maye be detter vnto God because y t by y e dedes of the lawe no flesh maye be iustified in his sighte For by the lawe commeth but the knowlege of synne But now without addinge to of y e lawe is the righteousnes which avayleth before God declared hauynge witnesse of y e lawe and the prophetes but I speake of y e righteousnes before God which cōmeth by the faith on Iesus Christ vnto all and vpō all them that beleue For here is no difference For they are all synners and wāte the prayse that God shulde haue of thē but without deseruynge are they made righteous euē by his grace thorow the redempcion that is done by Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth for a Mercyseate thorow faith in his bloude to shewe the righteousnes which avayleth before him in that he forgeueth the synnes which were done before vnder the sufferaunce of God which he suffred that at this tyme he mighte shewe y e righteousnes which avayleth before him y t he onely mighte be righteous the righteous maker of him which is of the faith on Iesus Where is now then thy reioysinge It is excluded By what lawe By the lawe of workes Nay but by the lawe of faith We holde therfore that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Or is God the God of the Iewes onely Is he not also the God of the Heythen Yes verely the God of the Heythen also for so moch as he is the God onely that iustifieth the circumcision which is of faith and the vncircūcision thorow faith Destroys we then the lawe thorow faith God forbyd But we mantayne the lawe The fourth Chapter WHat shal we saye thē that Abrahā o father as pertayninge to y e flesh dyd fynde This we saye Yf Abraham were made righteous thorow workes then hath he wherin to reioyse but not before God But what sayeth y e scripture Abrahā beleued God y t was counted vnto him for righteousnes Vnto hī y t goeth aboute w t workes is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of dutye Howbeit vnto him y t goeth not aboute with workes but beleueth on him y t iustifieth the vngodly is his faith counted for righteousnes Euen as Dauid sayeth also that blessednes is onely that mans vnto whō God counteth righteousnes without addinge to of workes where he sayeth Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnesses are forgeuen and whose synnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the LORDE imputeth no synne Now this blessednes goeth it ouer the circūcision or ouer the vncircumcision We must nedes graunte y t Abrahās faith was coūted vnto hī for righteousnes How was it thē rekened vnto him In the circūcision or in the vncircumcision Doutles not in the circūcision but in the vncircumcision As for the tokē of circūcision he receaued it for a seale off the righteousnes off faith which he had yet in y e vncircūcision y t he shulde be a father of all thē y t beleue beinge in y e vncircūcisiō y t it might be coūted vnto thē also for righteousnes that he might be a father of circumcision not onely of thē that are of y e circumcision but of them also that walke in the fotesteppes of the faith which was in the vncircumcision of oure father Abraham For the promes that he shulde be y e heyre of the worlde was not made vnto Abraham or to his sede thorow the lawe but thorow the righteousnes of faith For yf they which are of the lawe be heyres thē is faith vayne and the promes of none effecte for so moch as the lawe causeth but wrath For where the lawe is not there is also no transgression Therfore was the promes made thorow fayth that it myght come off fauoure wherby the promesse myghte be made sure vnto all the sede not onely vnto him which is off the lawe but also vnto him that is of the faith of Abrahā which is the father of vs all As it is wrytten I haue made the a father of many Heythē before God whom thou hast beleued which quyckeneth the deed and calleth it which is not that it maye be And he beleued vpō hope where nothinge was to hope that he shulde be a father of many Heythen Acordinge as it was sayde vnto him Euen so shal thy sede be And he was not faynte in faith nether cōsidred his awne body which was deed allready whyle he was almost an hundreth yeare olde nether the deed wombe of Sara For he douted not in the promes of God thorow vnbeleue but was strōge in faith and gaue God the prayse was sure that loke what God promyseth he is able to make it good And therfore was it rekened vnto him for righteousnes But this is not wryttē onely for his sake y t it was counted vnto him but also for oure sakes vnto whō it shal be counted yf we beleue on him that raysed vp oure LORDE Iesus from the deed Which was geuen for oure synnes and raysed vp for oure righteousnesse sake The V. Chapter BEcause therfore that we are iustified by faith we haue peace with God thorow oure LORDE Iesus Christ by whō also we haue an intraunce in faith vnto this grace wherin we stonde reioyse in the hope of y e glorye for to come which God shal geue Not onely y t but we reioyse also ī troubles for so moch as we knowe y t trouble bryngeth paciēce paciēce bryngeth experiēce experiēce bryngeth hope As for hope is letteth vs not come to cōfusion because the loue of God is shed abrode in oure hertes by the holy goost which is geuen vnto vs. For whan we were yet weake acordinge to the tyme Christ dyed for vs vngodly Now dyeth there scace eny man for the righteous sake Peraduenture for a good man durst one dye Therfore doth God set forth his loue towarde vs in y t Christ dyed for vs whan we were yet synners Moch more then shal we be saued from wrath by him seynge we are now made righteous thorow his bloude For yf we were recōcyled vnto God by y e death of his sōne whā we were yet enemies moch more shal we be saued by him now y t we are reconcyled Not onely that but we reioyse also in God thorow oure LORDE Iesus Christ by whom we haue now receaued the attonement Wherfore as by one man synned entred in to the worlde and death by y e meanes off synne euen so wente death also ouer all men in so moch as they all haue synned For synne was in y e worlde vnto the lawe but where no lawe is there is not synne regarded Neuertheles death reigned from Adam vnto Moses euen ouer them also that synned not with like transgression as dyd Adam which is y e ymage of him y t was to come But it is not with the gifte as
¶ Because that whan thou goest to study in holy scripture thou shuldest do it with reuerence therfore for thy instruction louynge admonicion therto the Reuerende father in god Nicolas Bisshoppe of Salisbury hath prescrybed the this prayer folowynge taken out of the same O Lorde God almyghtye whiche longe agoo saydest by the mouthe of Iames thyn Apostle If any of you lacke wysdom let hym aske it of God whiche geueth it plenteously to all men and casteth no man in the tethe and it shal be geuen hym Heare my peticion for this thy promes sake Let my prayer ascende luckely in to thy syght lyke incense Let thy◠eare be attent vnto my depe desyre Geue me wysdome which is eue◠assistent about thy seate And put me not out from amonge 〈…〉 for I am thy seruaunt and y e sonne of thy handmayde ▪ 〈…〉 her I meane thy godly wysedome out of thyne holy heauens and from the trone of thy maiestye that she maye be with me and laboure with me y t I may knowe what is acceptable in thy syght Oh lerne me goodnes nurtoure and knowlege for I beleue thy commaundementes Thou art good and gracyous instructe me in thyne ordynaunces Let myne hertie besechynge ascende in to thy presence Geue me vnderstondynge accordynge to thy worde Oh geue me vnderstōdynge and I shall kepe thy lawe Yee I shall kepe it with all myne herte Shewe me thy wayes o Lorde teache me thy patthes Leade me in to thy trueth and lerne me for thou art the God of my helth And on the do I depende alway Heare now my voyce O Lorde with which I haue cryed vnto the. Haue mercy vpon me and gracyouslye heare me for Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde which lyueth and reygneth with the his father the holy goost worlde without ende Amen ¶ After the ende of any Chapter yf thou wylt thou mayest saye these verses folowynge LEade me o Lorde in thy waye and let me walke in thy trueth Oh let myne herte delyte in fearynge thy name Ordre my goynges after thy worde that no wyckednes reygne in me Kepe my steppes within thy patthes lest my fete turne in to any contrary waye Vnto the most victorious Prynce and oure most gracyous soueraigne Lorde kynge Henry the kynge of Englonde and of Fraunce lorde of Irlonde c. Defendour of the Fayth and vnder God the chefe and suppreme heade of the Church of Englonde ¶ The ryght iust administracyon of the lawes that God gaue vnto Moses and vnto Iosua the testimonye of faythfulnes that God gaue of Dauid the plenteous abundaunce of wysdome that God gaue vnto Salomon the lucky and prosperous age with the multiplicacyon of sede whiche God gaue vnto Abraham and Sara his wyfe be geuē vnto you most gracyous Prynce with your dearest iust wyfe and most vertuous Pryncesse Quene Anne Amen CAiphas beynge bysshope of that yeare lyke a blynde prophete not vnderstandyng what he sayd prophecied that it was better to put Christ vnto death then that all the people shulde perysshe he meanyng that Christ was an heretike a deceauer of the people a destroyer of the lawe and that it was better therfore to put Christ vnto death thā to suffre hym for to lyue and to deceaue the people c. where in very dede Christ was the true prophete the true Messias and the onely true Sauiour of the worlde sent of his heauenly father to suffre the moste cruell most shamefull and most necessary death for our redempcyon accordyng to y e meanynge of the prophecie truely vnderstonde Euen after the same maner y e blynde bysshoppe of Rome that blynde Baalam I saye not vnderstondynge what he dyd gaue vnto your grace this tytle Defendour of the fayth onely bycause your hyghnes suffred your bysshoppes to burne Gods worde the rote of fayth and to persecute the louers and mynisters of y e same where in very dede the blynde bysshoppe though he knewe not what he dyd prophecied that by the ryghteous admynistracyon and contynuall diligence of youre grace the fayth shulde so be defended that Gods worde the mother of Fayth with the frutes therof shulde haue his fre course thorowe out all Christendome but specyally in your realme Yf your hyghnesse now of your pryncely benignite wyll pardon me to compare these two bysshoppes I meane bysshoppe Caiphas and the bysshoppe of Rome theyr prophecies together I doute not but we shal fynde them agree lyke brethren though the one be a Iewe and the other a counterfayre Christian. Fyrst Caiphas prophecied that it was better to put Christ vnto death then that the people shulde perysshe The bysshoppe of Rome also not knowynge what he prophecied gaue youre grace this tytle Defendour of the fayth The trueth of both these prophecies is of the holy goost as was Baalams prophecie though they that spake thē knewe not what they sayd The trueth of Caiphas prophecie is that it was necessary for mans saluacyon that Christ by his death shulde ouercome death and redeme vs. And the trueth of oure Baalams prophecie is y t your grace in very dede shulde defende the Fayth Yee euen the true fayth of Christ no dreames no fables no heresie no papisticall inuencions but the vncorrupte fayth of Gods most holy worde which to set forth praysed be the goodnes of God and increace youre gracyous purpose your hyghnes with youre most honorable councell applyeth all his studye and endeuoure These two blynde bysshopes now agree in y e vnderstādyng of theyr prophecies for Caiphas taketh Christ for an heretike Oure Balaā taketh the worde of Christ for heresie Caiphas iudgeth it to be a good dede to put Christ vnto death that he shulde not deceaue the people Oure Balaam calleth defendynge of the fayth the suppressyng kepyng secrete and burnyng of the worde of fayth lest the lyght thereof shulde vtter his darknes lest his owne Decretales Decrees his owne lawes and constitucions his owne statutes and inuencions shulde come to none effecte lest his intollerable exactions and vsurpacions shulde lose theyr strengthe lest it shulde be knowen what a thefe and murtherer he is in the cause of Christ and how haynous a traytoure to God and man in defraudynge all Christen kynges prynces of theyr due obedience lest we youre graces subiectes shulde haue eyes in the worde of God at the last to spye out his crafty conueyaūce and iuglynges and lest men shulde se how sore he and his false Apostles haue deceaued all Christendome specyally youre noble realme of Englonde Thus your grace seyth how brotherly the Iewysh bysshoppe and oure Balaam agree together not onely in myter and outwarde appearaunce but as the one persecuted the Lorde Iesus in his owne persone so doth the other persecute his worde and resysteth his holy ordynaunce in the auctorite of his anoynted kynges For so moche nowe as the worde of God is the onely trueth that dryueth awaye all
hert hath takē to moch vpon it in this worlde and thou thinkest to comprehende the waye of the Hyest Then sayde I yee my lorde And he answered me and sayde I am sent to shewe the thre wayes and to sett forth thre symilitudes before the wherof yf thou canst declare me one I wil shewe the also the waye that thou desyrest to se and I shal shewe the from whēce the wicked hert commeth And I sayde tell on my LORDE Then sayde he vnto me Go thy waye weye me the weight of the fyre or measure me the blast of the wynde or call me agayne the daye that is past Then answered I and sayde What man borne is able to do that Why requyrest thou soch of me And he sayde vnto me Yf I shulde axe the how depe dwellinges are in the see Or how greate water springes are vpon y e firmamēt Or how greate water sprynges are in the begynnynge of the depe Or which are the out goinges of Paradise Peraduēture thou woldest saye vnto me I neuer wente downe yet in to y e depe ner hell nether dyd I euer clymme vp in to heauen Neuertheles now haue I axed the but onely of fyre and wynde and of the daye where thorow thou hast trauayled and from the which thou canst not be separated and yet canst thou geue me no answere of them He sayde morouer vnto me Thine owne thinges and soch as are growne vp with y e canst thou not knowe how shulde thy vessel then be able to cōprehende the waye of the Hyest and now outwardly in the corrupte worlde to vnderstōde the corrupcion y t is euydent in my sight Thē sayde I vnto him It were better that we were not at all thē that we shulde lyue in wickednesse and to suffre and not to knowe wherfore He answered me and sayde I wēte in a wod and the trees toke soch a deuyce and sayde Come let vs go and fight agaynst the see that it maye departe awaye before vs and that we maye make vs yet more woddes The floudes of the see also in lyke maner toke this deuyce and sayde Come let vs go vp and fight agaynst the trees of the wodd that we maye make oure londe the wyder The thought and deuyce of the wodd was but vayne and nothinge worth for the fyre came and consumed the wod The thought of the floudes of the see came likewyse to naught also for the sonde stode vp and stopped them Yf thou were iudge now betwyxte these two whom woldest thou iustifie or whom woldest thou cōdemne I answered and sayde Verely it is a foolish thought that they both haue deuysed For the grounde is geuen vnto the wod and the see also hath his place to beare his floudes Then answered he me sayde Thou hast geuen a right iudgment why iudgest thou not thy self also For like as the grounde is geuen vnto the wod and the see to his floudes euen so they that dwell vpon earth maye vnderstonde nothinge but that which is vpon earth and he that dwelleth aboue the heauens maye onely vnderstōde the thinges that are aboue the heauens Then answered I and sayde I beseke the O LORDE let me haue vnderstondinge for it was not my mynde to be curious of thy hye thinges but of soch as we daylie medle with all namely wherfore that Israelis blasphemed of the Heithen and for what cause the people whom thou euer hast loued is geuen ouer to be punyshed of vngodly naciōs and why the lawe of oure fathers is brought to naught and the wrytten couenauntes come to none effecte and we passe awaye out of the worlde as the greshopers and oure life is a very feare and we are not worthy to optayne mercy What wyl he do then vnto his name which is called vpon ouer vs Of these thinges haue I axed question Then answered he me and sayde The more thou searchest the more thou shalt maruel for the worlde hasteth fast to passe awaye and can not comprehende the thinges that are promysed for the righteous in tyme to come for this worlde is full of vnrighteousnes and weaknes But as concernynge the thinges wherof thou axest me I wyl tell the. The euell is sowne but the destruccion therof is not yet come Yf the euell now that is sowne be not turned vpsyde downe and yf the place where y e euell is sowne passe not awaye then can not the thinge come y t is sowne with y e good For the corne of euell sede hath bene sowne in the hert of man from the begynnynge and how moch vngodlynes hath he brought vp vnto this tyme and how moch shal he yet brynge forth vntyll he come in to the barne Pondre now by thyself whā y e corne of euell sede is cutt downe how greate a barne shal it fyll I answered and sayde How and whā shal these thinges come to passe Wherfore are o yeares few euell And he answered me sayēge Haist not thou to moch vpon the Hyest for thy haistynes to be aboue him is but in vayne thou makest to moch a doo Dyd not y e soules also of the righteous axe question of these thinges in their holynes sayenge How longe shal I hope of this fashion Whan commeth the frute of my barne and my rewarde And vpō this Ieremiel the archangel gaue them answere and sayde Euē whan the nombre of the sedes is fylled in you for he hath weyed the worlde in the balaunce in measure and nombre hath he measured the tyme and moueth it not vntyll the same measure be fulfylled Then answered I and sayde O LORDE LORDE now are we all full of synne and for oure sake peraduenture it is not that the barne of the righteous shall not be fylled because of the synnes of thē that dwell vpon earth So he answered me sayde Go y t waye to a woman with childe and axe her when she hath fulfilled hir ix monethes yf hir childeszbed maye kepe y e byrth eny lōger within her Thē sayde I No LORDE that can she not And he sayde vnto me In hell the secrete places of soules are like y e preuy chamber of a woman For like as a woman that trauayleth maketh haist whan the tyme necessite of the byrth is at hande Euē so doth she haist to delyuer it that is commytted vnto her Loke what thou desyrest to se it shal be shewed the from the begynnynge Then answered I and sayde Yf I haue founde fauoure in thy sight and yf it be possible and yf I be mete therfore shewe me then whether there be more to come thē is past or more past then is for to come What is past I knowe but what is for to come I knowe not And he saide vnto me Stonde vp vpō y e right syde and I shal expounde the symilitude vnto the. So I stode beholde an whote burnynge ouē wente ouer before me it happened y t whan the flamme was gone
ye haue beleued shall be preserued from the saide parels and shal se my sauioure in my londe and within my borders for I haue halowed me from the worlde Then shall they be in carefulnesse which now haue abused my waies and they that haue cast them out despytefully shall dwell in paynes For soch as in their life haue receaued benefites and haue not knowne me and they that haue abhorred my lawe whyle they had yet fredome and whan they had yet open rowme of amendemēt and conuersion vnderstode not but despysed it y e same must knowe it after death in payne And therfore be thou nomore carefull how the vngodly shal be punyshed how the righteous shal be saued and whose the worlde is and for whom the worlde and whan it is Then answered I and sayde I haue talked before now I speake and wyl speake also herafter that there be many moo of them which perish then shal be saued like as the floude is greater then the droppes And he answered me sayenge like as the felde is so is also the sede as the floures be so are the colours also soch as the workman is soch is also y e worke and as the huszband man is himself so is his huszbandrye also for it was the tyme of the worlde And whan I prepared for them that are now or euer the worlde was made wher in they shulde dwel then was there no man that withstode me Now whan euery one was and the maker also in the worlde which is now prepared and the moneth that ceaseth not and the lawe which is vnsearcheable their maners were corrupte So I considered the worlde and beholde there was parell because of y e thoughtes that were come in to it And I sawe and spared thē greatly and haue kepte me a wynebery of the grapes and a plante from amonge many generacions Let the multitude perish thē which are growne vp in vayne and let my grape wynebery be kepte euen my plante for with greate laboure haue I made it vp Neuertheles yf thou wilt take vpon the yet seuen dayes mo but thou shalt not fast in them go thy waye then in to y e felde of floures where no house is buylded and eate onely of the floures of the felde taist not flesh drinke no wine but eate floures onely Praye vnto the Hyest contynually so will I come and talke with the. So I wente my waye and came in to the felde which is called Ardath like as he commaunded me and there I sat amonge y e floures and ate of the herbes of the felde and y e meate of the same satisfied me After seuen dayes I sat vpon the grasse my hert was vexed within me like as afore and I opened my mouth and beganne to talke before the Hyest and saide O LORDE thou y t shewest thy self vnto vs thou hast declared and opened thy self vnto oure fathers in the wyldernes in a place where no man dwelleth in a baren place whan they came out of Egipte and thou spakest sayēge Heare me O Israel and marke my wordes thou sede of Iacob Beholde I sowe my lawe in you and it shal brynge frute in you ye shal be honoured in it for euer For oure fathers which receaued the lawe kepte it not and obserued not thy ordinaunces and statutes the frute of y e lawe was not declared for it might not for why it was thine For they that receaued it perished because they kepte not y e thinge that was sowne in them It is a custome whan the grounde receaueth sede or the see a shipp or a vessell meate and drynke that whan it perisheth or is broken wherin a thinge is sowne or wherin eny thinge is put the thinges also perishe are broken which are sowne or putt therin But vnto vs it hath not happened so for we y t haue receaued the lawe perish in synne and oure hert also which receaued the lawe notwithstondinge the lawe perisheth not but remayneth in his laboure And whan I considered these thinges in my hert after this maner I loked aboute me with myne eyes and vpon the right syde I sawe a woman which mourned sore made greate lamentacion and wepte with loude voyce hir clothes were rent in peces she had aszshes vpon hir heade Thē let I my thoughtes go y t I was in turned me vnto her sayde wherfore wepest thou why art thou so sory discomforted And she sayde vnto me Syr let me bewayle myself take yet more sorowe for I am sore vexed in my mynde brought very lowe And I saide vnto her what ayleth y t Or who hath done eny thinge to y e tell me She sayde I haue bene vnfrutefull and baren and haue had an huszband thirtie yeares And these xxx yeares I do nothinge els daye and night and all houres but make my prayer to y e Hyest After thirtie yeares God herde me thy handmayden loked vpon my misery considred my trouble and gaue me a sonne and I was glad of him so was my huszbād also and all my neghbours and we gaue greate honoure vnto y e Mightie And I norished him with greate trauayle So whan he grewe vp came to the tyme that he shulde haue a wife I made a feast The X. Chapter ANd it happened that whan my sonne wente in to his chamber he fell downe and dyed thē ouethrew we all the lightes and all my neghbours rose vp to cōforte me Thē toke I my rest vnto the secōde daye at night whan they had all rested y t they might comforte me I rested also and rose vp by night and fled and am come hither in to this felde as thou seist and am purposed not to come in the cite but to remayne here and nether to eate ner drynke but continually to mourne and to fast vntill I dye Then let I my meditacions and thoughtes fall that I was in and spake to her in displeasure Thou foolish woman seist thou not oure heuynes and mournynge and what happeneth vnto vs how Sion o r mother is all wofull and sory and how she is cleane brought downe and in misery seinge we be all now in heuynes make oure mone for we be all soroufull As for the heuynes that thou takest it is but for one sonne Demaunde the earth and she shal tell the that it is she which ought by reason to mourne for the fall of so many that growe vpon her For from the begynnynge all men are borne of her other shal come and beholde they walke allmost all into destruccion and many of them shal be roted out Who shulde then by reason make more mournynge then she that hath lost so greate a multitude and not thou which art sory but for one But yf thou woldest saye vnto me My mournynge is not like the mournynge of the earth for I haue lost the frute of my body which I
in y e very myddest of the darck coueringe of forgetfulnes put to horrible feare wonderously vexed For the corner where they were might not kepe them from feare because y e sounde came downe and vexed them yee many terryble and straunge visions made them afrayed No power of the fyre might geue them light nether might the cleare flāmes of the starres lightē y t horrible night For there appeared vnto thē a sodane fyre very dredeful At y e which whan they sawe nothinge they were so afrayed that they thought y e thinge which they sawe to be the more fearfull As for the sorcery enchauntemēt y t they vsed it came to derisiō and the proude wyszdome was brought to shame For they y t promysed to dryue awaie the fearfulnes drede frō y e weake soules were sick for feare thē selues and that w t scorne And though none of y e wōders feared thē yet were they afrayed at the beestes which came vpon thē at y e Hissynge of the serpētes In so moch that with trēblinge they swowned sayde they sawe not y e ayre which no mā yet maye escape For it is an heuy thinge whā a man 's owne consciēce beareth recorde of his wickednes condēpneth him And why a vexed wounded consciēce taketh euer cruell thinges in hāde Fearfulnes is nothinge els but a declaringe y t a mā seketh helpe defence to answere for him self And loke how moch lesse the hope is within the more is y e vn certaynte of the matter for the which he is punished But they y t came in y e mightie night slepte y e slepe y t fell vpō thē frō vnder frō aboue somtyme were they afrayed thorow y e feare of y e wonders somtyme they were so weake y t they swowned withall for an hastie sodane fearfulnes came vpon thē Afterwarde yf eny of thē had fallē he was kepte shutt in preson but without chaynes But yf eny dwelt in a vyllage yf he had bene an hyrd or huszbandman he suffred intollerable necessite for they were all bounde with one chayne of darcknesse Whether it were a blasynge wynde or a swete songe of y e byrdes amonge the thicke braunches of the trees or the vehemence of haistie rūnynge water or greate noyse of y e fallynge downe of stones or the playenge rūnynge of beastes whō they sawe not or y e mightie noyse of roaringe beestes or y e sownde y t answereth agayne in the hye mountaynes it made thē swowne for very feare For all the earth shyned w t cleare light no mā was hyndered in his labor. Onely vpon thē there fell a heuy night an ymage of darcknesse that was to come vpon them Yee they were vnto them selues the most heuy horrible darcknesse The XVIII Chapter NEuertheles thy sayntes had a very greate light and the enemies herde their voyce but they sawe not the figure of them And because they suffred not y e same thinges they magnified the and they y t were vexed afore because they were not hurte now thanked the and besought y e o God y t there might be a difference Therfore had they a burnynge piler of fyre to lede them in the vnknowne waye thou gauest them the Sonne for a fre gift without eny hurte Reason it was that they shulde want light to be put in the preson of darcknes which kepte thy childrē in captiuyte by whom the vncorrupte light of the lawe of y e worlde was for to be geuen Whan they thought to slaye the babes of the righteous one beinge laied out and yet preserued to be leder vnto the other thou broughtest out the whole multitude of the children and destroydest these in the mightie water Of that night were oure fathers certified afore that they knowinge vnto what oothes they had geuen credēce might be of good cheare Thus thy people receaued y e health of the righteous but the vngodly were destroied For like as thou hast hurte oure enemies so hast thou promoted vs whom thou calledest afore For the righteous children of the good men offred secretly ordred the lawe of righteousnes vnto vnite y t the iust shulde receaue good and euell in like maner singinge prayses vnto y e father of all men Agayne there was herde an vnconuenient voyce of the enemies a piteous crie for childrē that were bewayled The master and the seruaūt were punyshed alike the meane man and the kynge suffred in like maner For they all together had innumerable that dyed one death Nether were y e lyuinge sufficient to bury y e deed for in y e twincklinge of an eye the noblest nacion of thē was destroyed As oft as God helped thē afore yet wolde it not make thē beleue but in y e destruccion of y e first borne they knowleged that it was y e people of God For whyle all thinges were still whā y e night was in y e myddest of hir course thy Allmightie worde o LORDE leapte downe frō heauē out of y e royall trone as a rough mā of warre in y e myddest of y e londe y t was destroyed y e sharpe swerde perfourmed y i straite cōmaundemēt stādinge fyllinge all thinges w t death yee it stode vpō y e earth reached vnto the heauen Then the sight of the euell dreames vexed them sodenly and fearfulnesse came vpon them vnawarres Then laye there one here another there half deed half quyck and shewed the cause of his death For the visions that vexed thē shewed thē these thinges afore so that they were not ignoraunt wherfore they perished The tentacion of death touched the righteous also and amonge the multitude in the wyldernesse there was insurreccion but thy wrath endured not longe For the fautlesse man wente in all the haist and toke the battayll vpon him brought forth the weap◠of his ministracion euen prayer and y e cēsours of recōcilinge set himself agaynst y e wrath and so brought the misery to an ende declaringe therby that he was thy seruaunt For he ouercame not the multitude with bodely power ner with weapēs of might but with the worde he subdued him that vexed him puttinge the in remembraunce of the ooth couenaūt made vnto the fathers For whan the deed were fallen downe by heapes one vpon another he stode in the myddest pacified the wrath and parted y e waye vnto the lyuynge And why◠in his longe garmēt was all the beuty and in the foure rowes of the stones was the glory of the fathers grauē and thy maiesty was written in the crowne of his heade Vnto these the destroyer gaue place and was afrayed of them for it was only a tentacion worthy of wrath The XIX Chapter AS for the vngodly the wrath came vpō them without mercy vnto the ende For he knew before what shulde happē vnto them how that whan they had
and pouerte greueth the hert in tentacion offence Take no heuynes to hert dryue it awaye and remembre the last thinges Forget it not for there is no turnynge agayne Thou shalt do him no good but hurte thy self Remembre his iudgmēt thine also shal be likewyse vnto me yesterdaye vnto the to daye Let the remembraunce of the deed ceasse in his rest and cōforte thy self agayne ouer him seynge his sprete is departed from him The wyszdome of the scrybe is at cōuenyent tyme of rest he y t ceasseth from exercyse labo shal be wyse He that holdeth y e plough hath pleasure in proddynge dryuynge y e oxen goeth aboute w t soch workes he can speake of oxen He setteth his hert to make forowes is diligent to geue y e kyne fodder So is euery carpenter also work master that laboureth still night daye he carueth graueth cutteth out his desyre is in sondrye connynge thinges and his hert ymagineth how he maye conyngly cast an ymage his diligence also watchinge perfourmeth the worke The yronsmyth in like maner bydeth by his stythie doth his diligence to laboure the yron The vapoure of the fyre brenneth his flesh and he must fight with the heate of the fornace The noyse of the Hammer soundeth euer in his eares and his eyes loke still vpon the thinge y t he maketh He hath set his minde there vpon that he wyll make out his worke and therfore he watcheth how he maie set it out and brynge it to an ende So doth the potter syt by his worke he turneth y e whele aboute with his fete he is diligent carefull in all his doynges his laboure and worke is without nombre He fashioneth the claye with his arme and w t his fete he tēpereth it His hert ymagineth how he maye make it pleasaunt his diligence is to clense the ouen All these hope in their hādes euery one thinketh to be connynge in his worke Without these maye not the cities be manteyned inhabited ner occupied yet come they not hye in the congregacion they vnderstande not the couenaunt of y e lawe they can not declare equyte iudgment they can not fynde out the darck sentēces but thorow them shal the creature of y e worlde be manteyned their prayer concerneth onely the worke labo r of cōninge The XXXIX Chapter BVt he y t applyeth his mynde to vnderstande the lawe of God doth diligently seke out y e wyszdome of them of the olde tyme exercyseth him self in the prophetes He kepeth y e sayenges of famous men and preasseth to the vnderstandinge of darck sentēces of wyszdome He seketh out y e mysterye of secrete sayēges and exercyseth him self therin cōtynually He doth seruyce amonge greate men appeareth before the prynce He goeth in to a straunge countre trauaileth thorow it loke what good or euell is amōge men he proueth it seketh it out He purposeth in his hert to resorte early vnto the LORDE y t made him to praye before the hyest God He openeth his mouth in prayer prayeth for his synnes When the greate LORDE wil he shal be filled w t the sprete of vnderstādinge y t he maie then poure out wyse sentences geue thankes vnto the LORDE in his prayer He shal ordre his deuyce and lede his knowlege aright geue him vnderstandinge of secrete thinges He shal shew forth the sciēce of his lerninge reioyce in the couenaunt of the lawe of the LORDE The whole congregacion shal cōmende his wyszdome it shal neuer be put out The remembraunce of him shal neuer be forgotten his name shal contynue from one generacion to another His wyszdome shal be spoken of the whole congregacion shall openly declare his prayse Whyle he liueth he hath a greater name thē a thousande besyde after his death the same name remayneth vnto him Yet wyll I speake of mo men of vnderstandinge for I am full as the Moone Herkē vnto me ye holy vertuous childrē brynge forth frute as the rose that is planted by the brokes of the felde and geue ye a swete smell as Libanus Florish as the rose garden synge a songe of prayse O geue thākes vnto God ouer all his workes Geue glory and honoure vnto the LORDE shew his prayse with youre lippes Yee euen with the songe of youre lippes with harpes playenge and in geuinge thankes vnto him saye after this maner All y e workes of the LORDE are exceadinge good and all his commaundementes are mete and conuenient in due season A mā nede not to saie what is y t what is that for at time conuenient they shal all be sought At his cōmaundement y e water was as a wall at the worde of his mouth y e waters stode still In his commaundement is euery thinge acceptable and reconcyled and his health can not be minished The workes of all flesh are before him there is nothinge hydd from his eyes He seith from euerlastinge to euerlastinge and there is nothinge to wonderfull or hye vnto him A man nede not to saye then what is this or that For he hath made all thinges to do good vnto man His blessynge shall renne ouer as the streame and moysture the earth like a floude of water Like as he maketh the water for drouth so shall his wrath fall vpon the Heithen His wayes are playne and right vnto y e iust but the vngodly stomble at them For the good are good thinges created from the begynnynge and euell thinges for the vngodly All thinges necessary for the life of man are created from the begynnynge water fyre yron and salt meel wheate and hony mylke and wyne oyle and clothinge All these thinges are created for the best to the faithfull But to the vngodly shal all these thinges be turned to hurte and harme There be spretes that are created for vengeaūce and in their rigorousnes haue they fastened their tormentes In the tyme of the ende they shal poure out their strēgth and pacifie y e wrath of him that made them Fyre hayle honger and death all these thinges are created for vengeaunce The teth of wylde noysome beestes the scorpions serpentes and the swerde are created also for vengeaunce to the destruccion of the vngodly They shall be glad to do his commaundementes and whan nede is they shal be ready vpon earth and whan their houre is come they shal not ouerpasse the commaundement of the LORDE Therfore haue I taken a good corage vnto me from the begynnynge and thought to put these thinges in wrytinge and to leaue thē behynde me All y e workes of the LORDE are good and he geueth euery one in due season and whan nede is So that a man nede not to saye this is worse then that For in due season they are all pleasaunt and good And therfore prayse the LORDE with
euerlastinge kyngdome Elias beynge gelous and feruent in the lawe was taken vp in to heauē Hananias Asarias and Misael remayned stedfast in faith and were delyuered out of the fyre In like maner Daniel beynge vngiltie was saued from the mouth of the Lyons And thus ye maye considre thorow out all ages sens the worlde beganne that who so euer put their trust in God were not ouer come Feare not ye then the wordes of an vngodly man for his glory is but donge and wormes to daye is he set vp and to morow is he gone for he is turned in to earth and his memoriall is come to naught Wherfore o my sonnes take good hertes vnto you and quyte youre selues like men in the lawe for yf ye do the thinges that are commaunded you in the lawe of the LORDE youre God ye shal optaine greate honoure therin And beholde I knowe that youre brother Symon is a man of wyszdome se that ye geue eare vnto him allwaye he shall be a father vnto you As for Iudas Machabeus he hath euer bene mightie and strōge from his youth vp let him be youre captayne and ordre the battayll of y e people Thus shall ye brynge vnto you all those that fauoure the lawe and se that ye auenge the wronge of youre people and recompence the Heithen agayne and applie youre selues whole to the commaundement of the lawe So he gaue them his blessinge and was layed by his fathers and dyed in the Cxlvj yeare at Modin where his sonnes buried him in his fathers sepulcre all Israel made greate lamentacion for him The III. Chapter THen stode vp Iudas Machabeus in his fathers steade and all his brethrē helped him and so dyd all they that helde with his father and fought with cherefulnesse for Israel So Iudas gat his people greate honoure He put on a brest plate as a giaunte and arayed him self with his harnesse and defended the hoost with his swearde In his actes he was like a lyon as a lyons whelpe roaringe at his praye He was an enemie to the wicked and hūted them out and brent vp those that vexed his people So that his enemies fled for feare of him and all the workers of vngodlynes were put to trouble soch lucke and prosperite was in his honde This greued dyuerse kynges but Iacob was greatly reioysed thorow his actes and he gat him self a greate name for euer He wente thorow the cities of Iuda destroyenge the vngodly out of them turnynge awaye the wrath from Israel and receauynge soch as were oppressed and the fame of him wente vnto the vttemost parte of y e earth Then Appollonius a prynce of Syria gathered a mightie greate hoost of the Heithen out of Samaria to fight agaynst Israel Which when Iudas perceaued he wente forth to mete him fought with him slewe him and a greate multitude with him the remnaunte fled and he toke their substaunce Iudas also toke Appollonius owne swearde and fought w t it all his life longe Now when Seron another prynce of Siria herde saye that Iudas had gathered vnto him the congregacion and church of the faithfull he sayde I will get me a name and a prayse thorow out the realme for I will go fight with Iudas and them that are with him as many as haue despised the kynges commaundement So he made him ready and there wente with him a greate mightie hoost of the vngodly to stonde by him and to be auenged of the childrē of Israel And when they came nye vnto Bethoron Iudas wente forth agaynst them with a small company And when his people sawe soch a greate hoost before thē they sayde vnto Iudas How are we able beynge so fewe to fight agaynst so greate a multitude and so stronge seinge we be so weery and haue fasted all this daye But Iudas sayde It is a small matter for many to be ouercome with fewe Yee there is no difference to the God of heauen to delyuer by a greate multitude or by a small company for the victory of the battell stondeth not in the multitude of the hoost but the strength commeth from heauen Beholde they come agaynst vs with a presumptuous and proude multitude to destroye vs oure wyues and oure children and to robbe vs. But we will fight for oure lyues and for oure lawes and the LORDE himself shall destroye thē before oure face therfore be not ye afrayed of them As soone as he had spoken these wordes he leapte sodenly vpon thē Thus was Seron smytten and his hoost put to flight ▪ and Iudas folowed vpon them beyonde Bethoron vnto the playne felde where there were slayne eight hundreth men of them and the residue fled in to the londe of the Philistynes Then all the Heithen on euery syde were afrayed for Iudas and his brethren so y t the rumoure of him came vnto the kynges eares for all the Gentiles coude tell of the warres of Iudas So whan kynge Antiochus herde these tidinges he was angrie in his mynde wherfore he sente forth and gathered an hoost of his whole realme very stronge armies and opened his treasury and gaue his hoost a yeares wagies in honde commaundynge them to be ready at all tymes Neuerthelesse when he sawe that there was not moneye ynough in his treasuries and that thorow the discorde and persecucion which he made in y e londe to put downe y e lawes that had bene of olde tyme his customes and tributes of the londe were my niszshed he feared that he was not able for to beare the costes and charges eny lenger ner to haue soch giftes to geue so liberally as he dyd a fore more then the kynges that were before him Wherfore he was heuy in his mynde and thought to go in to Persides for to take tributes of y e londe and so to gather moch moneye So he left Lysias a noble man of the kynges bloude to ouersee the kynges busynesses from the water Euphrates vnto the borders of Egipte and to kepe well his sonne Antiochus till he came agayne Morouer he gaue him half of his hoost and elephantes committed vnto him euery thinge of his mynde concernynge those which dwelt in Iuda and Ierusalem that he shulde sende out an army agaynst them to destroye and to rote out the power of Israel and the remnaunt of Ierusalem to put out their memoriall from that place to set straungers for to inhabit all their quarters and to parte their londe amōge them Thus the kynge toke the other parte of the hoost and departed from Antioch a cite of his realme ouer the water of Euphrates in the hundreth and xlvij yeare and wente thorow the hye countrees And Lysias chose vnto him Ptolomy the sonne of Doriminus Nycanor and Gorgias mightie men the kynges frendes These he sent with xl thousande fote men and vij thousande horsmen for to go in to y e londe of Iuda and to destroye
God be angrie with vs a litle whyle for o r chasteninge reformacion yet shal he be at one agayne w t his seruauntes But thou O shamefull most abhominable personne Pryde not thy self thorow vayne hope in beynge so malicious vpon y e seruauntes of God for thou hast not yet escaped the iudgmēt of the God which is all mighty seyth all thinges My brethren y t haue suffred a litle payne are now vnder the couenaunt of euerlastinge life but thorow the iudgment of God thou shalt be punyshed righteously for thy pryde As for me like as my brethrē haue done I offre my soule my body for y e lawes of o fathers callinge vpon God y t he will soone be mercifull vnto o people yee w t payne punyshment to make the graunte y t he only is God In me now in my brethrē y e wrath of allmighty God is at an ende which righteously is fallē vpon all o people Then y e kynge beynge kyndled in anger was more cruell vpon him then vpon all y e other toke indignaciō y t he was so lighty regarded So this yonge mā dyed vndefiled put his trust stil in y e LORDE Last of all after y e sonnes was y e mother put to death also Let this now be ynough spoken concernynge y e offringes extreme cruelnesse The VIII Chapter THen Iudas Machabeus and they y t were w t him wēte pryuely in to y e townes called their kinsfolkes frendes together toke vnto them all soch as contynued yet in the faith lawe of y e Iewes and brought forth vj. M. men So they called vpon the LORDE y t he wolde haue an eye vnto his people which was troddē downe of euery mā to be gracious vnto y e tēple y t was defyled of the vngodly to haue cōpassion vpon y e destruccion of the cite which was shortly like to be laied waist to heare y e voyce of y e bloude y t cried vnto him to remēbre y e most vnrighteous deathes of yonge innocent children the blasphemies also done vnto his name to punysh thē Now whē Machabeus had gathered this multitude together he was to mightie for the Heithen for y e wrath of y e LORDE was turned in to mercy he fell vpon the townes cities vnawarres brent them toke the most cōmodious places slewe many of the enemies But specially he made soch chases by night in so moch that his manlynesse was spoken of euery were So when Philippe sawe that the man increased by litle and litle and that the matter prospered with him for the most parte he wrote vnto Ptolomy which was a captayne in Celosiria Phenices helpe him in y e kinges busynes Thē sent he Nicanor Patrocli a speciall frende of his in all y e haist gaue him of y e comon sorte of the Heithen no lesse then xx M. harnessed men to rote out y e whole generacion of the Iewes hauinge to helpe him one Gorgias a man of warre which in matters concernynge battayls had greate experience Nicanor ordened also the tribute which the Romaynes shulde haue had to be geuen vnto the kynge out of the captiuyte of the Iewes namely ij M. talentes And immediatly he sent to y e cities of y e see coost requyringe thē for to bye Iewes to be their seruauntes bonde men promisynge to sell them lxxx and ten for one talente but he considered not the wrath of allmighty God y t was to come vpon him When Iudas knewe of this he tolde the Iewes y t were w t him of Nicanors cōmynge Now were there some of them fearfull not trustinge vnto the rightuousnes of God and fled their waye But the other y t remayned came together besought the LORDE to delyuer thē frō y t wicked Nicanor which had solde thē or euer he came nye them and though he wolde not do it for their sakes yet for the couenaunt that he made w t their fathers because they called vpon his holy glorious name And so Machabeus called his men together namely aboute vi M. exortinge them not to agree vnto their enemies nether to be afrayed for y e multitude of their aduersaries cōmynge agaynst them vnrighteously but to fight manly consideringe y e reprofe that they had done to the holy place without cause how they had despysed and oppressed the cite yee and destroyed y e lawes of the fathers For they sayde he trust in their weapens and boldnesse but oure confidence is in the allmighty LORDE which in the twincklinge of an eye maye both destroye them that come agaynst vs and all the worlde He exorted them also to call to remēbraūce the helpe that God shewed vnto their fathers as whē there perished an C. lxxxvM of Sennacheribs people And of y e battaill y t they had in Babilō agaynst y e Galacians how y t all the Macedoniās y t came to helpe thē stode in feare how they beynge but only vj. M. slewe an C. xx M. thorow y e helpe y t was geuen them from heauen wherby they also had receaued many benefites Thorow these wordes y e mē toke good hertes vnto thē ready to dye for the lawe the coūtre So he set vpon euery cōpany a captayne one of his owne brethren Simon Ioseph and Ionathas geuynge ech one xv C. men He caused Eszdras also to reade the holy boke vnto them and to geue them a token of the helpe of God Then he himself beinge captaine in y e fore front of the battayll buckled with Nicanor And God was there helpe in so moch that they slewe aboue ix M. mē compelled y e more parte of Nicanors hoost to fle they were so wounded and feable Thus they toke the money from those that came to bye thē and folowed vpon them on euery syde But whē the tyme came vpon them they returned for it was the Sabbath and therfore they folowed nomore vpon them So they toke their weapens and spoyles kepte the Sabbath geuynge thankes vnto the LORDE which had delyuered them that daye and shewed them his mercy After the Sabbath they distributed the spoyles to the sicke to y e fatherlesse and to wyddowes and the residue had they them selues with theirs Whē this was done and they all had made a generall prayer they besought the mercifull LORDE to be at one with his seruauntes Of those also that were with Timotheus and Bachides which fought agaynst them they slewe xx M. wanne hye and stronge holdes and deuided moo spoyles euer geuynge an equall porcion vnto y e sicke to y e fatherles to wyddowes to aged persons And when they had diligently gathered their weapēs together they layed them all in convenient places the remnaunt of y e spoyles brought they to Ierusalem They slewe Philarches that wicked personne which was with Timotheus and had vexed many
He put claye vpon myne eyes and I waszhed me now I se. Then sayde some of the pharises This man is not of God seynge he kepeth not y e Sabbath But the other sayde How can a synfull man do soch tokens And there was a stryfe amonge theÌ„ They sayde agayne vnto y e blynde What sayest thou of him that he hath opened thine eyes He sayde he is a prophet The Iewes beleued not hiÌ„ that he was blynde and had receaued his sight tyll they called the elders of him that had receaued his sight and they axed them and sayde Is this youre sonne whom ye saye was borne blynde How doth he now se then His elders answered them and sayde We knowe â–ª that this is oure sonne and that he was borne blynde But how he now seyeth we can not tell or who hath opened his eyes can we not tell He is olde ynough himself 〈◊〉 him let him speake for him self This sayde his elders because they feared the 〈…〉 Therfore sayde his elders He is olde ynough are him Then called they the maÌ„ agayne y t was blynde and sayde vnto him Geue God y e prayse we knowe that this man is a synner He answered sayde Whether he be a synner or no I can not tell one thinge am I sure off that I was blynde and now I se. TheÌ„ sayde they vnto him agayne What dyd he vnto the How opened he thine eyes He answered them I tolde you right now Herde ye it not What wil ye heare it agayne Will ye also be his disciples Then rayted they him and sayde Thou art his disciple We are sure that God spake w t Moses As for this felowe we know not wheÌ„ce he is The man answered and sayde vnto theÌ„ This is a maruelous thinge that ye wote not whence he is and he hath opened mine eyes For we knowe that God heareth not y e sinners but yf eny maÌ„ be a fearer of God and doth his will him heareth he Sens y e worlde beganne was it not herde that eny man opened the eyes of one that was borne blynde Yf this man were not of God he coulde haue done nothinge They answered and sayde vnto him Thou art alltogether borne in synne and teachest thou vs And they thrust him out Iesus herde y t they had thrust him out and whaÌ„ he had founde him he sayde vnto him Beleuest thou on the sonne of God He answered and sayde LORDE who is it y t I might beleue on him Iesus sayde vnto him Thou hast sene him and he it is that talketh with the. He sayde LORDE I beleue And he worshipped him And Iesus sayde I am come to iudgmeÌ„t in to this worlde that they which se not might se and that they which se might be made blynde And some of the Pharises y t were with him herde this and sayde vnto him Are we then blynde also Iesus sayde vnto theÌ„ Yf ye were blynde ye shulde haue no synne But now that ye saye we se therfore youre sonne remayneth The X. Chapter VErely verely I saye vnto you He y t entreth not in at the dore in to the shepefolde but clymmeth vp some other waye the same is a thefe a murthurer But he that goeth in at the dore is the shepherde of the shepe to him y e porter openeth and the shepe heare his voyce and he * calleth his awne shepe by name and ledeth them out And whan he 〈…〉 forth his â—wne shepe he 〈…〉 and the 〈…〉 is voyce As for a straunger they folowe him not but flye from him for they knowe not the voyce of straungers This prouerbe spake Iesus vnto them but they vnderstode not what it was that he sayde vnto them Then sayde Iesus vnto them agayne Verely verely I saye vnto you I am the dore of the shepe All they that are come before me are theues and murthures But y e shepe harkened not vnto them I am the dore Yf eny man entre in by me he shal be saued and shal go in and out and fynde pasture A thefe coÌ„meth not but for to steale kyll and destroye I am come y t they might haue life and haue it more abundauntly I am a good shepherde A good shepherde geueth his life for the shepe But an hyred seruaunt which is not the shepherde nether the shepe are his awne seyth y e wolfe coÌ„mynge and leaueth y e shepe and flyeth And the wolfe catcheth scatereth y e shepe But the hyred seruauÌ„t flyeth because he is an hyred seruaunte and careth not for the shepe I am a good sheperde and knowe myne and am knowne of myne EueÌ„ as my father knoweth me and I knowe y e father And I geue my life for my shepe And I haue yet other shepe which are not of this folde and those same must I brynge also and they shal heare my voyce and there shal be one flocke and one shepherde Therfore doth my father loue me because I leaue my life that I maye take it agayne NomaÌ„ taketh it fro me but I leaue it of myself I haue power to leaue it and haue power to take it agayne This commaundement haue I receaued of my father Then was there discension amoÌ„ge the Iewes for these sayenges Many of theÌ„ sayde He hath the deuell and is madd why heare ye him Other sayde These are not wordes of one that is possessed Can the deuell also open y e eyes of the blynde It was the dedicacion of the teÌ„ple at IerusaleÌ„ was wynter and Iesus walked in SalomoÌ„s porche TheÌ„ came y e Iewes rounde aboute hiÌ„ saide vnto hiÌ„ How loÌ„ge dost thou make vs doute Yf thou be Christ tell vs planely Iesus answered theÌ„ I tolde you ye beleue not The workes y t I do in my fathers name they beare wytnesse of me But ye beleue not because ye are not of my shepe as I sayde vnto you My shepe heare my voyce I knowe theÌ„ they folowe me And I geue theÌ„ euerlastinge life they shal neuer perishe and nomaÌ„ shal plucke theÌ„ out of my hande My father which gaue theÌ„ me is greater theÌ„ all noman is able to plucke them out of my fathers hande I and the father are one Then the Iewes toke vp stones agayne to stone him Iesus answered theÌ„ Many good workes haue I shewed you fro my father for which of theÌ„ stone ye me The Iewes answered hiÌ„ and sayde For the good worke sake we stone the not but for the blasphemy and because y t thou beynge a man makest thy self God Iesus answered theÌ„ Is it not wrytten in youre lawe I haue sayde Ye are Goddes Yf he call them Goddes vnto whom the worde of God came the scripture can not be brokeÌ„ saye ye theÌ„ vnto hiÌ„ whoÌ„ y e father hath sanctified sent in to y e worlde thou blasphemest God because I sayde I am y e sonne of God Yf
beestes Wherfore God likewyse gaue them vp vnto their hertes lustes in to vnclennes to defyle their awne bodies in them selues which turned the trueth of God vnto a lye worshipped and serued the creature more then the maker which is blessed for euer Amen Therfore God gaue theÌ„ vp vnto shamefull lustes For their wemen chaunged the naturall vse in to the vnnaturall likewyse y e meÌ„ also lefte the naturall vse of the woman and brent in their lustes one on another and man with man wrought fylthines and receaued in them selues the rewarde of their erroure as it was acordinge And as they regarded not to knowe God euen so God gaue theÌ„ vp in to a lewde mynde to do those thinges which were not comly beynge full of all vnrighteousnes whordome wickednes couetousnes maliciousnes full of enuye murthur strife disceate euell coÌ„dicioned whisperers backbyters despysers of God doers of wronge proude boosters bryngers vp of euell thinges disobedient to their Elders without vnderstondinge couenaunt breakers vnlouynge stubborne vnmercifull which men though they knowe the righteousnes of God that they which do soch are worthy of death yet not onely do the same but also haue pleasure in those that do theÌ„ The II. Chapter Therfore canst thou not excuse thy selfe O maÌ„ who soeuer thou be that iudgest for loke wherin thou iudgest another thou condemnest thy selfe in so moch as thou that iudgest doest euen the same For we are sure that the iudgment of God is acordinge to the trueth ouer them that do soch But thinkest thou this O thou man that iudgest them which do soch thinges and doest euen the very same thy selfe that thou shalt escape y t iudgmeÌ„t of God Or despysest thou the riches of his goodnesse pacience and loÌ„ge sufferinge Knowest thou not that y e louynge kyndnesse of God leadeth the to repentaunce But thou after thine harde and impenitent hert heapest vnto thy selfe a treasure of wrath agaynst the daye of wrath and of the openynge of the righteous iudgment of God which shal rewarde euery man acordinge to his dedes namely prayse honoure and vncorrupcion vnto them that with pacience in doinge good seke euerlastinge life But vnto them that are contencious not obedient vnto the trueth but obeye vnrighteousnes shal come indignacion and wrath trouble and anguysh vpoÌ„ all the soules of meÌ„ that do euell of the Iewe first and also of the Greke But vnto all theÌ„ that do good shal come prayse and honoure and peace vnto the Iewe first and also to the Greke For there is no respecte of personnes before God Who so euer haue synned without lawe shal perish also without lawe and whosoeuer haue synned in the lawe shal be iudged by the lawe For before God they are not righteous which heare y e lawe but they that do the lawe shal be iustified For yf the Gentyles which haue not the lawe do of nature the thinges conteyned in the lawe then they hauynge not the lawe are a lawe vnto them selues in that they shewe that the worke of y e lawe is wrytteÌ„ in their hertes whyle their conscience beareth witnesse vnto theÌ„ and also the thoughtes which accuse or excuse them amonge them selues in the daye whan God shal iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ acordinge to my Gospell But take hede thou art called a Iewe and trustest in the lawe makest thy boost of God and knowest his will for so moch as thou art enfourmed out of y e lawe thou prouest what is best to do and presumest to be a leader of the blynde a lighte of them y t are in darcknes an enformer of y e vnwyse a teacher of y e symple which hast the ensample of knowlege of the trueth in the lawe Now teachest thou other and teachest not thy selfe Thou preachest that a man shulde not steale and thou stealest Thou sayest that a man shulde not breake wedlocke and thou breakest wedlocke Thou abhorrest ymages and robbest God of his honoure Thou makest thy boost of the lawe and thorow breakynge of the lawe thou dishonorest God For thorow you is the name of God euell spoken of amonge the Gentyles * as it is wrytten The circuÌ„cision verely avayleth yf thou kepe the lawe but yf thou breake the lawe then is thy circumcision become vncircumcision Therfore yf the vncircumcision kepe the righte thinges conteyned in the lawe shal not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision And so it that of nature is vncircumcision and fulfilleth the lawe shal iudge the which vnder the letter and circumcision traÌ„sgressest the lawe For he is not a Iew which is a Iewe outwaâ—de nether is that circuÌ„cision which is done outwardly in y e flesh But he is a Iewe which is hydd within And the circumcision of y e hert is the circumcision which is done in the sprete and not in the letter Whose prayse is not of men but of God The III. Chapter WHat furtheraunce then haue the Iewes Or what avauntageth circuÌ„cision Surely very moch First Vnto them was commytted what God spake But where as some of them dyd not beleue theron what then shulde their vnbeleue make the promes of God of none effecte God forbyd Let it rather be thus that God is true and all meÌ„ lyers As it is wrytten That thou mayest be iustified in thy sayenges and shuldest ouercome whaÌ„ thou art iudged But yf it be so that oure vnrighteousnes prayseth y e righteousnes of God what shal we saye Is God then vnrighteous that he is angrie therfore I speake thus after the maner off men God forbyd How mighte God theÌ„ iudge y e worlde For yf the trueth of God be thorow my lye the more excellent vnto his prayse why shulde I theÌ„ be iudged yet as a synner not rather to do thus as we are euell spoken of and as some reporte that we shulde saye Let vs do euell y t good maye come therof Whose daÌ„nacioÌ„ is inste What saye we then Are we better then they No in no wyse for we haue proued afore y t both the Iewes and Grekes are all vnder synne As it is wrytteÌ„ There is none righteous no not one There is none y t vnderstondeth there is none that seketh after God They are all gone out of the waye they are alltogether become vnprofitable there is none that doeth good no not one Their throte is an open sepulcre with their tunges they haue disceaued the poyson off Aspes is vnder their lippes Their mouth is full of cursynge and bytternesse Their fete are swifte to shed bloude Destruccion wrechidnes are in their wayes and y e waye of peace haue they not knowne There is no feare of God before their eyes But we knowe y t what soeuer the lawe sayeth it sayeth it vnto them which are vnder the lawe y t euery mouthe maye be stopped y t all the worlde
iudge them that are without Do ye not iudge thē that are within As for them that are without God shal iudge them Put awaye frō you him that is euell The VI. Chapter HOw dare one off you hauynge busynes with another go to lawe before the vnrighteous and not before the sayntes Do ye not knowe that the sayntes shal iudge the worlde Yf the worlde then shal be iudged off you are ye not good ynough to iudge small matters Knowe ye not that we shal iudge the angels how moch more thinges that pertayne to the tēporall life Therfore yf ye haue iudgmentes of temporall matters take them that are despysed in the congregacion and set them to be iudges This I saye to youre shame Is there vtterly no wyse man amōge you What not one at all that can iudge betwene brother brother but one brother goeth to lawe with another and that before the vnbeleuers Now therfore is there vtterly a faute amōge you that ye go to lawe one with another Why rather suffre ye not wronge Why suffre ye not youre selues rather to be defrauded but ye youre selues do wrōge and defraude and that euen the brethrē Knowe ye not that y e vnrighteous shal not inheret the kyngdome of God Be not disceaued Nether whoremongers ner worshippers off ymages ner breakers off wedlocke ner weaklinges nether abusers of them selues with mankynde ner theues nether the couetous ner drōkardes ner cursed speakers ner extorcioners shal inheret the kyngdome of God And soch haue some of you bene but ye are waszhed ye are sanctified ye are made righteous by the name of the LORDE Iesus and by the sprete of oure God I maye do all thinges but all thinges are not profitable I maye do all thinges but I wil be broughte vnder no mās power Meates are ordeyned for y e bely the bely for meates But God shal destroye both it and them The body belongeth not vnto whordome but vnto the LORDE and the LORDE vnto the body God hath raysed vp the LORDE and shal rayse vs vp also by his power Knowe ye not that youre bodies are the mēbres of Christ Shal I now take the membres of Christ and make them the membres of an harlot God forbyd Or do ye not knowe that he which cleueth vnto an harlot is one body For they shal be two sayeth he in one fleszhe But he that cleueth vnto the LORDE is one sprete Fle whordome All synnes y t a man doth are without the body But he that commytteth whordome synneth agaynst his awne body Or knowe ye not that youre body is the temple of the holy goost Whom ye haue of God and are not youre awne For ye are dearly boughte Prayse ye God therfore in yo body in yo sprete which are Gods The VII Chapter AS concernynge the thinges wherof ye wrote vnto me I answere It is good for a man not to touche a woman Neuertheles to avoyde whordome let euery man haue his awne wife and let euery woman haue hir awne huszbande Let the mā geue vnto the wife due beneuolence likewyse also the wife vnto y e man The wife hath not power ouer hir awne body but the huszbande likewyse the man hath not power ouer his awne body but the wife Withdrawe not yo selues one frō another excepte it be with the consent of both for a tyme that ye maye geue youre selues vnto fastinge and prayer and thē come together agayne lest Sathan tempte you for yo incontynēcye But this I saye of fauoure and not of commaundemēt Howbeit I wolde rather y t all mē were as I am Neuertheles euery one hath his proper gifte of God one thus another so To them verely y t are vnmaried and to wedowes I saye It is good for thē that they abyde also as I do But yf they cannot absteyne let them mary For it is better to mary then to burne But vnto them that are maried commaunde not I but the LORDE that the wife separate not her selfe from the huszbande but yf she separate her selfe y t she remayne vnmaried or be reconcyled to hir huszbande and let not the huszbande put awaye his wife from him As for the other vnto thē saye I not y e LORDE Yf eny brother haue an vnbeleuynge wife and she is content to dwell with him let him not put hir awaye And yf a woman haue an vnbeleuynge huszbande and he is content to dwell with her let her not put him awaye For the vnbeleuynge huszbande is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleuynge wife is sanctified by the huszbande or els were youre children vncleane but now are they holy But yf the vnbeleuynge departe let him departe A brother or a sister is not boūde in soch cases but God hath called vs in peace For what knowest thou O womā whether thou shalt saue y e mā Or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt saue the woman But euen as God hath distributed vnto euery one and as the LORDE hath called euery man so let him walke and so orden I in all congregacions Yf eny man be called beynge circumcysed let him take no Heythenshippe vpon him Yf eny man be called in the Heythenshippe let him not be circumcysed Circumcision is nothinge and vncircumcision is nothinge but the kepynge of the commaundementes of God Let euery one abyde in the callynge wherin he is called Art thou called a seruaūt care not for it neuertheles yf thou mayest be fre vse it rather For he that is called in the LORDE beynge a seruaūte is a freman of the LORDE Likewyse he that is called beynge fre is a seruaūt of Christ. Ye are dearly boughte be not ye the seruauntes of men Brethren let euery one wherin he is called therin abyde with God As concernynge virgins I haue no commaundement of the LORDE neuertheles I saye my goodmeanynge as I haue optayned mercy of the LORDE to be faithfull I suppose it is good for y e present necessite for it is good for a man so to be Art thou bounde vnto a wife seke not to be lowsed Art thou lowsed frō a wife seke not a wife But yf thou take a wife thou synnest not And yf a virgin mary she synneth not Neuertheles soch shal haue trouble in the fleszhe But I fauoure you Howbeit this I saye brethren the tyme is shorte Farthermore this is the meanynge y t they which haue wyues be as though they had none and they that wepe be as though they wepte not and they that reioyse be as though they reioysed not they that bye be as though they possessed not they that vse this worlde be as though they vsed it not For the faszhion off this worlde passeth awaye But I wolde that ye shulde be without care He that is syngle careth for the thinges of the LORDE how he maye please the LORDE But he that is
might be dāned which beleued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes But we are bounde to geue thankes allwaye vnto God for you brethren be loued of the LORDE because that God hath from the begynnynge chosen you to saluacion in the sanctifienge of the sprete and in beleuynge of the trueth whervnto he hath called you by oure Gospell to optayne the glory of oure LORDE Iesus Christ. Therfore brethren stonde fast and kepe the ordinaunces which ye haue lerned whether it were by oure preachinge or by epistle But oure LORDE Iesus Christ himselfe and God oure father which hath loued vs and geuen vs euerlastinge consolacion and a good hope thorow grace comforte youre hertes and stablysh you in all doctryne good doynge The III. Chapter FVrthermore brethren praye for vs that the worde of God maye haue fre passage and be glorified as it is with you and that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and euell mē For faith is not euery mās But the LORDE is faithfull which shal stablyshe you and kepe you from euell We haue confidence in the LORDE to you warde that ye both do and wyll do that which we cōmaunde you The LORDE gyde youre hertes vnto the loue of God and pacience of Christ. But we requyre you brethren in the name of oure LORDE Iesus Christ that ye withdrawe youre selues from euery brother that walketh inordinatly and not after the institucion which he receaued of vs. For ye yo r selues knowe how ye oughte to folowe vs for we behaued not oure selues inordinatly amonge you nether toke we bred of eny man for naughte but wrought w t laboure and trauayle night and daye lest we shulde be chargeable to eny of you Not but that we had auctorite but to geue oure selues for an ensample vnto you to folowe vs. And whan we were w t you this we warned you of that yf there were eny which wolde not worke y e same shulde not eate For we heare saye that there are some which walke amonge you inordinatly and worke not at all but are busy bodies But them that are soche we commaunde and exhorte by oure LORDE Iesus Christ that they worke with quyetnes and eate their awne bred Neuertheles brethren be not ye weery of well doynge But yf eny man obey not oure sayenges sende vs worde of him by a letter and haue nothinge to do with him y t he maye be ashamed Yet counte him not as an enemye but warne him as a brother The very LORDE of peace geue you peace allwayes by all meanes The LORDE be with you all The salutacion of me Paul with myne awne hande This is the token in all epistles So I wryte The grace of oure LORDE Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Sent from Athens The first Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to Timothy The summe of this epistle Chap. I. He exhorteth Timothy to wayte vpō his office namely to se that nothīge be taughte but Gods worde c. He sheweth also wherfore the lawe is good and telleth these swete and glad tidinges that Christ Iesus came in to the worlde to saue synners example of himselfe Chap. II. He exhorteth to praye for all men He will not haue wemen to be ouer costly arayed ner to teach in the congregacion but to be in sylence and obeye their huszbandes Chap. III. What maner of man a byszhpppe or prest ought to be and what condicions his wife and children shulde haue The properties also requyred in a deacon or mynister and in his wife Chap. IIII. He prophecieth of the latter dayes and exhorteth Timothy to the diligēt readynge of the holy scripture Chap. V. He teacheth him how he shal behaue himselfe in rebukynge all degrees An ordre concernynge wyddowes Chap. VI. The dutye of seruauntes towarde their masters Agaynst soch as are not satisfied with the worde of God Agaynst cuvetousnes A good lesson for riche men The first Chapter PAul an Apostle of Iesus Christ acordinge to the commaundement of God oure Sauioure and of the LORDE Iesus Christ which is oure hope Vnto Timothy my naturall sonne in the faith Grace mercy and peace from God oure father and oure LORDE Iesus Christ. As I besoughte y e to abyde still at Ephesus whan I departed in to Macedonia euē so do that thou commaunde some that they teach none other wyse nether geue hede to fables and genealogies which are endlesse and brede doutes more then godly edifyenge which is by faith For y e chefe summe of the commaundement is loue of a pure hert and of a good cōscience and of faith vnfayned From the which some haue erred haue turned vnto vayne iangelynge wyllinge to be doctours of the scripture and vnderstonde not what they speake nether wherof they affirme But we knowe that the lawe is good yf a man vse it laufully vnderstōdinge this that the lawe is not geuen vnto the righteous but to the vnrighteous dishobedient to the vngodly to synners to the vnholy vncleane to murthurers of fathers and murthurers of mothers to manslayers to whoremongers to thē that defyle them selues with mankynde to menstealers to lyars to periured so forth yf there be eny other thinge y t is cōtrary to y e wholsome doctryne acordinge to y e Gospell of y e glory of the blessed God which Gospell is cōmytted vnto me And I thanke Christ Iesus o r LORDE which hath made me strōge for he counted me faithfull put me in office whā before I was a blasphemer a persecuter a tyraunt but I optayned mercy because I dyd it ignorauntly in vnbeleue Neuertheles the grace of o r LORDE was more abūdaunt thorow y e faith loue which is in Christ Iesu. For this is a true sayenge and by all meanes worthy to be receaued that Christ Iesus came in to y e worlde to saue synners of whom I am chefe Notwithstondynge for this cause optayned I mercy that Iesus Christ mighte pryncipally shewe in me all longe pacience to the ensample of them which shulde beleue in him vnto eternall life So then vnto God kynge euerlastinge immortall and invisible and wyse onely be honoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen This commaundement commytte I vnto the my sonne Timotheus acordinge to y e prophecies which in tyme past were prophecied of the that thou in them shuldest fighte a good fighte hauynge faith good conscience which some haue put awaye frō them and as concernynge faith haue made shypwrake of whose nombre is Hymeneos and Alexander whom I haue delyuered vnto Sathan that they might be taught nomore to blaspheme The II. Chapter I Exhorte therfore y t aboue all thinges prayers supplicacions intercessions and geuynge of thākes be had for all men for kynges and for all that are in auctorite that we maye lyue a quyete peaceable life in all godlynes and
for to compell him to do the contynuall seruyce Wilt thou take thy pastyne w t him as with a byrde or geue him vnto thy maydens that thy companyons maye hew him in peces to be parted amonge the marchaunt men Canst thou fyll the nett w t his skynne or y e fysh paÌ„nyer with his heade Darrest thou laye honde vpon him It is better for the to considre what harme might happeÌ„ the there thorow and not to touch him For when thou thynkest to haue holde vpon him he shall begyle the Euery man also that seyth him shall go backe And why there darre none be so bolde as to rayse him vp The XLI Chapter WHo is able to stonde before me Or who hath geuen me eny thynge afore hande that I am bounde to rewarde him agayne All thinges vnder heauen are myne I feare him not whether he threaten or speake fayre Who lifteth him vp and stripeth him out of his clothes or who taketh him by the bytt of his brydle Who openeth the dore of his face for he hath horrible tethe rounde aboute His body is couered with scales as it were with shyldes lockte in kepte and well coÌ„pacte together One is so ioyned to another that no ayre can come in Yee one hangeth so vpon another and sticke so together that they can not be sundered His nesinge is like a glisteringe fyre and his eyes like the mornynge shyne Out of his mouth go torches and fyre brandes out off his nostrels there goeth a smoke like as out â—ff an hote seetinge pott His breth maketh the coales burne the flame goeth out of his mouth In his necke remayneth strength and before his face sorowe is turned to gladnesse The membres of his body are ioyned so strayte one to another and cleue so fast together that he can not be moued His hert is as harde as a stone aÌ„d as fast as the styth ye that the hammer man smyteth vpon When he goeth the mightiest off all are afrayed and the wawes heuy Yff he drawe out the swearde there maye nether speare ner brest plate abyde him He setteth as moch by a strawe as by yroÌ„ and as moch by a rotten stocke as by metall He starteth â—ot awaye for him that bendeth the bowe â—s for slynge stones he careth as moch for stubble as for them He counteth the hammer no better then a strawe he laugheth him to scorne that shaketh the speare He treadeth the golde in the myre like y e sharpe potsherdes He maketh the depe to seeth and boyle like a pott and stereth the see together like an oyntment The waye is light after him the depe is his walkynge place Vpon earth is there no power like vnto his for he is so made that he feareth not Yff a man will coÌ„sidre all hye thinges this same is a kynge ouer all the children off pryde The XLII Chapter THeÌ„ Iob answered the LORDE and sayde I knowe that thou hast power of all thinges and that there is no thought hyd vnto the. For who can kepe his owne councell so secrete but it shall be knowne Therfore haue I spoken vnwysely seynge these thinges are so hye and passe myne vnderstondinge O herken thou vnto me also and let me speake answere me vnto the thinge that I will axe the. I haue geuen diligent eare vnto the and now I se y e with myne eyes Wherfore I geue myne owne self y e blame and take repentaunce in the dust and asshes Now wheÌ„ the LORDE had spoken these wordes vnto Iob he sayde vnto Eliphas y e Themanite I am displeased with the thy two frendes for ye haue not spoken the thinge y t is right before me like as my seruaâ—â—â— Iob hath done Therfore take vij oxen 〈…〉 seuen rammes and go to my seruaunt 〈…〉 offre vp also for youre selues a brent offeâ—â—â—â—â—ge and lat my seruaunt Iob praye for 〈…〉 Him will I accepte and not deale with 〈…〉 after youre foolishnesse in that ye hau◠〈…〉 spokeÌ„ y e thinge which is right like as my 〈…〉 Iob hath done So Eliphas the Themanite Bald 〈…〉 Suhite and Sophar the Naamathite 〈…〉 their waye and did acordynge as the 〈…〉 commaunded them The LORDE also 〈…〉 the personne off Iob and the LORâ—◠〈…〉 turned him vnto Iob wheÌ„ he prayed for 〈…〉 frendes Yee the LORDE gaue Iob twyse 〈◊〉 moch as he had afore And theÌ„ came there vnto him all his 〈…〉 thren all his sisters with all them that 〈…〉 bene off his acquaÌ„tauÌ„ce afore and ate 〈…〉 with him in his house wondringe at him aÌ„d 〈◊〉 comfortinge him ouer all the trouble 〈…〉 the LORDE had brought vpon him 〈…〉 maÌ„ gaue him a shepe and a Iewell of 〈…〉 And the LORDE made Iob richer the◠〈…〉 was before for he had xiiij M. shepe vi 〈…〉 camels a M. yock oxeÌ„ and a M. asses 〈…〉 had children also vij sonnes and iij. doughâ—ters The first he called Daye the seconde 〈◊〉 pouerte the thirde All plenteousnes In the londe were none founde so fayre as 〈…〉 doughters of Iob their father gaue 〈…〉 enheritaunce amonge their brethren After this lyued Iob xl yeares so that he sawe his children his childers children vnto the fourth generacion And so he dyed beinge olde of a perfecte age The ende of the boke of Io◠〈◊〉 The Psalter The first psalme O Blessed is y e man y t goeth 〈…〉 in the councell of y e vngodâ—◠〈…〉 y t abydeth not in the waye 〈…〉 synners sytteth not in y e 〈…〉 of the scornefull But 〈…〉 lyteth in the lawe of y e LORDE exercyse 〈◊〉 himself in his lawe both â—aye and night 〈…〉 Soch a maÌ„ is like a tre plated 〈◊〉 y e water sydâ—de y t briÌ„geth forth his frute in due season His leeues shal not fall off aÌ„d loke what 〈◊〉 he doth it shal prospere As for the 〈◊〉 it is not so with them but they are 〈◊〉 dust which y e wynde scatereth 〈…〉 of the grounde Therfore the vngod 〈◊〉 all not be able to stonde in the iudgmeÌ„t 〈◊〉 the synners in the congregacion off â—ightuous For the LORDE aloweth y e 〈◊〉 of the rightuous but the waye of the 〈◊〉 shal perishe The II. A psalme of Dauid THy do the HeitheÌ„ grudge why do the people ymagyn vayne thinges The kynges of the earth stoÌ„de vp 〈◊〉 rulers are come together agaynst 〈◊〉 LORDE aÌ„d agaynst his anoynted Let 〈◊〉 breake their bondes a sunder and cast 〈…〉 their yocke from vs. Neuerthelesse 〈◊〉 that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh theÌ„ 〈◊〉 scorne yee euen the LORDE himselff shall haue them in derision Then shal he 〈…〉 vnto them in his wrath and vexe them in 〈…〉 dispeasure Yet haue I set my 〈◊〉 vpon my holy hill of Sion As for me 〈…〉 preach the lawe wherof the LORDE 〈…〉 sayde vnto me Thou art my sonne 〈◊〉 daye haue I begotten the. Desyre off 〈◊〉 and I shall geue the the Heithen for 〈◊〉 enheritaunce Yee the
vttemost partes of 〈…〉 worlde for thy possession Thou shalt 〈…〉 with a rodde of yron and breake theÌ„ 〈…〉 like an erthen vessell Be wyse now 〈◊〉 o ye kynges be warned ye that are 〈◊〉 of the earth Serue the LORDE â—ith feare and reioyse before him with reueâ—â—nce Kysse the sonne lest the LORDE be 〈◊〉 and so ye perish from the right waye â—or his wrath shal be kindled shortly blessed 〈…〉 they that put their trust in him The III. A psalme of Dauid â—Hy are they so many o LORDE y t 〈…〉 trouble me a greate multitude are 〈…〉 they that ryse agaynst me Yee 〈◊〉 one there be that saye off my soule 〈◊〉 is no helpe for him in God Sela 〈…〉 o LORDE art my defender my 〈◊〉 aÌ„d the lifter vp of my heade I call 〈◊〉 the LORDE with my voyce and he 〈…〉 me out of his holy hill Sela I layed 〈◊〉 downe and slepte but I rose vp agayne 〈◊〉 the LORDE susteyned me I am not 〈◊〉 for thousandes of the people that 〈…〉 rounde aboute Vp LORDE and helpe 〈◊〉 my God for thou smytest all myne 〈◊〉 vpon the chekâ—bones and breakest the 〈◊〉 of the vâ—godly Helpe belongeth 〈◊〉 the LORDE therfore let thy blessynge be vpon thy people The IIII. A psalme of Dauid HEare me wheÌ„ I cal o God of my rightuousnes thou that comfortest me in my trouble haue mercy vpon me and herken vnto my prayer O ye sonnes off men how longe will ye blaspheme myne honoure why haue ye soch pleasure in vanyte seke after lyes Sela Knowe this that the LORDE dealeth maruelously with his saynte and when I call vpon the LORDE he heareth me Be angrie but synne nâ—t comoÌ„ w t youre owne hertes vpoÌ„ yo r beddes remeÌ„bre yo r selues Selâ— Offre y e sacrifice of rightuousnes put yo r trust in y e LORDE There be many y t saye who wil do vs eny good where as thou o LORDE hast shewed vs the light of y e countenauÌ„ce Thou reioysest myne herte though their encreace be greate both in corne wyne Therfore wil I laye me downe in peace take my rest for thou LORDE only settest me in a sure dwellynge The V. A psalme of Dauid HEare my wordes o LORDE considre my callynge O marke the voyce of my peticion my kynge my God for vnto the wil I make my prayer Heare my voyce by tymes o LORDE for early in the morninge wil I gett me vnto the yee y t w t diligeÌ„ce For thou art not the God y t hath pleasure in wickednesse there maye no vngodly personne dwel with the. Soch as be cruell maye not stonde in thy sight thou art an enemie vnto all wicked doers Thou destroyest the lyers the LORDE abhorreth the bloude thurstie and disceatfull But as for me I wil come into thy house euen vpon the multitude of thy mercy aÌ„d in thy feare wyll I worshipe towarde thy holy teÌ„ple Lede me o LORDE in thy rightuousnesse because of myne enemyes aÌ„d make thy waye playne before me For there is no faithfulnesse in their mouthes they dyssemble in their hertes their throte is an open sepulchre with their tonges they disceaue Punysh them o God that they maye perish in their owne ymaginacions cast them out because of the multitude of their vngodlinesse for they rebell agaynst the. Agayne let all them that put their trust in the reioyse yee let them euer be geuynge of thankes because thou defendest them that they which loue thy name maye be ioyfull in the. For thou LORDE geuest thy blessinge vnto the rightuous and with thy fauorable kyndnes thou defendest him as with a shylde The VI. A psalme of Dauid OH LORDE rebuke me not in thine anger Oh chasteÌ„ me not in thy heuy displeasure Haue mercy vpon me o LORDE for I am weake o LORDE heale me for all my bones are vexed My soule also is in greate trouble but LORDE how longe Turne the o LORDE delyuer my soule Oh saue me for thy mercies sake For in death no man remeÌ„breth the Oh who wil geue the thankes in the hell I am weery of gronynge Euery night wasshe I my bedde water my couche with my teares My couÌ„tenauÌ„ce is chaunged for very inwarde grefe I coÌ„sume awaye I haue so many enemies Awaye fro me all ye wicked doers for the LORDE hath herde the voyce off my wepinge The LORDE hath herde myne humble peticieÌ„ the LORDE hath receaued my prayer All myne enemies shal be coÌ„founded sore vexed yee they shal be turned backe and put to shame and that right soone The VII A psalme of Dauid O LORDE my God in y e do I trust saue me froÌ„ all theÌ„ y t persecute me delyuer me Lest he hantch vp my soule like a lyon teare it in peces whyle there is none to helpe O LORDE my God yff I haue done eny soch thinge yf there be eny vnrightuousnes in my haÌ„des Yff I haue rewarded euell vnto theÌ„ y t dealt frendly w t me or hurte theÌ„ y t w t out eny cause are myne enemies Then let myne enemie persecute my soule take me yee let hiÌ„ treade my life downe in the earth laye myne hono r in the dust Sela. StoÌ„de vp o LORDE in y i wrath lift vp thyself ouer the furious indignacioÌ„ of myne enemies aryse vp for me in the vengeaunce that thou hast promysed That the congregacion of the people maye come aboute the for their sakes therfore lift vp thyselff agayne The LORDE is iudge ouer the people Auenge me then o LORDE acordinge to my rightuousnes innocency Oh let the wickednes of the vngodly come to an ende but manteyne the iust thou rightuous God y t triest the very hertes the reynes My helpe coÌ„meth of God which preserueth them y t are true of herte God is a rightuous iudge God is euer threateninge Yf men wil not turne he hath whet his swearde he hath bent his bowe made it ready He hath prepayred him the weapens of death ordened his arowes to destroye Beholde he trauayleth with myschefe he hath coÌ„ceaued vnhappynesse and brought forth a lye He hath grauen and dygged vp a pytte but he shal fall himself into y e pytte y t he hath made For his vnhappynes shall come vpon his owne heade his wickednes shall fall vpon his owne pate As for me I will geue thankes vnto the LORDE for his rightuousnes sake and wil prayse the name of the LORDE the most hyest The VIII A psalme of Dauid O LORDE oure gouernoure how â—onderfull is thy name in all the worlde how excellent is thy glory aboue the heauens Out of the mouth of the very babes sucklinges thou hast ordened prayse because of thine enemies y t thou mightest destroye the enemie and the auenger For I considre thy heauens euen the worke off thy fyngers the Moone and the starres which
that tyme hath kepte himself They that be fallen in to harme are soch as haue workes saith vnto the Most mightie Knowe this therfore that they which be left behynde are more blessed then they that be deed This is the meanynge of the vision Where as thou sawest a man commynge vp from the depe of the see y e same is he whom God the Hyest hath kepte a greate season which by his owne self shall delyuer his creature he shal ordre theÌ„ that are left behynde And where as thou sawest y t out of his mouth there came a blast of wynde fyre storme how y t he lift vp nether swerde ner weapen but y t the ruszshinge in of him destroyed the whole multitude y t came to fight agaynst him it signifieth that the dayes come whan God wyll delyuer theÌ„ y t are vpon earth in a traunce of mynde shall he come vpon theÌ„ y t dwell in the earth And one shal vndertake to fight agaynst another one cite agaynst another one place agaynst another one people agaynst another one realme agaynst another Whan this commeth to passe then shal the tokens come that I shewed the before and theÌ„ shal my sonne be declared whoÌ„ thou sawest clymme vp as a maÌ„ And whan all y e people heare his voyce euery man shal in their owne loÌ„de leaue the battayll y t they haue one agaynst another and an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together as they that be willinge to come and to ouer come him by fightinge But he shal stoÌ„de vpon the toppe of the mount Sion Neuertheles Sion shall come shall be shewed beynge prepared buylded for all men like as thou sawest the hill grauen forth without eny haÌ„des But my sonne shal rebuke the people y t are come for their wickednes with the tempest and for their euell ymaginacions and their paynes wherwith they shal be punyshed are lickened vnto the flamme and with out eny laboure shal he destroye them euen by the lawe which is coÌ„pared vnto the fyre And where as thou sawest that he gathered another peaceable people vnto hiÌ„ those are the ten trybes which were caried awaye presoners out of their owne londe in the tyme of Oseas the kynge whom Salmanasar the kinge of Assiria toke presoner and caried them ouer y e water and so came they in to another londe But they gaue them this councell y t they shulde leaue the multitude of the HeitheÌ„ and to go forth in to a farther countre where neuer mankynde dwelt that they might there kepe their statutes which they neuer kepte in their owne lande And so they entred in at the narow passages of the water of Euphrates and God shewed tokens for theÌ„ and helde styll the floude tyll they were passed ouer for thorow that countre there was a greate waye namely of a yeare and an half iourney for the same region is called Asareth Then dwelt they there vnto the latter tyme and when they come forth agayne y e Hyest shall holde styll the sprynges of the streame agayne that they maye go thorow therfore sawest thou the multitude with peace And they that be left behynde of thy people are those that be founde within my border Now whan he destroyeth the multitude that is gathered together he shal defeÌ„de his people that remayne and then shal he shew them greate wonders Then sayde I O LORDE LORDE shew me this wherfore haue I sene the man commynge vp from the depe of the see And he sayde vnto me Like as thou caÌ„st nether seke out ner knowe these thinges that are in the depe of the see euen so maiest thou not se my sonne or those that be with him but in the tyme of the daye This is the interpretacion of the dreame which thou sawest therfore thou onely art here lightened for thou hast forsaken thine owne lawe and applied thy diligence vnto myne and sought it Thy life hast thou ordred in wyszdome and hast called vnderstondinge thy mother and therfore haue I shewed the y e treasure of the Hyest After thre dayes I wil shew the more and talke with the at more large yee heuy and wonderous thinges wyl I declare vnto the. Then wente I forth in to y e felde geuynge prayse and thankes greatly vnto God because of his wonders which he dyd in tyme and because he gouerneth the same and soch 〈◊〉 is in tyme and there I satt thre dayes The XIIII Chapter VPon the thirde daye I satt vnder an oke tre then came there a voyce vnto me out of the bush sayde Eszdras Eszdras And I sayde here I am LORDE and stode vp vpon my fete TheÌ„ spake he vnto me In the bush dyd I appeare vnto Moses talked w t him whaÌ„ my people serued in Egipte and I sent him and led my people out of Egipte brought him vpoÌ„ y e mount Sion where I helde him by me a longe season and tolde him my wonderous workes and shewed him y e secretes of the tymes and the ende and commaunded him sayeÌ„ge These wordes shalt thou declare not hyde theÌ„ And now I saye vnto the that thou laye vp in thine hert the dreames that thou hast sene and the interpretacions which I haue shewed the for thou shalt be receaued of all thou shal be turned and remayne w t my councell and with soch as be like the vntyll y e tymes be ended For the worlde hath lost his youth and the tymes begynne to waxe olde For the tyme is deuyded in to twolue partes and ten partes of it are gone all ready and half of the tenth parte yet remayneth there that which is after y e half of y e tenth parte Therfore prepare and ordre thy house and refourme thy people comforte soch of thou as be in trouble and tell now of the destruccion let go from the mortall thoughtes cast awaye the burthens of man put of the weake nature laye vp in some place y e thoughtes that are most heuy vnto the and haist the to flyt from these tymes for soch euell wickednesse as thou hast now sene happeÌ„ shal they do yet moch worse For the weaker that the worlde and the tyme is the more shal 〈…〉 wickednesse increase in them that dwell vpoÌ„ earth For the trueth is fled farre awaye lesynge is hard at hande For now haâ—â—teth the vision to come that thou hast sene Then answered I and sayde Beholde LORDE I wyl go as thou hast commaunded me and refourme the people which are present But they y t shal be borne afterwarde who wyl exhorte or rebuke theÌ„ Thus the worlde is set in darcknes and they y t dwel therin are without light for thy lawe is kyndled becâ—use no man knoweth the thinges that are done of the or that shal be done Yf I haue fouÌ„de grace before the sende the holy goost in to me and I shall wryte all that hath bene done
in the worlde sene the begynnynge which was wrytten in thy lawe that men maye fynde the path and that they which wyl lyue in the latter dayes maye lyue And he answered me sayēge Go y t waye gather thy people together saye vnto thē that they seke the not for xl dayes but loke thou gather the many boxe trees and take with the Sarea Dabria Selemia Echanus and Asial these fyue which are ready to wryte swiftly and come hither and I shal light a cādle of vnderstōdinge in thine hert which shal not be put out tyll the thinges be perfourmed which thou shalt begynne to wryte And then shalt thou declare some thinges openly vnto the perfecte and some thinges shalt thou shew secretly vnto y e wyse Tomorow this houre shalt thou begynne to wryte Then wēte I forth as he commaūded me and gathered all y e people together and sayde Heare these wordes o Israel Oure fathers from the begynnynge were straunges in Egipte from whēce they were delyuered and receaued the lawe of life which they kepte not which ye also haue trāsgressed after thē Then was this londe and the londe of Sion parted amōge you by the lot to possesse But yo r fathers and ye yo r selues also haue done vnrighteousnes haue not kepte the wayes which the Hyest cōmaunded you And for so moch as he is a righteous iudge he toke from you in tyme the thinge that had geuen you And now are ye here and yo r brethren amōge you Therfore yf so be that ye wil subdue yo r owne vnderstandinge and refourme youre hert ye shal be kepte aliue after death shal ye opteyne mercy For after death shall the iudgment come whan we shal lyue agayne and then shal the names of the righteous be manifest and y e names of the vngodly with their workes shal be declared Let no mā therfore come now vnto me ner axe eny question at me these xl dayes So I toke the fyue men as he commaunded me and we wente in to the felde and remayned there The next daye a voyce called me sayēge Eszdras Open thy mouth drynke that I geue the. Thē opened I my mouth beholde he reached me a full cuppe which was full of water but the colo r of it was like fyre And I toke it and dranke And whā I had dronken it my hert had vnderstondinge and wyszdome grew in my brest for my sprete was kepte in remembraunce and my mouth was opened and shut nomore The Hyest gaue vnderstondinge vnto the fyue men y t they wrote y e hye thīges of the night which they vnderstode not But in the night they ate bred as for me I spake in the daye and helde not my tonge by night In xl dayes they wrote two hundreth foure bokes And it happened whā the xl dayes were fulfilled that the Hyest spake sayenge The first that thou hast wryttē speake openly y t the worthy and vnworthy maye rede it But kepe y e lxx last y t thou mayest shew it onely to soch as be wyse amonge thy people For in them is the sprynge of vnderstōdinge the fountayne of wyszdome and the streame of knowlege And I dyd so The XV. Chapter BEhelde speake thou in the eares of my people the wordes of prophecie which I wyll put in y e mouth saieth the LORDE and cause them to be wrytten in a letter for it is the trueth Feare not the ymaginaciōs against y t let not y e vnfaithfulnes of them trouble the that speake agaynst the. For all the vnfaithfull shal dye in their vnfaithfulnes Beholde saieth the LORDE I wil brynge plages vpon the worlde y e swerde honger death and destruccion for wickednes hath the vpper hande in all y e earth and their shamefull workes are fulfilled Therfore saieth the LORDE I wil holde my tonge nomore vnto their wickednesse which they do so vngodly nether wil I suffre them in the thinges that they deale with all so wickedly Beholde the innocent bloude of the troubled crieth vnto me and the soules of the righteous complayne cōtynually and therfore saieth the LORDE I wil surely auēge and receaue vnto me all the innocēt bloude from amonge them Beholde my people is led as a flock of shepe to be slayne I wil not suffre them now to dwel in Egipte but wyl brynge them ou◠with a mightie hande and a stretched out arme and smyte it with plages as afore and wyl destroye all the londe off it Egipte shal mourne and the foundacions of it shal be smytten with the plage and punyshment y t God shal brynge vpon it They that tyll y e groūde shal mourne for their sedes shal be destroyed thorow the blastinge and hale and an horrible starre Wo worth y e worlde and them that dwell therin for y e swerde their destrucciō draweth nye one people shal stōde vp to fight against another swerdes in their hādes For mē shal be vnstedfast and some shal do violence vnto other they shal not regarde their kynge and prynces the wayes of their doinges and hādelinges in their power A man shal desyre to go in to the cite shal not be able For because of their pryde y e cities shal be brought in feare y e houses shal shake and men shal be afrayed A man shal haue no pitie vpon his neghboure but one shal prouoke another vnto battayll to spoyle their goodes because of the honger of bred and because of the greate trouble Beholde I gather call together all the kynges of y e earth which are from the vprysinge from the south from the east and Libanus to turne vnto them and restore the thinges that they haue geuē them Like as they do yet this daye vnto my chosen so wil I do also and recōpense thē in their bosome Thus sayeth y e LORDE God My right hande shal not spare y e synners and my swerde shal not ceasse ouer them that shed the innocēt bloude vpon earth The feare is gone out frō his wrath and hath cōsumed the foundacions of the earth and the synners like the strawe that is kindled Wo worth them that synne and kepe not my commaundementes saieth the LORDE I wil not spare them Go youre waye ye children from violence defyle not my Sanctuary for the LORDE knoweth all thē that synne agaynst him and therfore delyuereth he them vnto death and destrucciō For now are the plages come vpon the worlde ye shal remayne in thē For God shal not delyuer you because ye haue synned agaynst him Beholde an horrible vision commeth frō the east where generacions of Dragons shal come out and the people of the Arabes with many charettes and the multitude of them shal be as the wynde vpō earth that all they which heare them ragynge in their wrath maye feare and be afrayed and as the wylde bores out of y e wod so shal they go out and with
whan ye knewe not God ye dyd seruyce vnto them which by nature are no Goddes But now seynge ye knowe God yee rather are knowne off God how is iâ— that ye turne you backe agayne vnto the weake and beggerly tradicions wher vnto ye desyre agayne a fresh to be in bondage Ye obserue dayes and â—â—nethes and tymes and yeares I am in feare of you lest I haue bestowed laboure on you in vayne BrethreÌ„ I beseke you be ye as I am for I am as ye are Ye haue not hurte me at all For ye knowe how that in weaknes after y e flesh I preached y e Gospell vnto you at the first and my tentacion which I suffred after the flesh ye despysed not nether abhorred but receaued me as an angell of God yee euen as Christ Iesus How happy were ye then For I beare you recorde that yf it had bene possible ye had plucked out youre awne eyes and geueÌ„ them vnto me Am I therfore become yo r enemy because I tell you y e trueth They are gelous ouer you amysse Yee they wolde make you to fall backe that ye might be ferueÌ„t to theÌ„ warde It is good to be feruent so y t it be allwaye in a good thinge and not onely whan I am present w t you My litle children of whom I trauayle in byrth agayne vntyll Christ be fashioned in you I wolde I were w t you now and coulde chauÌ„ge my voyce for I stoÌ„deiÌ„ doute of you Tell me ye that wylbe vnder the lawe haue ye not herde the lawe For it is wrytten that Abraham had two sonnes the one by a bonde mayde the other by a fre woman As for him that was of the boÌ„de mayde he was borne after y e flesh but he which was of the fre woman was borne by promes These wordes betoken somwhat For these wemen are the two Testamentes The one from the mount Sina that gendreth vnto bondage which is Agar For Agar is called in Arabia y e mount Sina and reacheth vnto Ierusalem which now is and is in bondage with hir children But Ierusalem that is aboue is the fre woman which is the mother of vs all For it is wrytteÌ„ Reioyse thou baren that bearest no childreÌ„ breake forth and crye thou y t trauaylest not for the desolate hath many mo childreÌ„ then she which hath an huszbande As for vs brethren we are the children of Isaac acordinge to the promes But like as at that tyme he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him y t was borne after the sprete euen so is it now also But what sayeth the scripture Put awaye the bonde mayden and hir sonne for the sonne of y e bondmayde shal not be heyre with y e sonne of the fre woman So now brethren we are not children of the bonde mayde but of the fre woman The V. Chapter STonde fast therfore in the libertye wherwith Christ hath made vs fre and be not wrapped agayne in the yocke off bondage Beholde I Paul sayâ— vnto you Yf ye be circumcysed Christ profiteth you nothinge at all I testifye agaâ—â—ne vnto euery man which is circumcyse that he is bounde to kepe the whole larâ— Ye are gone quyte from Christ as many â— you as wylbe made righteous by the laâ—â— and are fallen from grace But we waâ— in the sprete off hope to 〈…〉 by faith For in Christ 〈…〉 circumcision eny thinge worth ner vncircumcision but faith which by loue is mightâ—e in operacion Ye ranne well who was a let vnto you that ye shulde not obeye the trueth Soch councell is not of him that hath called you A litle leuen sowreth the whole lompe of dowe I haue trust towarde you in y e LORDE that ye wylbe none otherwyse mynded But he that troubleth you shal beare his iudgment what so euer he be Brethren yf I yet preach circumcision why do I suffre persecucion then had the slaunder off the crosse ceassed Wolde God they were roted out froÌ„ amoÌ„ge you which trouble you But brethreÌ„ ye are called vnto liberty onely let not youre libertie be an occasion vnto the flesh but by loue serue one another For all the lawe is fulfylled in one worde namely in this loue thy neghboure as thy selfe But yf ye byte and deuoure one another take hede that ye be not consumed one of another I saye Walke in the sprete and so shal ye not fulfill the lustes off the fleshe For the flesh lusteth agaynst the sprete and the sprete agaynst the flesh These are contrary one to the other so that ye can not do that which ye wolde But and yf ye be led of the sprete then are ye not vnder the lawe The dedes of y e flesh are manifest which are these Aduoutrye whordome vncleÌ„nes wantaÌ„nes Idolatrye witchcraft hatred variaunce zele wrath stryfe sedicion sectes envyenge murthur dronkennes glotony and soch like of the which I tell you before as I haue tolde you in tyme past that they which commytte soch shal not inheret the kyngdome of God But the frute of the sprete is loue ioye peace longe sufferinge geÌ„tlenes goodnesse faithfulnes mekenesse teÌ„peraunce Agaynst soch is not y e lawe But they that are Christes haue crucified their flesh with the lustes and desyres The VI. Chapter YF we lyue in the sprete let vs walke also in the sprete Let vs not be vayne glorious prouokinge one another and envyenge another Brethren Yf eny maÌ„ be ouertaken of a faute ye which are spiriâ—uall enfourme him with a meke sprete and â—â—nsidre thine owne selfe that thou also be 〈◊〉 tempted Beare ye one anothers 〈…〉 and so shal ye fulfyll the lawe of Christ. 〈◊〉 yf eny man thinke himselfe to be 〈…〉 whan in dede he is nothinge the 〈…〉 hâ—mselfe Let euery man proue 〈◊〉 owne woâ—â—e and theÌ„ shal he haue reioysinge in his awne selfe and not in another For euery one shal beare his owne burthen But let him that is taughte with the worde mynister in all good thinges vnto him that teacheth him Be not disceaued God wil not be mocked For what soeuer a man soweth that shal he reape He that soweth vpon the flesh shal of the flesh reape destruccion But he that soweth vpon y e sprete shal of the sprete reape life euerlastinge Let vs not be weery of well doynge for whaÌ„ the tyme is come we shal reape without ceassinge Whyle we haue tyme therfore let vs do good vnto all men but specially vnto theÌ„ which are of y e housholde of faith Beholde with how many wordes I haue wrytten vnto you with myne awne hande They that wil please in the flesh constrayne you to be circumcysed onely lest they shulde be persecuted with the crosse of Christ. For eueÌ„ they them selues which are circumcysed kepe not the lawe but wolde haue you circuÌ„cysed that they mighte reioyse in youre flesh But God
forbyd that I shulde reioyse saue onely in the crosse of oure LORDE Iesus Christ wherby the worlde is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde For in Christ Iesu nether circūcision avayleth eny thinge ner vncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke acordynge to this rule peace and mercy be vpon thē and vpon Israel of God From hence forth let no man put me to busynesse for I beare in my body the markes of the LORDE Iesu. Brethren the grace of oure LORDE Iesu Christ be with youre sprete Amen Vnto the Galathians sent from Rome The Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Ephesians The summe of this Epistle Chap. I. The euerlastinge ordinaunce and eleccion of God in sauynge all men thorow Christ Iesus his sonne We are ordened vnto good workes The dominion of Christ. Chap. II. Paul sheweth them what maner of people they were before their conuersion and what they are now in Christ. Chap. III. He sheweth the cause of his presonment desyreth them not to faynte because of his trouble and prayeth God to make thē stedfast in his sprete Chap. IIII. He exhorteth them vnto mekenes longe sufferinge vnto loue and peace euery one to serue and edifie another with the gifte that God hath geuē him to bewarre of straunge doctrine to laye asyde the olde conuersacion of gredy lustes and to walke in a new life Chap. V. He exhorteth them vnto loue warneth them to bewarre of vnclennes cuvetounesse foolish talkynge and false doctryne to be circumspecte to avoyde dronkennesse to reioyse and to be thankfull towarde God to submytt thēselues one to another He teacheth how wemen shulde obeye their huszbōdes and how louyngly men ought to intreate their wyues Chap. VI. How children shulde behaue themselues towarde their fathers and mothers Likewyse fathers towarde their children Seruauntes towarde their masters Agayne masters towarde their seruaūtes An exhortacion to the spirituall battayll and what weapens christen men shulde fight withall The Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Ephesians The first Chapter PAul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God To y e sayntes which are Ephesus to thē that beleue on Iesus Christ. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father frō the LORDE Iesus Christ. Blessed be God the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs w t all maner of spirituall blessynge in heauenly thynges by Christ acordinge as he had chosen vs by him or euer the foundacion of the worlde was layed that we shulde be holy and without blame before him in loue ordeyned vs before to receaue vs as children thorow Iesus Christ acordinge to the pleasure of his will vnto the prayse of the glory of his grace wherby he hath made vs accepted in the Beloued in whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloude namely the forgeuenes of synnes acordynge to y e riches of his grace which he hath shed vpon vs abundauntly in all wyszdome and prudēce and hath opened vnto vs the mystery of his wil acordinge to his pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe y t it shulde be preached whā the tyme was fullcome that all thinges shulde be gathered together by Christ both the thinges which are in heauen and also the thinges that are vpon earth euen by him by whom also we are come to the inheritaunce we that were therto predestinate before acordinge to y e purpose of him which worketh all thinges after y e councell of his owne wyll that we mighte be to the prayse of his glory euen we that before beleued on Christ on whō also ye beleued after that ye herde the worde of trueth namely y e Gospell of youre saluacion wherin whan ye beleued ye were sealed with the holy sprete of promes which is the ernest of oure inheritaunce to oure redempcion that we mighte be his owne to the prayse off his glory Wherfore I also in so moch as I haue herde of the faith which ye haue in y e LORDE Iesu and of youre loue vnto all y e sayntes ceasse not to geue thankes for you and make mencion of you in my prayers that y e God of oure LORDE Iesus Christ the father of glory maye geue vnto you the sprete of wyszdome and open vnto you the knowlege of himselfe and lighten the eyes of youre vnderstondinge that ye maye knowe what is the hope of youre callynge and what the riches of his glorious enheritaunce is vpon the sayntes what is the exceadinge greatnesse of his power towarde vs which beleue acordinge to y e workynge of his mightie power which he wroughte in Christ whan he raysed him vp frō the deed and set him on his righte hāde ī heauēly thinges aboue all rule power and mighte and dominaciō and aboue all that maye be named not onely in this worlde but also in y e worlde to come And hath put all thinges vnder his fete and hath made him aboue all thinges the heade of the cōgregacion which is his body and the fulnesse of him that fylleth all in all The II. Chapter ANd quyckened you also whan ye were deed thorow trespaces and synnes in the which in tyme past ye walked acordinge to the course off this worlde and after the prynce that ruleth in the ayre namely after y e sprete which now worketh in the children of vnbeleue amonge whom we also had oure conuersacion in tyme past in the lustes of oure flesh and dyd the wyll of the flesh and of the mynde and were naturally the children of wrath euen as well as other But God which is riche in mercy thorow his greate loue wherwith he loued vs euē whā we were deed in synnes hath quyckened vs in Christ for by grace are ye saued and hath raysed vs vp with him and set vs with him in heauēly thinges thorow Christ Iesus y t in tymes to come he mighte shewe the exceadinge riches of his grace in kyndnesse to vs warde in Christ Iesu. For by grace are ye saued thorow faith and that not of youre selues For it is y e gifte of God not of workes lest eny mā shulde boast him selfe For we are his workmanshippe created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes to y t which God ordeyned vs before that we shulde walke in them Wherfore remēbre that ye which afore tyme were Gentyles after the flesh and were called vncircumcision of thē that are called circumcision after the flesh which circumcision is made with the hande that ye at the same tyme were without Christ and reputed aleauntes from the comen welth of Israel and were straungers from the Testamentes of promes therfore had ye no hope and were without God in this worlde But now ye that be in Christ Iesu and afore tyme were farre of are now made nye by the bloude of Christ. For he is o peace which of both hath made one and hath broken downe the