his disciples beleued on hym ☜ 12 After this he went downe to Capernaum he and his mother and his brethren and his disciples and there continued not many dayes 13 ☞ And the Iewes Passouer was at hande Iesus went vp to Hierusalem 14 And founde sittyng in the temple those that solde oxen and sheepe and doues and chaungers of money 15 And when he had made as it were a scourge of small cordes he droue them all out of the temple with the sheepe oxen and powred out the chaungers money and ouerthrewe the tables 16 And saide vnto them that solde doues Haue these thinges hence and make not my fathers house an house of marchaundize 17 And his disciples remembred that it was written The zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me 18 Then aunswered the Iewes sayde vnto hym What token shewest thou vnto vs seeyng that thou doest these thynges 19 Iesus aunswered sayde vnto them Destroy this temple in three dayes I wyll reare it vp 20 Then sayde the Iewes fourtie and sixe yeres was this temple a buildyng and wilt thou reare it vp in three dayes 21 But he spake of the temple of his body 22 Assoone therfore as he was rysen from death agayne his disciples remembred that he thus had sayde And they beleued the scripture the wordes which Iesus had sayde 23 When he was in Hierusalem at the Passouer in the feast day many beleued on his name when they sawe his miracles which he dyd 24 But Iesus dyd not commit hym selfe vnto them because he knewe all men 25 And neded not that any shoulde testifie of man For he knewe what was in man ☜ ¶ The .iij. Chapter ¶ Christe teacheth Nicodemus 15 Of fayth 16 The loue of God towarde the worlde â—â— Condemnation 25 Iohn baptizeth 27 Iohn teacheth his disciples 1 THere was a man of the pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes 2 The same came to Iesus by night said vnto him Rabbi we knowe that thou art a teacher come from God for no man coulde do these miracles that thou doest except God were with him 3 Iesus aunswered sayde vnto hym Veryly veryly I say vnto thee except a man be borne agayne he can not see the kyngdome of God 4 Nicodemus sayth vnto hym Howe can a man be borne when he is olde can he enter into his mothers wombe and be borne agayne 5 Iesus aunswered Veryly veryly I say vnto thee except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not enter into the kyngdome of God 6 That which is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite 7 Maruayle not thou that I sayde to thee ye must be borne agayne 8 The wynde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sounde therof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whither it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite 9 Nicodemus aunswered and sayde vnto hym howe can these thynges be 10 Iesus aunswered sayde vnto hym Art thou a maister in Israel and knowest not these thynges 11 Veryly veryly I say vnto thee we speake that we do knowe testifie that we haue seene and ye receaue not our witnesse 12 If I haue tolde you earthly thynges and ye beleue not howe shall ye beleue yf I tell you of heauenly thynges 13 * And no man ascendeth vp to heauen but he that came downe from heauen euen the sonne of man which is in heauen 14 * And as Moyses lyft vp the serpent in the wyldernesse euen so must the sonne of man be lyft vp 15 That whosoeuer beleueth in hym perishe not but haue eternall lyfe ☜ 16 ☞ * For God so loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shoulde not perishe but haue euerlastyng lyfe 17 For God sent not his sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued He that beleueth on hym is not condempned 18 But he that beleueth not is condempned alredy because he hath not beleued in the name of the only begotteÌ„ sonne of God 19 And this is the condempnation that lyght is come into the worlde and men loued darknesse rather then lyght because their deedes were euyll 20 For euery one that euyll doeth hateth the lyght neither commeth to the light lest his deedes shoulde be reproued 21 But he that doeth trueth coÌ„meth to the lyght y t his deedes may be knowen howe that they are wrought in God ☜ 22 After these thynges came Iesus and his disciples into the lande of Iurie and there he taryed with theÌ„ * baptized 23 And Iohn also baptized in Enon besides Salim because there was much water there and they came and were baptized 24 For Iohn was not yet cast into prison 25 ☞ And there arose a question betwene Iohns disciples and the Iewes about purifiyng 26 And they came vnto Iohn and sayde vnto hym Rabbi he that was with thee beyonde Iordane to whom thou barest witnesse beholde the same baptizeth and all men come to hym 27 Iohn aunswered and sayde A man can receaue nothyng except it be geuen hym from heauen 28 Ye your selues are witnesses howe that I sayde I am not Christe but am sent before hym 29 He that hath y e bride is the bridegrome But the friende of the brydegrome which standeth heareth him reioyceth greatly because of y e brydegromes voyce This my ioy therfore is fulfylled 30 He must increace but I must decreace 31 He that commeth from an hye is aboue all He that is of the earth is earthlye and speaketh of the earth He that commeth from heauen is aboue all 32 And what he hath seene and hearde that he testifieth and no man receaueth his testimonie 33 He that hath receaued his testimonie hath set to his seale that God is true 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the wordes of God For God geueth not the spirite by measure vnto hym 35 The father loueth the sonne and hath geuen all thynges into his hande 36 He that beleueth on the sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe He that beleueth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abydeth on hym ☜ ⧠The .iiij. Chapter ¶ 7 Christe weryed asketh water of the woman of Samaria 10 The liuely water 24 He teacheth true worshippe 26
not let the people go to sacrifice vnto the Lorde 30 And Moyses went out from Pharao and prayed vnto the Lorde 31 And the Lorde did accordyng to the saying of Moyses and the flyes departed from Pharao and from his seruauntes and from his people and there remayned not one 32 And Pharao hardened his heart once more at this time and dyd not let the people go ¶ The .ix. Chapter 1 Death of cattell 8 Boyles 13 Hayle 27 Pharao acknowledgeth his offence and besecheth Moyses to pray for hym 33 When Moyses prayeth the hayle ceaseth 1 THe Lorde said vnto Moyses go in vnto Pharao and thou shalt tell hym Thus sayeth the Lorde God of the Hebrues Let my people go that they may serue me 2 If thou refuse to let them go and wylt holde them styll 3 Beholde the hande of the Lorde is vpon thy flocke which is in the fielde for vpon Horses vpon asses vpon camelles vpon oxen and vpon sheepe there shal be a mightie great morayne 4 And the Lorde shall do wonderfully betweene the beastes of Israel and the beastes of Egypt so that there shall nothyng dye of all that pertayneth to the children of Israel 5 And the Lorde appoynted a tyme saying to morowe the Lorde shall finishe this worde in the lande 6 And the Lorde dyd that thyng on the morowe and all the cattell of Egypt dyed but of the cattell of the children of Israel dyed not one 7 And Pharao sent and beholde there was not one of the cattell of the Israelites dead And the heart of Pharao heardened and he did not let the people go 8 And the Lord said vnto Moyses and Aaron take your handes full of asshes out of y e furnace Moyses shal sprinckle it vp into the ayre in y e sight of Pharao 9 And it shal be dust in all the lande of Egypt and shal be swelling sores with blaynes both on man beast throughout all the lande of Egypt 10 And they toke asshes out of the furnace and stoode before Pharao and Moyses sprinkled it vp into the ayre and there were swellyng sores with blaynes both in men and in beastes 11 And the sorcerers could not stande before Moyses because of the blaynes for there were botches vpon the enchaunters and vpon al the Egyptians 12 And the Lorde hardened the heart of Pharao and he hearkened not vnto them as y e Lord had said vnto Moyses 13 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses rise vp early in the morning and stande before Pharao and thou shalt tell him Thus sayeth the Lorde God of the Hebrues Let my people go that they may serue me 14 Or els I wyll at this tyme sende all my plagues vpon thine heart and vpon thy seruauntes and on thy people that thou mayest knowe that there is none lyke me in all the earth 15 For now I will stretch out my hand that I may smyte thee and thy people with pestilence and thou shalt peryshe from the earth 16 And in very deede for this cause haue I kept thee for to shewe thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the worlde 17 Yet exaltest thou thy selfe agaynst my people that thou wylt not let them go 18 Beholde to morowe this time I wyl sende downe a mightie great hayle euen suche a one as was not in Egypt since the foundation thereof was layde vnto this tyme. 19 Sende therfore nowe and gather thy beastes all that thou hast in the fielde For vpon all the men and the beastes whiche are founde in the fielde and not brought home shall the hayle fall and they shall dye 20 And as many as feared the worde of the Lorde amongest the seruauntes of Pharao made their seruauntes and their beastes flee into the houses 21 But he that regarded not the worde of the Lord left his seruauntes and his beastes in the fielde 22 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses stretche foorth thyne hande vnto heauen that there may be hayle in all the lande of Egypt vpon man and vpon beastes and vpon all the hearbes of the fielde throughout the lande of Egypt 23 And Moyses stretched foorth his rod vnto heauen and the Lord thundred and hayled and the fire ranne a long vpon the grounde and the Lorde hayled in the lande of Egypt 24 So there was hayle and fire mingled with the hayle so greeuous and such as there was none throughout al the land of Egypt since people inhabited it 25 And the hayle smote throughout all the lande of Egypt all that was in the fielde both man beast and the hayle smote all the hearbes of the fielde and broke all the trees of the fielde 26 Only in the lande of Gosen where the chyldren of Israel were was there no hayle 27 And Pharao sent and called for Moyses and Aaron and sayde vnto them I haue nowe sinned the Lorde is righteous and I my people are vngodly 28 Pray ye vnto the Lorde that these thundringes of God and hayle may be sufficient and I will let you go and ye shall tary no longer 29 Moyses sayd vnto him Assoone as I am out of the citie I wyll spreade abrode my handes vnto the Lorde and the thunder shall ceasse neyther shall there be any more hayle that thou mayest knowe howe that the earth is the Lordes 30 But I knowe that thou and thy seruauntes yet feare not the face of the Lorde God 31 And so the flaxe and the barlye were smytten for the barly was shot vp and the flaxe was boulled 32 But the wheate and the rye were not smytten for they were late sowen 33 And Moyses went out of the citie frō Pharao and spread abrode his handes vnto the Lorde and the thunder and hayle ceassed neyther rayned it vpon the earth 34 And when Pharao sawe that the rayne and the hayle and thunder were ceassed he sinned yet more and hardened his heart he and his seruauntes 35 And the heart of Pharao was hardened neyther woulde he let the chyldren of Israel go as the Lorde had sayd by the hande of Moyses ¶ The .x. Chapter 1 God hardeneth Pharao 4 Moyses threatneth Pharao locustes 16 Pharao acknowledging his sinne requireth that prayer be made for him 19 Moyses prayeth for Pharao 21 Darknesse so grosse that it might be felt 1 AND the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses go in vnto Pharao for I haue hardened his heart the heart of his seruauntes that I might shewe these my signes before hym 2 And that thou tell in the audience of thy sonne of thy sonnes sonne what thinges I haue done in Egypt and the miracles which I haue done amongest them that they may know howe that I am the Lorde 3 And so Moyses and Aaron came vnto Pharao and said vnto him Thus sayeth the Lord God of the Hebrues How long wilt thou refuse to submit thy selfe vnto
great worshyp 24 Who so is partner with a thiefe hateth his owne soule he heareth blasphemie and telleth it not foorth 25 He that feareth men shall haue a fall but who so putteth his trust in the Lorde is without daunger 26 Many there be that seke the princes fauour but euery mans iudgement commeth from the Lorde 27 The righteous abhorreth the vngodlye and the wicked hateth hym that is in the ryght way The .xxx. Chapter ¶ The purenesse of the worde of God and what we ought to require of God with certayne wonderfull thynges that are in this worlde ' ¶ THE wordes of Agur the sonne of Iake 1 And the prophecie that the same man spake vnto Ithiel euen vnto Ithiel and Vchal 2 SVrely I am more foolishe then any man and haue no mans vnderstandyng 3 I neuer learned wisdome nor had knowledge of holy thynges 4 Who hath clymed vp into heauen and come downe from thence who hath holden the wynde fast in his hande who hath gathered together the waters in a garment who hath establisshed all the endes of the worlde what is his name and what is his sonnes name yf thou canst tell 5 Euery worde of God is pure he is a shielde vnto all them that put their trust in hym 6 Put thou nothyng vnto his wordes lest he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar ' 7 Two thinges haue I required of thee ' denie me them not before I dye 8 Remoue farre fro me vanitie and lyes geue me neither pouertie nor riches only graunt me a necessary lyuyng 9 Lest peraduenture I beyng full shoulde denie thee and say who is the Lorde or beyng oppressed with pouertie fall to stealyng and forswere the name of my God 10 Accuse not a seruaunt vnto his maister lest he speake euyll of thee and thou be hurt 11 There is a generation that curseth their father and doth not blesse their mother 12 There is a generation that thynke them selues cleane and yet is not cleansed from their filthinesse 13 There is a generation that hath a proude loke and doth cast vp their eye lyddes 14 There is a generation whose teeth are as swordes and their chawes as knyues to deuour the poore from of the earth the needy from among men 15 The horse leache hath two daughters crying bryng hyther bryng hyther There be three thynges that are neuer satisfied yea foure thynges sayth neuer hoe 16 The graue the barren wombe and the earth that hath neuer water enough as for fire it sayth neuer hoe 17 Who so laugheth his father to scorne and setteth his mothers commaundement at naught the rauens of the valley picke out his eyes and deuoured be he of the young Egles 18 There be three thynges whiche are wonderfull to me yea foure whiche passe my vnderstandyng 19 The way of an Egle in the ayre the way of a serpent vpon a stone the way of a ship in the middest of the sea and the way of a man with a young woman 20 Such is the way also of a wyfe that breaketh wedlocke which wypeth her mouth lyke as when she hath eaten and sayth as for me I haue done no wickednesse 21 For three thynges the earth is disquieted ' and the fourth may it not abyde ' 22 A seruaunt that beareth rule a foole ' that is full fedde ' 23 A spiteful woman when she is maried and an handmayde that is heire to her maistresse 24 These be foure thynges in the earth the which are very litle but in wisdome they exceede the wyse 25 The emmets are but a weake people which yet gather their meate in the sommer 26 The conies are but a feeble folke yet make their boroughes among the rockes 27 The grashoppers haue not a guide ' yet go they foorth together by heapes ' 28 The spyder laboureth with her ' handes and is in kynges palaces ' 29 There be three thynges that go well ' yea foure are comely in goyng ' 30 A lion whiche is strongest among beastes and shunneth not at the syght of any 31 A grayhounde strong in the hynder partes a ramme also and a king against whom no man aryseth vp 32 If thou hast done foolishly when thou ' wast in hye estate or yf thou hast taken euyll counsayle then lay thine hande vpon thy mouth 33 Who so chirneth mylke bringeth foorth butter and he that rubbeth his nose maketh it bleede Euen so he that forceth wrath bringeth foorth strife The .xxxj. Chapter 2 He exhorteth to chastitie and iustice 10 And sheweth the condicions of a wise and worthy woman 1 THE wordes of king Lamuel and the lesson that his mother taught him 2 WHat my sonne what the sonne of my body and what O my deare beloued sonne Geue not ouer thy strength wayes vnto women which are the destruction euen of kynges 4 O Lamuel it is not for kynges it is not I say for kynges to drynke wine nor princes strong drynke 5 Lest they by drnkyng forget the lawe and peruert the iudgement of all poore mens children 6 Geue strong drynke vnto such as are redy to perishe and wine vnto those that mourne 7 That they may drynke it and forget their miserie and aduersitie 8 Be thou an aduocate for the dumbe to speake in the cause of all such as be succourlesse in this transitorie worlde 9 Open thy mouth defende the thyng that is lawfull and ryght and the cause of the poore and helpelesse 10 Who so fyndeth an honest faythfull woman she is much more worth then pearles 11 The heart of her husbande may safely trust in her so that he shall fall into no pouertie 12 She wyll do hym good and not euill all the dayes of her lyfe 13 She occupieth wooll and flaxe and laboureth gladly with her handes 14 She is like a marchauntes ship that bryngeth her vittayles from a farre 15 She is vp in the nyght season to prouide meate for her housholde and foode for her maydens 16 She considereth lande and byeth it and with the fruite of her handes she planteth a vineyarde 17 She girdeth her loynes with strength and fortifieth her armes 18 And yf she perceaue that her huswiferie doth good her candell goeth not out by nyght 19 She layeth her fingers to the spindle her hande taketh holde of the distaffe 20 She openeth her hande to the poore yea she stretcheth foorth her handes to such as haue neede 21 She feareth not that the colde of wynter shall hurt her housholde for all her housholde folkes are clothed with scarlet 22 She maketh her selfe faire ornamētes her clothyng is white silke and purple 23 Her husbande is much set by in the gates when he sitteth among the rulers of the lande 24 She maketh cloth of silke and selleth it and deliuereth girdles vnto the marchaunt 25 Strength and honour is her clothing and in the latter day she shall reioyce
Stoupe downe that we may go ouer thee make thy body euen with the grounde and as the streete to go vpon ¶ The .lij. Chapter 1 An exhortation and comfort to the people of God 1 VP Sion vp take thy strength vnto thee put on thyne honest rayment O Hierusalem thou holy citie for from this tyme foorth there shall no vncircumcised nor vncleane person come in thee 2 Shake thee from the dust arise and stande vp O Hierusalem Plucke out thy necke from the bonde O thou captiue daughter Sion 3 For thus saith the Lorde ye are solde for naught therfore shal ye be redeemed also without any money 4 For thus saith the Lorde God My people went downe afore tyme into Egypt there to be straungers and the kyng of the Assyrians oppressed them without any cause 5 And nowe what profite is it to me saith the Lorde that my people is freely caryed away brought into heauinesse by their rulers and my name euer styll blasphemed saith the Lorde 6 But that my people may knowe my name I my selfe wyll speake in that day Beholde here am I. 7 O howe beautifull are the feete of the embassadour that bryngeth the message from the mountayne and proclaymeth peace that bryngeth the good tidinges and preacheth health and saith vnto Sion Thy God is the kyng 8 Thy watchmen shall lyft vp their voyce with loude voyce they shall reioyce together for they shall see plainly when the Lorde shall conuert Sion 9 Be glad O thou desolate Hierusalem and reioyce together for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath deliuered Hierusalem 10 The Lorde hath made bare his holy arme and shewed it foorth in the syght of all the gentiles and all the endes of the earth hath seene the sauyng health of our God 11 Away away get you out from hence and touche no vncleane thyng Go out from among such and be cleane that beare the vessell of the Lorde 12 For ye shall not escape by runnyng nor by fleeyng away but the Lorde shall go before you and the God of Israel shall gather you together 13 Beholde my seruaunt shal deale prosperously therfore shal he be magnified exalted and greatly honoured 14 Lyke as the multitude shall wonder vpon hym because his face shal be so defourmed and not as mans face his beautie like no man 15 Euen so shall the multitude of the gentiles speake of him and kynges shall shut their mouthes before hym for they haue seene that which was not tolde to them and haue vnderstande that wherof they had not hearde The .liij. Chapter 1 He prophecâ—eth euidently of the passion of our sauiour Iesus Christe 1 BVt who hath geuen credence vnto our preaching or to whom is the arme of the Lorde knowen 2 For he dyd growe before the Lorde like as a braunche and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath neither beautie nor fauour when we loke vpon hym there shal be no fairenesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym 3 He is dispised and abhorred of men he is such a man as hath good experience of sorowes and infirmities We haue reckened hym so vile that we hyd our faces from hym 4 Howbeit he only hath taken on him our infirmitie and borne our paynes Yet we dyd iudge hym as though he were plagued and cast downe of God 5 Wheras he notwithstandyng was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse for the payne of our punishment was layde vpon hym and with his stripes are we healed 6 As for vs we are all gone astray lyke sheepe euery one hath turned his owne way but the Lord hath throwen vpon hym all our sinnes 7 He suffered violence and was euyll intreated and dyd not open his mouth He shal be led as a sheepe to be slayne yet shall he be as styll as a lambe before the shearer and not open his mouth 8 From the prison and iudgement was he taken and his generation who can declare for he was cut of from the grounde of the lyuyng which punishment dyd go vpon hym for the transgression of my people 9 His graue was geuen hym with the condempned and with the riche man at his death wheras he did neuer violence nor vnright neither hath there ben any disceiptfulnesse in his mouth 10 Yet hath it pleased the Lord to smite hym with infirmitie that when he had made his soule an offeryng for sinne he might see long lastyng seede and this deuice of the Lorde shall prosper in his hande 11 Of the trauayle and labour of his soule shall he see the fruite be satisfied My righteous seruaunt shall with his knowledge iustifie the multitude for he shall beare their sinnes 12 Therfore wyll I geue hym among the great ones his part and he shall deuide the spoyle with the mightie because he geueth ouer his soule to death and is reckened among the transgressours which neuerthelesse hath taken away the sinnes of the multitude and made intercession for the misdoers The .liiij. Chapter 1 Of the great dominion of Christe 7 The indignation of God endureth but a short space but his mercie is euerlastyng 1 BE glad nowe thou baren that bearest not reioyce syng and be mery thou that art not with childe for the desolate hath mo childreÌ„ then the maryed wyfe saith the Lorde 2 Make thy tent wyder and spreade out the hanginges of thine habitation spare not lay foorth thy wardes and make fast thy stakes 3 For thou shalt be multiplied on the ryght syde and on the left and thy seede shall haue the gentiles in possession and dwell in the desolate cities 4 Feare not for thou shalt not be confounded be not ashamed for thou shalt not come to confusion Yea thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth and shalt not remember the dishonour of thy widowhead 5 For he that made thee shal be thy Lorde and husbande whose name is the Lord of hoastes and thy redeemer shal be euen the holy one of Israel the Lorde of the whole worlde 6 For the Lorde hath called thee beyng as a desolate sorowfull woman and as a young wyfe that was forsaken saith thy God 7 A litle while haue I forsaken thee but with great mercifulnesse shall I take thee vp vnto me 8 When I was angry I hyd my face from thee for a litle season but through euerlastyng goodnesse haue I pardoned thee saith the Lorde thy redeemer 9 And this is vnto me as the water of Noe for like as I haue sworne that I wyll not bryng the water of Noe any more vpon the worlde so haue I sworne that I wyll neuer be angry with thee nor reproue thee 10 The mountaynes shall remoue and the hylles shall fall downe but my louyng kyndnesse shall not moue and the bonde of my peace shall not fall downe from thee saith the Lorde thy
the fire shall deuoure thee the sword shall cut thee of shall deuoure as the locust though thou be multiplied as the locust though thou be as many as the grashopper 16 Thou hast increased thy marchauntes as the starres of heauen the locust spoyleth and fleeth away 17 Thy princes are as grashoppers and thy rulers as great locustes they swarme in hedges in cold weather the sunne ariseth and they flee and the place where they were is not knowen 18 Thy sheepheardes O king of Assur slumber thy noble men shall dwell in death thy people is scattered vpon the mountaynes there is none to gather them together 19 Thy wound shall not be healed thy plague is great all that heare of thee clap their handes For to whom hath not thy euil dealing pearsed continually ⧠The booke of the prophete Habacuc The first Chapter 1 A complaynt against the wicked that persecute the iust 6 He sheweth that the Chaldeans are raysed vp of the Lorde for the chastisement of the Iewes and describeth their armie 12 He comforteth the faythfull declaring that God will also destroy the Babylonians because they shall abuse their victorie and become proude and insolent attributing the prayse therof to their idoles 1 THe burdē which Habacuc the prophete dyd see 2 O Lorde howe long shall I crye and thou wilt not heare euen crye out vnto thee for violence and thou wilt not helpe 3 Why doest thou shew me iniquitie and cause me to beholde sorowe for spoyling and violence are before me there are that rayse vp stryfe and contention 4 Therfore the law is dissolued iudgement doth neuer go foorth for the wicked doth compasse about the righteous therfore wrong iudgement proceedeth 5 Behold among the heathen and regarde and wonder and marueyll for I will worke a worke in your dayes ye will not beleue it though it be tolde you 6 For lo I rayse vp the Chaldeans that bitter and furious nation whiche shall go vpon the breadth of the land to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs 7 They are terrible and fearfull their iudgement and their dignitie shall procede of them selues 8 Their horses also are swifter then the leopardes and are more fierce then the wolues in the euening and their horsemen shall come from farre they shall flee as the Egle hasting to meate 9 They come all to spoyle before their faces shal be an eastwinde and they shall gather the captiuitie as the sande 10 And they shall mocke the kinges and the princes shal be a scorne vnto them they shall deride euery strong hold for they shall gather dust and take it 11 Then shall they take a courage and transgresse and do wickedly imputing this their power vnto their god 12 Art not thou of olde O Lord my God my holy one we shall not dye O Lord thou hast ordeined them for iudgement and O God thou hast established them for correction 13 Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euyl thou canst not behold wickednesse wherfore then doest thou loke vpō the transgressours and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then he 14 And makest men as the fishe of the sea and as the creeping thinges that haue no ruler ouer them 15 They take vp all with the angle they catche it in their net and gather it in their yarne wherof they reioyce and are glad 16 Therfore they sacrifice vnto their net and burne incense vnto their yarne because by them their portion is fat and their meate plenteous 17 Shall they therfore stretche out their net and not spare continually to slay the nations The .ii. Chapter A vision against pryde couetousnesse drunkennesse and idolatrie 1 I Will stande vpon my watche and set me vpon the towre will loke and see what he will say vnto me and what I shall aunswere to him that rebuketh me 2 And the Lord aunswered me and said write the vision and make it plaine vpon tables that he may run that readeth it 3 For the vision is yet for an appoynted time but at the last it shall speake and not lye though it tary wayte for it shall surely come and shall not stay 4 Behold he that lifteth vp him selfe his minde is not vpright in him but the iust shall liue by his fayth 5 Yea in deede the proude man is as he that transgresseth by wine therfore shall he not endure because he hath enlarged his desire as the hell is as death and can not be satisfied but gathereth vnto him all nations and heapeth vnto him all people 6 Shall not all these take vp a parable against him and a taunting prouerbe against him and say Wo he that increaseth that which is not his how long and he that ladeth him selfe with thicke clay 7 Shall they not rise vp sodenly that shall byte thee and awake that shall stirre thee thou shalt be their pray 8 Because thou hast spoyled many nations all the remnaunt of the people shall spoyle thee because of mens blood and for the wrong done in the lande in the citie and vnto all that dwell therin 9 Wo he that coueteth an euyll couetousnesse to his house that he may set his nest on hie to escape from the power of euyll 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thyne owne house by destroying many people hast sinned against thyne owne soule 11 For the stone shall crye out of the wal and the beame out of the timber shall aunswere it 12 Wo vnto him that buyldeth a towne with blood and erecteth a citie by iniquitie 13 Behold is it not of the Lord of hoastes that the people shall labour in the very fire the people shall euen weery them selues for very vanitie 14 For the earth shal be filled with the knowledge of the glorie of the Lorde as the waters couer the sea 15 Wo vnto him that geueth his neyghbour drinke thou ioynest thy heate and makest him drunken also that thou mayest see their priuities 16 Thou art filled with shame for glorie drinke thou also and be made naked the cup of the Lordes right hand shal be turned vnto thee and shamefull spuyng shal be for thy glorie 17 For the crueltie of Libanus shall couer thee so shal the spoyle of the beastes which he made afrayde because of mens blood and for the wrong done in the land in the citie and vnto all that dwell therin 18 What profiteth the image for the maker therof hath made it an image and a teacher of lyes though he that made it trust therin when he maketh dumbe idoles 19 Wo vnto hym that sayth to the wood Awake and to the dumbe stone Rise vp it shall teache thee beholde it is layde ouer with gold and siluer there
men might knowe that thankes ought to be geuen vnto thee before the sunne ryse and that thou oughtest to be worshipped before the day spring 29 For the hope of the vnthankfull shall melt away as the winter yse and flowe away as vnprofitable water ¶ The .xvij. Chapter ¶ The iudgementes of God against the wicked 1 FOr great are thy iudgmentes O Lorde and can not be expressed therefore men do erre that wyll not be refourmed by thy wysdome 2 For when the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subiection they were bounde with the bandes of darknesse and long night shut vp vnder roofes and lay there to escape the eternall prouidence 3 And whyle they thought to be hyd in the darknesse of their sinnes they were scattered abrode in the very middest of the darke couering of forgetfulnesse put to horrible feare and wonderouslye vexed 4 For the corner where they lay hyd might not kepe them from feare because the soundes came rounde about them and vexed them yea many terrible and straunge visions appeared vnto them 5 No power of the fire might geue them light neither might the cleare flambes of the starres lightē the horrible night 6 But there appeared vnto them a sodayne fire only very dreadfull At the which sight wherin they sawe nothing throughly they were so afrayde that they thought the thing whiche they sawe to be the more fearefull 7 As for the illusions of the magicall art they came to naught and it was a most shamefull reproche of the pryde that they had of their owne wysdome 8 For they that promised to driue away the feares and troubles from the sicke soule were sicke them selues with feare worthy to be laughed at 9 For though no terrible thing did feare them yet were they afrayde at the beastes whiche passed by them and at the hissing of the serpentes 10 Insomuch that with trembling they sowned and sayde they sawe not the ayre whiche no man yet may escape 11 For malice is a dreadfull thing that is condempned by his owne witnesse and beyng pressed with conscience it euer suspecteth cruel thinges 12 For feare is nothing els but a betraying of the succours whiche reason offereth 13 And looke howe muche the lesse his hope is within the greater doth he recount his ignoraunce of that cause that bryngeth the torment 14 But they that dyd indure the night that in deede was intollerable and that came from the dungeons of intollerable hell sleping the same sleepe 15 Were somtimes chased with monsterous apparitions and sometymes they sowned as their owne soules had betrayed them for an hastie feare that was not looked for came vpon them 16 And thus whosoeuer was there fallen he was in pryson but without chaines 17 For whether a man had occupied husbandrie or had ben an heardman or labourer in the woods if he were taken he suffred intollerable necessitie 18 For they were all bounde with one chayne of darknesse whether it were a blasing winde or a sweete song of the byrdes among the thicke braunches of the trees or the vehemencie of hastie running water 19 Or great noyse of the falling downe of stones or the runnyng of playing beastes whiche they sawe not or the mightie noyse of roaring wilde beastes or the sounde that aunswered agayne in the holonesse of mountaynes these terrible thinges made them sowne for very feare 20 For all the earth shined with cleare light and no man was hindered in his labour 21 Onlye vpon them there fell a heauie night an image of darknesse that was to come vpon them Yea they were vnto them selues more heauie then darknesse ¶ The .xviij. Chapter 3 The firie piller that the Israelites had in Egypt 8 The deliueraunce of the faythfull 10 The Lorde smote the Egyptians 20 The sinne of the people in the wyldernesse 21 Aaron stoode betweene the liuing and the dead with his censure 1 NEuerthelesse thy saintes had a very great light whose voyce they hearing and not seeing their figure for that they suffred not the same thinges they thought them blessed 2 And for that they dyd not hurt them nowe of whom they had ben wronged before they thanked them besought them pardon of that they had ben enemies 3 Therfore thou gauest them a burning piller of fire to leade them in the vnknowen way and the sunne not to hurt them in their honourable iourney 4 But reason it was that they shoulde leese the light and be put in the pryson of darknesse whiche had kept thy chyldren shut vp by whom the vncorrupt light of the lawe was to be geuen vnto the worlde 5 After when they thought to slay the babes of the saintes one chylde beyng cast out and preserued to reproue them thou tokest away the whole multitude of their chyldren and destroyedst them altogether in a mightie water 6 Of that night were our fathers certified afore that they knowing vnto what othes they had geuen credence might be of good cheare 7 Thus thy people receaued the health of the righteous but the vngodly were destroyed 8 For like as thou hast reuenged our enemies so hast thou promoted vs whom thou hast called 9 For the righteous chyldren of the good men offred secretely and made a godly lawe with one consent that the saintes should in like maner receaue together both good and euil and that the fathers nowe should first sing prayses 10 But there was hearde a disagreing voyce of the enemies and there was a miserable lamentation for children that were bewayled 11 The maister and the seruaunt were punished after one maner and lyke as the king so suffred the common people 12 So they had innumerable that dyed with one kinde of death altogether neither were the liuing sufficient to bury the dead for in the twinckling of an eye the noblest ofspring of them was destroyed 13 For whereas they woulde discredite all thinges by reason of the inchauntmentes in the destruction of the first borne they acknowledged that this people was the chyldren of God 14 For whyle all thinges were styl in scilence and when the night was in the middest of her course thy almightie worde O Lorde lept downe from heauen out of thy royall trone 15 As a rough man of warre in the middest of the land that was destroyed 16 And brought thyne vnfayned commaundement as a sharpe sworde and standing vp filled all thinges with death yea it stoode vpon the earth and reached vnto the heauen 17 Then the sightes of the euyl dreames vexed them sodainly and fearefulnesse came vpon them vnawares 18 Then lay there one here another there halfe dead halfe quicke and shewed the cause of his death 19 For the visions that vexed them shewed them these thinges afore that they might not be ignoraunt wherefore they perished 20 Yea the temptation of death touched the righteous also and among the