might not helpe or had I not power to delyuer lo at a worde I driÌ„ke vp the see of water floudes I make drie loÌ„de so y t for want of water the fish corruppe and die of thurst As for heauen I clooth it with darcknesse and put a sack vpon it The LORDE God hath geueÌ„ me a wel lerned tuÌ„ge so that I can conforte them which are troubled yee y t in due season He waked myne eare vp by tymes in y e mornynge as y e scolemasters do y t I might herkeÌ„ The LORDE God hath opened myne eare therfore caÌ„ I not saye naye ner wtdrawe myself but I offre my backe vnto y e smyters and my chees to the nyppers I turne not my face froÌ„ shame aÌ„d spittinge for the LORDE God helpeth me therfore shal I not be coÌ„founded I haue hardened my face like a flynt stone for I am sure that I shal not come to confucion Myne aduocate speaketh for me who wil then go with me to lawe Let vs stoÌ„de one agaynst another yf there be eny that wil reason with me let him come here forth to me Beholde the LORDE God stondeth by me what is he that can condempne me lo they shal be all like as an olde cloth which y e mothes shal eate vp Therfore who so feareth the LORDE amoÌ„ge you let him heare the voyce of his seruauÌ„t Who so walketh in darcknesse no light shyneth vpoÌ„ him let him hope in the LORDE and holde him by his God But take hede ye haue all kyndled a fyre and gyrded youre selues with the flame Ye walke in the glistriÌ„ge of youre owne fyre and in the flame that ye haue kyndled This cometh vnto you fro my honde namely y t ye shal slepe in sorowe The li. Chapter HErken vnto me ye that holde of rightuousnes ye that seke the LORDE Take hede vnto the stone wherout ye are hewen and to the graue wherout ye are digged Considre Abraham youre father Sara that bare you how that I called him alone prospered him wel encreased him how the LORDE conforted SioÌ„ and repayred all hir decaye makinge hir deserte as a Paradise and hir wildernesse as the garden of the LORDE Myrth and ioye was there thankes geuynge and y e voyce of prayse Haue respecte vnto me then o my people and laye thine eare to me for a lawe and an ordinaunce shal go forth fro me to lighten the Gentiles It is hard by that my health my rightuousnesse shal go forth and the people shal be ordred with myne arme The Ilondes that is y e Gentiles shal hope in me and put their trust in myne arme Lift vp youre eyes toward heaueÌ„ and loke vpon the earth beneth For the heauens shal vanish awaye like smoke and the earth shall teare like a clothe they that dwel therin shal perish in like maner But my health endureth for euer and my rightuousnes shall not ceasse Therfore hercken vnto me ye y t haue pleasure in rightuousnes thou people that bearest my lawe in thine herte Feare not the curse of men be not afrayde of their blasphemies reuylinges for wormes mothes shal eat theÌ„ vp like clothe woll But my rightuousnesse shal endure for euer my sauynge health from generacion to generacion Wake vp wake vp be stronge O thou arme of the LORDE wake vp lyke as in tymes past euer and sence the worlde beganne Art not thou he that hast wounded that proude lucifer and hewen the dragon in peces Art not thou euen he which hast dried vp the depe of the see which hast made playne the see grounde that the delyuered might go thorow That the redemed of the LORDE which turned agayne might come with ioye vnto SioÌ„ there to endure for euer â–ª That myrth and gladnesse might be with them that sorowe wo might fle from theÌ„ Yee I I am eueÌ„ he that in all thiÌ„ges geueth you consolacion What art thou then that fearest a mortall maÌ„ y e childe of man which goeth awaye as doeth the floure And forgettest the LORDE that made the that spâ—ed out the heauens and layde the foundacion of the earth But thou art euer afrayde for the sight of thyne oppressoure which is ready to do harme Where is the wrath of the oppressoure It cometh on fast it maketh haist to apeare It shal not perish y t it shulde not be able to destroye nether shal it fayle for faute of norishinge I am the LORDE y i God that make the see to be still and to rage whose name is the LORDE of hoostes I shal put my worde also in thy mouth and defende the with the turnynge of my hondeâ— that thou mayest plante the heauens and laye the foundacions of the earth and saye vnto Sion thou art my people Awake Awake and stonde vp o Ierusasalem thou that from the honde of the LORDE hast dronkeÌ„ out the cuppe of his wrath thou that hast supped of and sucked out the slombringe cuppe to the botome For amonge all the sonnes whom thou hast begotten there is not one that maye holde the vp and not one to lede the by the honde of all the sonnes that thou hast norished Both these thinges are happened vnto the but who is sory for it Yee destruction waistinge hunger swerde but who hath conforted the Thy sonnes lie comfortles at y e heade of euery strete like a takeÌ„ venyson are ful of y e teâ—rible wrath of y e LORDE punyshmeÌ„t of thy God And therfore thou miserable dronkeÌ„ howbeit not w t wyne Heare this Thus saieth thy LORDE thy LORDE God y e defender of his people Beholde I wil take y e sloÌ„briÌ„ge cuppe out of thy hoÌ„de eueÌ„ y e cuppe w t the dregges of my wrath y t froÌ„ hence forth thou shalt neuer drinke it more wil put it iÌ„ their hoÌ„de that trouble the which haue spoken to thy soule stoupe downe that we maye go ouer the make thy body eaueÌ„ with the grounde and as the strete to go vpon The lij Chapter VP Sion vp take thy strength vnto the put on thine honest rayment o IerusaleÌ„ thou citie of the holy one For from this tyme forth there shal no vncircumcised ner vncleane person come in the. Shake the froÌ„ the dust arise stonde vp o IerusaleÌ„ Pluck out thy neck from the boÌ„de o thou captyue doughter Sion For thus saieth the LORDE Ye are solde for naught therfore shal ye be redemed also without eny money For thus hath the LORDE sayde My people weÌ„te downe afore tyme in to Egipte there to be straungers Afterwarde dyd the kinge of the Assirians oppresse theÌ„ for naught And now what profit is it to me saieth y e LORDE y t my people is frely caried awaye brought in to heuynes by their rulers and my name euer still blasphemed saieth the LORDE But
he that slayeth his neghboure secretly And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be he that receaueth giftes to slaye the soule of innocent bloude And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be he that contynueth not in all y e wordes of this lawe to do them And all y e people shal saye Amen The XXVIII Chapter ANd yf thou shalt herken vnto y e voyce of the LORDE thy God to obserue and do all his commaundementes which I cōmaunde y t this daye then shall the LORDE thy God set y e an hye aboue all nacions vpō earth and all these blessynges shal come vpon the and ouertake the because thou hast bene obedient vnto the voyce of the LORDE thy God Blessed shalt thou be in the towne and blessed in the felde Blessed shal be the frute of thy body the frute of thy grounde and the frute of thy catell and the frute of thine oxen and the frute of thy shepe Blessed shal be y e baszkett thy stoare Blessed shalt thou be whā thou goest in and blessed whan thou goest out And thine enemies that ryse vp agaynst the shal y e LORDE cause to be smytten before thy face They shal come out agaynst the one waye flye before the seuen wayes The LORDE shal commaunde the blessynge to be with y e in thy cellers and in all that thou takest in hande and shal blesse the in y e londe that the LORDE thy God hath geuē the. The LORDE shal set the vp to be an holy people vnto himselfe as he hath sworne vnto the yf thou kepe the commaundementes of the LORDE thy God so that all nacions vpon earth shal se that thou art called after the name of the LORDE they shal be afrayed of you And y e LORDE shal make y e plenteous in goodes in the frute of y e wombe in the frute of thy catell in the frute of thy grounde in the londe that the LORDE sware vnto thy fathers to geue the. And the LORDE shal open vnto y e his good treasure euen the heauen to geue rayne vnto thy londe in due season and to prospere all the workes of thine handes And thou shalt lēde vnto many naciōs but thou shalt borowe of no man And y e LORDE shal set the before and not behynde thou shalt be aboue onely and not benethe yf thou be obedient vnto the commaundementes of y e LORDE thy God which I commaunde the this daye to kepe and to do them yf thou bowe not asyde from eny of these wordes which I commaunde y e this daye either to the righte hande or to the lefte y t thou woldest walke after other goddes to serue them But yf thou wylt not herken vnto the voyce of the LORDE thy God to kepe and to do all his commaundementes and ordinaunces which I commaunde y t this daie then shall all these curses come vpon the and ouertake the. Cursed shalt thou be in the towne and cursed in y e felde cursed shal thy baszket be and thy stoare Cursed shall be the frute of thy body the frute of thy londe the frute of thine oxen and the frute of thy shepe Cursed shalt thou be whan thou goest in and cursed whā thou goest out The LORDE shal sende in to the consuminge and complayninge and cursynge in all that thou takest in hande to do tyll he haue destroyed the shortly broughte to the naughte because of thy wicked inuencions in that thou hast forsaken me The LORDE shall make the pestylence to byde longe with the tyll he haue consumed the out of the londe in to the which thou commest to possesse it The LORDE shall smyte the with swellynge feuers heate burnynge venome drouth and palenesse shall persecute the tyll he haue destroyed the. Thy heauen that is ouer thy heade shal be of brasse and the earth vnder the of yron The LORDE shall geue thy londe dust for rayne and aszshes from heauen vpon the vntyll thou be broughte to naught The LORDE shall cause the be smytten before thine enemyes Thou shalt come out one waye agaynst them and seuen wayes shalt thou flye before them and shalt be scatered amōge all the kyngdomes vpon earth Thy carcase shal be meate vnto all maner foules of the ayre and to all the beestes vpon earth and there shal be no man to fraye them awaye The LORDE shal smyte the with y e botches of Egipte with the Emorodes with scalle and maungynesse that thou shalt not be healed therof The LORDE shall smyte the with madnesse blyndnesse and dasynge of hert And thou shalt grope at the noone daye as y e blynde gropeth in darknesse and shalt not prospere in thy waye And thou shalt suffre vyolence and wronge all thy lifelonge no man shal helpe ye. Thou shalt spouse a wife but another shal lye with her Thou shalt buylde an house but another shall dwell therin Thou shalt plante a vynyarde but shalt not make it comen Thine oxe shal be slayne before thine eyes but thou shalt not eate therof Thine asse shal be violently taken awaye euen before y e face and shal not be restored y t againe Thy shepe shal be geuen vnto thine enemies and no man shal helpe the. Thy sonnes and thy doughters shal be geuen vnto another nacion and thine eyes shal se it and dase vpon them all the daye longe and thy hande shal not be able to delyuer them The frute of y e londe and all y e laboure shall a nacion eate which thou knowest not and thou shalt but onely be he that shal be oppressed and suffre wronge all the dayes of thy life And thou shalt be cleane besyde thy selfe for the sighte which thine eyes shal se. The LORDE shal smyte the with a myscheuous botch in y e knees legges so that thou canst not be healed euen from the sole of thy fote vnto the crowne of thy heade ▪ The LORDE shal brynge the and thy kynge which thou hast set ouer the vnto a nacion whom thou knowest not nether thy fathers and there shalt thou serue other geddes euen wodd and stone and thou shalt go to waist and become a byworde a laughinge stocke amōge all nacions whither y e LORDE hath caryed the. Thou shalt cary out moch sede in to y e felde and shalt gather but litle in for the greshoppers shal destroye it Thou shalt plante vynyardes and dresse thē but thou shalt nether drynke of the wyne ner gather of y e grapes for y e wormes shal consume it Thou shalt haue Olyue trees in all y e coastes but shalt not be anoynted with the oyle for thyne Oliue trees shal be roted out Thou shalt get sonnes and doughters and yet not haue them for they shal be caried awaye captiue All thy trees and frutes of thy londe shall be marred with blastinge The straunger that is with y e shal clymme vp
The cities of thy Sanctuary lye waist Sion is a wildernesse and Ierusalem a deserte Oure holy house which is oure bewty where oure fathers praysed the is brent vp yee all oure cōmodities and pleasures are waysted awaye Wilt thou not be intreated LORDE for all this Wilt thou holde thy peace and scourge vs so sore The lxv Chapter THey shal seke me that hitherto haue not axed for me they shal fynde me that hither to haue not sought me Then shal I saye immediatly to the people that neuer called vpon my name I am here I am here For thus longe haue I euer holden out my hondes to an vnfaithful people that go not the right waye but after their owne ymaginacions To a people that is euer defyenge me to my face They make their oblacions in gardens and their smoke vpon aulters of bricke they lurck amonge the graues and lie in the dennes all night They eate swyne flesh and vnclene broth is in their vessels Yf thou comest nye them they saie touch me not for I am holyer then thou All these men when I am angrie shal be turned to smoke and fyre that shal burne for euer Beholde it is written before my face shal not be forgotten but recōpensed I shal rewarde it them in to their bosome I meane youre mysdedes and the mysdedes of youre fathers together saieth the LORDE which haue made their smokes vpon the mountaynes and blasphemed me vpon the hilles therfore will I measure their olde dedes in to their bosome agayne Morouer thus saieth the LORDE like as when one wolde gather holy grapes men saye vnto him breake it not of for it is holy Euen so will I do also for my seruauntes sakes that I will not destroye them all But I will take a sede out of Iacob and out of Iuda one to take possession of my hill My chosen shal possesse these thinges my seruauntes shall dwell there Saron shal be a shepefolde and the valley of Achor shal geue stallinge for the catell of my people that feare me But as for you ye are they y t haue for saken the LORDE and forgotten my holy hill Ye haue set vp an aulter vnto fortune geuē rich drink offeringes vnto treasure Therfore wil I nombre you with the swerde that ye shall be destroyed all together For when I called no man gaue me answere when I spake ye herkened not vnto me but dyd wickednes before myne eyes and chosed the thinge that pleased me not Therfore thus saieth the LORDE God Beholde my seruauntes shal eate but ye shall haue honger Beholde my seruauntes shall drynke but ye shal suffre thurste Beholde my seruauntes shal be mery but ye shal be cōfounded Beholde my seruauntes shal reioyse for very quietnesse of herte But ye shal crie for sorow of hert and cōplayne for vexacion of mynde Youre name shal not be sworne by amonge my chosen for God the LORDE shal slaye you and call his seruauntes by another name Who so reioyseth vpō earth shall reioyse in the true God And Who so sweareth vpō earth shal sweare in the true God For the olde enemite shal be forgotten and taken awaye out of my sight For lo I shal make a new heauē a new earth And as for the olde they shall neuer be thought vpō ner kepte in mynde but mē shal be glad and euermore reioyse for the thinges that I shall do For why Beholde I shal make a ioyfull Ierusalē yee I myself will reioyse with Ierusalem be glad with my people And the voyce of wepinge and waylinge shall not be herde in her from thēce forth There shall neuer be childe ner olde man that haue not their full dayes But whē the childe cometh to an hūderth yeare olde it shall dye And yf he that is an hūderth yeare of age do wronge he shal be cursed They shal buylde houses and dwel in them they shal plante vynyardes and eate the frute of them They shall not buylde another possesse they shall not plante and another eate But the life of my people shal be like a tre and so shal the worke of their hondes My chosen shal lyue longe they shall not laboure in vayne ner beget w t trouble for they are the hie blessed sede of the LORDE their frutes with them And it shal be that or euer they call I shal answere them Whyle they are yet but thinkinge how to speake I shal heare them The wolff and the lambe shal fede together and the lyon shal eate haye like the bullocke But earth shal be the serpētes meate There shal no man hurte ner slaye another in all my holy hill saieth the LORDE The lxvj Chapter THus saieth the LORDE Heauē is my seate and the earth is my fote stole Where shal now the house stonde y t ye will buylde vnto me And where shal be the place y t I wil dwel in As for these thinges my hōde hath made them all and they are all created saieth the LORDE Which of them shal I then regarde Euē him that is of a lowly troubled sprete and stōdeth in awe of my wordes For who so slayeth an oxe for me doth me so greate dishonoure as he y t kylleth a mā He that kylleth a shepe for me choketh a dogge He that bringeth me meat offringes offreth swynes bloude Who so maketh me a memoriall of Incense prayseth the thinge y t is vnright Yet take they soch wayes in honde and their soule deliteth in these abhominacions Therfore wil I also haue pleasure in laughinge them to scorne and the thinge that they feare wil I bringe vpon thē For when I called no man gaue answere when I spake they wolde not heare But dyd wickednesse before myne eyes chose the thinges that displease me Heare the worde of God all ye that feare the thinge which he speaketh You re brethren that hate you and cast you out for my names sake saye Let the LORDE magnifie himself that we maye se youre gladnesse yet they shal be cōfounded For as touchinge the cite and the temple I heare the voyce of the LORDE that will rewarde and recompēce his enemies like as when a wife bringeth forth a man childe or euer she suffre the payne of the byrth and anguysh of y e trauayle Who euer herde or sawe soch thinges doth the grounde beare in one daye or are the people borne all at once as Sion beareth his sonnes For thus-sayeth the LORDE Am I he that maketh other to beare and beare not my self Am not I he that beareth and maketh baren saieth thy God Reioyse with Ierusalem be glad with her all ye that loue her Be ioyful with her all ye that mourned for her For ye shal sucke cōforte out of hir brestes and be satisfied Ye shal taist and haue delite in the plenteousnesse of hir power For
serued straunge goddes as their fathers taught them Therfore thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel Beholde I will fede this people with wormwod and geue thē gall to drynke I will scatre them also amonge the Heithen whom nether they ner their fathers haue knowne and I will sende a swearde amonge them to persecute them vntill I bringe them to naught Morouer thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes loke that ye call for mournynge wyues and sende for wise women that they come shortly and singe a mournynge songe of you that the teares maye fall out of oure eyes and that oure eye lyddes maye guszhe out of water For there is a lamentable noyse herde of Sion O how are we so sore destroyed O how are we so piteously confounded We must forsake oure owne naturall countre and we are shot out of oure owne lodgīges Yet heare the worde of the LORDE o ye women and set youre eares regarde the wordes of his mouth that ye maye lerne youre doughters to mourne and that euery one maye teach hir neghbouresse to make lamentacion Namely thus Deeth is clymmē vp in at oure wyndowes he is come in to oure houses to destroye the childe before the dore y e yonge man in the strete But tell thou planely thus saieth y e LORDE The deed bodies of men shal lye apon y e grounde as the donge vpon the felde and as the hay after the mower and there shal be no man to take them vp Morouer thus saieth the LORDE Let not the wise man reioyse in his wisdome ner the stronge man in his strength nether the rich man in his riches But who so wil reioyse let him reioyse in this that he vnderstōdeth and knoweth me for I am the LORDE which do mercie equite and rightuousnes vpon earth Therfore haue I pleasure in soch thinges saieth y e LORDE Beholde the tyme cōmeth saieth the LORDE that I wil vyset all them whose foreskynne is vncircumciscd The Egipcians the Iewes the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites and the shauen Madianites that dwel in the wildernes For all y e Gentiles are vncircumcised in the flesh but all the house of Israel are vncircumcised in the herte The x. Chapter HEare the worde of the LORDE y t he speaketh vnto the o thou house of Israel Thus saieth the LORDE Ye shal not lerne after the maner of the Heithē and ye shal not be afrayed for the tokens of heauen for the Heithen are afrayed of soch Yee all the customes and lawes of the Gētiles are nothinge but vanite They hewe downe a tre in the wod with the hondes of the worke man and fashion it with the axe they couer it ouer with golde or syluer they fasten it w t nales and hammers that it moue not It stōdeth as stiff as the palme tre it can nether speake ner go but must be borne Be not ye afrayed of soch for they cā do nether good ner euel But there is none like vnto y e o LORDE thou art greate and greate is the name of y i power Who wolde not feare the ▪ or what kīge of the Gentiles wolde not obeye the For amonge all the wysemen of the Gentiles and in all their kingdomes there is none that maye be lickened vnto the. They are alltogether vnlerned and vnwise All their connynge is but vanite namely wod syluer which is brought out of Tharsis and beatē to plates and golde from Ophir a worke y t is made with the honde of the craftesman the caster clothed with yalow sylck and scarlet euen so is the worke of their wyse men all together But the LORDE is a true God a lyuinge God and an euerlastinge kinge Yf he be wroth the earth shaketh all the Gētiles maye not abyde his indignacion As for their goddes it maye well be sayde of thē they are goddes that made nether heauē ner earth therfore shal they perish frō the earth and from all thinges vnder heauen But as for oure God he made the earth with his power and with his wisdome hath he fynished the whole compasse of the worlde with his discrecion hath he spred out the heauens At his voyce the waters gather together in the ayre he draweth vp y e cloudes from the vttemost partes of y e earth he turneth lighteninge to rayne and brīgeth forth the wyndes out of their treasuries His wisdome maketh all men fooles And confunded be all casters of ymages for that they cast is but a vayne thinge and hath no life The vayne craftes men with their workes that they in their vanite haue made shall perish one with another in the tyme of visitacion ▪ Neuertheles Iacobs porciō is not soch but it is he that hath made all thinges and Israel is the rodd of his inheritaūce The LORDE of hoostes is his name Put awaye thy vnclennesse out of the londe thou that art in the stronge cities For thus saieth the LORDE Beholde I wil now thrust out the inhatours of this londe a greate waye off and trouble them of soch a fashiō that they shal no more be founde Alas how am I hurte Alas how panefull are my scourges vnto me For I cōsidre this sorow by my self I must suffre it My tabernacle is destroyed and all my coardes are broken My children are gone fro me ād can no where be founde Now haue I none to sprede out my tente or to set vp my hanginges For the hyrdmen haue done folishly that they haue not sought the LORDE Therfore haue they dealt vnwisely with their catell all are scatred abrode Beholde the noyse is harde at honde and greate sediciō out of the north to make the cities of Iuda a wyldernesse and a dwellinge place for Dragons Now I knowe o LORDE that is not in mās power to ordre his owne waies or to rule his owne steppes goinges Therfore chastē thou vs o LORDE but with fauoure and not in thy wrath bringe vs not vtterly to naught Poure out thy indignacion rather vpon the Gētiles that knowe y e not and vpon the people that call not on thy name And that because they haue consumed deuoured and destroyed Iacob and haue roted out his glory The XI Chapter THis is another Sermon which the LORDE commaunded Ieremy for to preach sayenge Heare the wordes of the couenant and speake vnto all Iuda and to all them that dwel at Ierusalem And saye thou vnto thē Thus saieth the LORDE God of Israel Cursed be euery one that is not obedient vnto y e wordes of this couenaūt which I commaunded vnto youre fathers what tyme as I brought them out of Egipte from the yron fornace sayenge Be obedient vnto my voyce and do accordinge to all that I commaunde you so shal ye be my people and I wil be youre God and will kepe my promyse y t I haue sworne vnto youre fathers
them awaye eueÌ„ as thou hast plucked me because of all my wickednesse For my sorow is very greate and my herte is heuy The II. Chapter ALas how hath y e LORDE darckened the doughter of Sion so sore in his wrath As for the honoure of Israel he hath casten it downe from heauen How happeneth it that he remembred not his owne fote stole when he was angrie The LORDE hath cast downe all the glory of Iacob without eny fauoure All the stronge places of the doughter Iuda hath he broken in his wrath throwne them downe to the grounde hir kyngdome hir prynces hath he suspended In the wrath of his indignacion he hath broken all the horne of Israel he hath with draweÌ„ his right honde from the enemie yee a flame of fyre is kyndled in Iacob hath consumed vp all rounde aboute He hath bent his bowe like an enemie he hath fastened his right honde as an aduersary and euery thinge that was pleasauÌ„t to se he hath smyten it downe He hath poured out his wrath like a fyre in to the tabernacle of the doughter â—ion The LORDâ— is become like as it were an enemie he hath cast downe Israel all his places yee all his stronge holdes hath he destroyed and fylled the doughter of Iuda w t moch sorow and heuynesse Hir tabernacle which was like a garden of pleasure hath he destroyed hir hie soleÌ„pne feastes hath he put downe The LORDE hath brought it so to passe that the hie solempne feastes and Sabbathes in Sion are clene forgotteÌ„ In his heuy displeasure hath he made the kynge prestes to be despised The LORDE hath forsaken his owne aulter is wroth with his owne Sanctuary hath geuen the walles of their towres in to the hondes of the enemie Their enemies made a noyse in the house of the LORDE as it had bene in a solempne feast daye The LORDE thought to breake downe the walles of the doughter Sion he spred out his lyne drewe not in his honde till he had destroyed them Therfore mourne the turrettes and the broken walles together Hir portes are casten downe to the grounde hir barres are broken smytten in sonder hir kynge prynces are caried awaye to the GeÌ„tiles They haue nether lawe ner prophetes ner yet eny vision from the LORDE The Senatours of the doughter Sion sit vpon the grounde in sylence they haue strowed aszshes vpon their heades and gyrded them selues with sackcloth The maydens of Ierusalem hange downe their heades to the grounde Myne eyes begynne to fayle me thorow wepinge my body is disquieted my leueris poured vpon the earth for the greate hurte of my people seynge the children and babes dyd swowne in the stretes of the cite Euen when they spake to their mothers where is meate and drynke for whyle they so sayde they fell downe in the stretes of the cite like as they had bene wounded and some dyed in their mothers bosome What shal I saye of the O thou doughter Ierusalem to whom shall I lickeÌ„ the To whom shal I coÌ„pare the o thou doughter Sion to comforte the withall Thy hurte is like a mayne see who maye heale the Thy prophetes haue loked out vayne folish thinges for the they haue not shewed the of thy wickednesse to kepe the from captiuyte but haue ouerladen the and thorow falsede scatred the abrode All they that go by the clappe their hondes at the hissinge and wagginge their heades vpon the doughter Ierusalem and saye is this the cite that men call so fayre wherin the whole londe reioyseth All thine enemies gape vpon the whisperinge and bytinge their teth sayenge let vs deuoure for the tyme that we loked for is come we haue founde and sene it The LORDE hath fulfilled the thinge that he was purposed to do and perfourmed that he had deuysed longe agoo he hath destroyed and not spared He hath caused thine aduersary to tryumphe ouer the and set vp the horne of thine enemie Let thine hert crie vnto the LORDE O thou cite of the doughter Sion let thy teares ruÌ„ne downe like a ryuer daye night rest not let not the aple of thine eye leaue of Stonde vp and make thy prayer in the first watch of the night poure out thine heâ—â— like water before the LORDE lift vp thine hondes for the lyues of thy yonge children that dye of honger in the stretes Beholde O LORDE considre why hast thou gathered me vp so clene Shal the women then eate their owne frute euen children of a spanne longe Shal the prestes and prophetes be slayne thus in the Sanctuary of the LORDE Yonge olde lye behinde the stretes vpon the grounde my maydens yonge men are slayne with the swearde whom thou in the daye of thy wrothfull indignacion hast put to death Yee euen thou hast put them to death not spared them My neghbours that are rounde aboute me hast thou called as it were to a feast daye so that in the daye of the LORDES wrath none escaped nether was eny left behinde Those that I had brought vp norisshed hath myne enemy destroyed The III. Chapter I Am the maÌ„ that thorow the rodd of his wrath haue experieÌ„ce of misery He droue me forth and led me yee into darcknesse but not in to light Agaynst me only he turneth his honde layeth it euer vpon me My flesh my skynne hath he made olde and my bones hath he brussed He hath buylded rounde aboute me closed me in with gall and trauayle He hath set me in darcknesse as they that be deed for euer He hath so hedged me in that I can not get out hath layed heuy lynckes vpon me Though I crie call piteously yet heareth he not my prayer He hath stopped vp my wayes with foure squared stones made my pathes croked He layeth waite for me like a Bere and as a lyon in a hole He hath marred my wayes and brokeÌ„ me in peces he hath layed me waist altogether He hath bent his bowe and made me as it were a marck to shute at The arowes of his quyuer hath he shot euen in to my reynes I am laughed to scorne of all my people they make songes vpon me all y e daye loÌ„ge He hath fylled me with bytternesse geuen me wormwod to drynke He hatâ— smytten my teth in peces rolled me in the dust He hath put my soule out of rest I forget all good thinges I thought in myself I am vndone there is no hope for me in the LORDE O remembre yet my mysery and my trouble the wormwod and the gall Yee thou shalt remeÌ„bre them for my soule melteth awaye in me Whyle I coÌ„sidre these thinges in my hert I get a hope
pricketh the hert bringeth forth y e meanynge thought Who so casteth a stone at the byrdes frayeth them awaye he y t blasphemeth his freÌ„de breaketh y e freÌ„dshipe â–ª though thou drewest a swerde at thy frende yet dispayre not for thou mayest come agayne to y e frende Yf he speake sowerly feare not for ye maye be agreed together agayne excepte it be so that thou blaspheme him dyszdayne him opeÌ„ his secretes and wounde him tratorously for all soch thinges shal dryue awaye a frende Be faithfull vnto y e neghbo in his pouerte that thou mayest reioyse with him also in his prosperite Abyde stedfast vnto him in y e tyme of his trouble that thou maiest be heyre w t him in his heretage Like as the vapor and smoke goeth out at the ouen before y e fyre euen so euell wordes rebukes and threatenynges go before bloudsheddinge Be not ashamed to defende y i frende as for me I wyl not hyde my face from him though he shulde do me harme Who so euer heareth it shal bewarre of him Who shal set a watch before my mouth a sure seale vpon my lippes y t I fall not w t theÌ„ y t my tonge destroye me not The XXIII Chapter O LORDE father and gouernoure of my life leaue me not in their ymaginacioÌ„ councell Oh let me not fall in soch reprofe Who wyll kepe my thought with y e scourge and the doctryne of wyszdome in myne herte that he spare not myne ignoraunce that I fall not with them lest myne ignoraunces increase that myne offences be not many in nombre and that my synnes exceade not lest I fall before myne enemyes and so my aduersary reioyse O LORDE thou father God of my life leaue me not in their ymaginacion O let me not haue a proude loke but turne awaye all volupteousnes fro me Take fro me the lustes of the body let not the desyres of vnclennes take holde vpon me and geue me not ouer in to an vnshamefast and obstinate mynde Heare me o ye children I will geue you a doctryne how ye shal ordre yo r mouth who so kepeth it shal not perish thorow his lippes ner be hurt thorow wicked workes As for the synner he shal be taken in his owne vanite he that is proude and cursed shal fall therin Let not thy mouth be accustomed with swearinge for in it there are many falles Let not the namynge of God be continually in y e mouth for like as a seruaunt which is oft punyshed can not be without some sore euen so what so euer he be y t sweareth and nameth God shal not be cleane pourged froÌ„ synne A man that vseth moch swearinge shal be fylled with wickednes and the plage shall neuer go from his house Yf he begyle his brother his faute shal be vpon him yf he knowlege not his synne he maketh a dubble offence and yf he sweare in vayne he shall not be founde righteous for his house shal be full of plages The wordes of y e swearer bringeth death God graunte y t it be not founde in the house of Iacob But they y t feare God eschue all soch and lye not weltringe in synne Vse not y e mouth to vnhonest and fylthye talkynge for in it is the worde of synne Remembre y i father and thy mother whaÌ„ thou art set amonge greate men lest God forget y t in their sight and lest â—â—ou dotinge in thy custome suffre rebuke and wyshe not to haue bene borne and so curse the daye of thy natiuite The man that is accustomed with the wordes of blasphemy wyl neuer be refourmed all y e dayes of his life To synne twyse is to moch but the thirde bringeth wrath and destruccion An whote stomack can not be quenched eueÌ„ like a burnynge fyre tyll it haue swalowed vp somthiÌ„ge eueÌ„ so an vnchaste maÌ„ hath no rest in his flesh tyll he haue kyndled a fyre All bred is swete to an whoremonger he wyl not leaue of tyll he haue his purpose A man that breaketh wedlock regardeth not his soule but sayeth Tush who seyth me I am compassed aboute with darcknes the walles couer me no body seyth me whom nede I to feare The Hyest wyl not remembre my synnes He vnderstondeth not that his eyes se all thinges for all soch feare of meÌ„ dryueth awaye the feare of God from him for he feareth onely the eyes of men and considereth not that the eyes of the LORDE are clearer then the Sonne beholdinge all y e wayes of men and the grounde of the depe and lokynge euen to mens hertes in secrete places The LORDE God knewe all thinges or euer they were made and after they be brought to passe also he loketh vpon them all The same maÌ„ shal be opeÌ„ly punyshed in y e stretes of y e cite and shal be chased abrode like a yonge horse foale and whan he thinketh leest vpon it he shal be takeÌ„ Thus shal he be put to shame of euery man because he wolde not vnderstonde the feare of the LORDE And thus shal it go also w t euery wyfe y t leaueth hir huszbande getteth enheretaunce by a strauÌ„ge mariage First she hath bene vnfaithfull vnto the lawe of y e Hyest SecoÌ„dly she hath forsaken hir owne huszbande Thirdly she hath played y e whore in aduoutry gotteÌ„ hir childreÌ„ by another man She shal be brought out of y e coÌ„gregacioÌ„ and hir childreÌ„ shal be loked vpoÌ„ Hir childreÌ„ shal not take rote as for frute hir brauÌ„ches shal briÌ„ge forth none A shamefull reporte shal she leaue behynde her hir dishono shal not be put out And they y t remayne shal knowe y t there is nothiÌ„ge better theÌ„ y e feare of God y t there is nothinge sweter then to take hede vnto the commaundementes of the LORDE A greate worshipe is it to folowe y e LORDE for longe life shal be receaued of him The XXIIII Chapter WYszdome shal prayse hirself be honoured in God reioyse in y e myddest of his people In the coÌ„gregacions of the Hyest shal she open hir mouth tryumphe in y e beholdinge of his power In y e myddest of hir people shal she be exalted wondred at in the holy fulnesse In the multitude of the chosen she shal be commended amonge soch as be blessed she shal be praysed shal saye I am come out of the mouth of y e Hyest first borne before all creatures I caused y e light y t fayleth not to aryse in the heauen couered all the earth as a cloude My dwellinge is aboue in y e heyth my seate is in the piler of the cloude I my self alone haue gone rounde aboute the compasse of heauen pearsed the grounde of y e depe I haue walked in the floudes of y e see haue stonde in all landes my domynion is in euery people and in euery
Iewes And when they helde the thankesgeuyng ▪ at Ierusalem for the victory they brent those that had set fyre on the portes of the temple namely Calisthenes which was fled in to an house and so they gat a worthy rewarde for their wickednesse As for that most vngracious Nicanor which had brought a thousande marchaūtes to bye the Iewes he was thorow y e helpe of the LORDE brought downe euen of them whom he regarded not in so moch that he put of his glorious raymēt fled by see and came alone to Antioche w t greate shame dishono r which he gat thorow the destruccion of his hoost Thus he y t promysed the Romaynes to paye thē their tribute when he toke Ierusalem beganne now to saye planely that God was y e defender of the Iewes therfore not possible to wounde them because they folowed y e lawes which God had made The IX Chapter AT the same tyme came Antiochus agayne with dishonoure out of Persis For when he came to Persepolis and vndertoke to robbe the temple and to subdue the cite the people ranne together and defended them selues in so moch y t he and his were fayne to fle with shame And so after that flight it happened that Antiochus came agayne with dishonoure But when he came to Egbathana he gat knowlege what was happened vnto Nicanor Timotheus Now as he was auauncinge himself in his wrath he thought he was able to avenge the iniury that was done to them vpon the Iewes and therfore commaunded to make ready his charet haistinge on his iourney without ceassinge the iudgmēt of God prouokynge him because he had spokē so proudly that he wolde come to Ierusalem and make it a graue of the Iewes But the LORDE God of Israel that seith all thinges smote him with an invisible plage which no man coude heale For as soone as he had spoken these wordes there came vpon him an horrible payne of his bowels a sore grefe of the tharmes And y t was but right for he had martired other mens bowels with dyuerse and straūge tormentes how be it he wolde in no wyse ceasse from his malice Yee he was yet the prouder and more malicious agaynst the Iewes But whyle he was commaundinge to make haist in the matter it happened y t he fell downe violently from the charet so y t it brussed his body dyd him greate payne And so he that thought he might commaunde y e floudes of the see so proude was he beyonde the condiciō of man and to weye the hye mountaynes in a payre of scoales was now brought downe to the grounde caried vpon an horszlytter knowlegynge y e manyfest power of God vpon him so that y t wicked body of his was full of wormes which in his payne fell quyck out of his flesh In so moch y t his hoost was greued with the smell and styncke of him Thus he that a litle afore thought he might reach to the starres of heauen him might no man now abyde ner beare for the vehemence of styncke Therfore he beynge brought from his greate pryde begāne for to come to y e knowlege of him self for the punyshment of God warned him his payne increased euer more more And when he him self might not abyde his owne styncke he sayde these wordes It is reason to be obedient vnto God that a man desyre not to be like vnto him This wicked personne prayed also vnto the LORDE of whom he shulde haue optained no mercy And as for the cite that he came vnto so haistely to brynge it downe to the grounde to make it a graue for deed men now he desyreth to delyuer it fre And as touchinge y e Iewes whom he had iudged not worthy to be buried but wolde haue cast thē out for to be deuoured of the foules and wylde beastes sayenge that he wolde haue destroyed both olde and yonge Now he promiseth to make thē like y e citesyns of Athens And where as he had spoyled the holy temple afore now he maketh promyse to garnish it with greate giftes to increase the holy ornamētes and of his owne rentes to beare the costes and charges belonginge to the offerynges yee and that he wolde also become a Iewe him self to go thorow euery place of the worlde and to preach the power of God But when his paynes wolde not ceasse for the righteous iudgmet of God was come vpon him out of a very despayre he wrote vnto the Iewes a lettre of intercession cōteyninge these wordes The kynge and prynce Antiochus wysheth vnto the vertuous citesyns of the Iewes moch health and good prosperite Yf ye and youre children fare well and yf all thinges go after youre mynde we geue greate thankes In my sicknesse also do I remembre you louyngly for as I came out of Persia and was taken with sore disease I thought it necessary to care for the comon wealth Nether despare I in my self but haue a good hope to escape this sicknes But considerynge that my father led an hoost some tyme in y e hyer places shewed who shulde raigne after him that yf there happened eny cōtrouersy or eny harde thinge were declared they in the londe might knowe their chefe lorde y t there shulde be no insurreccion Agayne when I pondre by my self how that all y e mightie men and neghbours rounde aboute are layēge waite and loke but for oportunyte to do harme I haue ordened that my sonne Antiochus shall raigne after me whom I oft commended to many of you when I was in the hyer kyngdomes and haue wrytten vnto him as it foloweth herafter Therfore I praye you and requyre you to remembre the benefites that I haue done vnto you generally and in especiall For I hope that he shall be of sober louynge behauoure and yf he folowe my deuyce he shal be indifferent vnto you Thus that murthurer and blasphemer of God was sore smyttē and like as he had intreated other men so he dyed a myserable death in a straunge countre vpon a mountayne And his body dyd Philippe that wēte with him cary awaye which fearynge the sonne of Antiochus wente in to Egipte to Ptolomy Philometor The X. Chapter MAchabeus now his company thorow the helpe of the LORDE wanne the temple and the cite agayne destroyed the aulters and chapels that the Heithē had buylded thorow the stretes clensed the temple made another aulter of bricke stone and after ij yeares they offered sacrifices set forth the incense the lightes and shewe bred When that was done they fell downe flat vpon the grounde and besought the LORDE that they might come nomore in to soch trouble but yf they synned eny more agaynst him he him self to chasten them with mercy and not to come in the hondes of those aleauntes and blasphemous men Now vpon the same daye that y e straungers poluted the temple it happened that
aboute the stretes Or euer the syluer lace be taken awaye and or the golden bende be broken Or the pott be broken at the well the whele vpon the Cisterne Or dust be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came and or the sprete returne vnto God which gaue it All is but vanite sayeth the preacher all is but playne vanite The same preacher was not wyse alone but taught the people knowlege also he gaue good hede sought out the grouÌ„de and set forth many parables His diligence was to fynde out acceptable wordes right scripture and the wordes of trueth For the wordes of y e wyse are like prickes and nales that go thorow wherwith men are kepte together for they are geuen of one shepherde onely Therfore bewarre my sonne that aboue these thou make the not many innumerable bokes nor take dyuerse doctrynes in hande to weery thy body withall Lat vs heare the conclucion of all thinges Feare God and kepe his comaundementes for that toucheth all men For God shall iudge all workes and secrete thinges whether they be good or euell The ende of Ecclesiastes called the Preacher Salomons Balettes called Cantica Canticorum The first Chapter O That thy mouth wolde geue me a kysse for y e brestes are more pleasaunt then wyne that because of the good and pleasaunt sauoure Thy name is a swete smellynge oyntment therfore do the maydens loue the yee that same moueth me also to renne after the. The kynge hath brought me into his preuy chambre We wil be glad reioyce in the we thynke more of thy brestes then of wyne well is them that loue the. I am black o ye doughters of IerusaleÌ„ like as the tentes of the Cedarenes and as the hanginges of Salomon but yet am I faire wel fauoured withal Maruell not at me y t I am so black why y e Sonne hath shyned vpoÌ„ me For whan my mothers childreÌ„ had euell wil at me they made me y e keper of the vynyarde Thus was I fayne to kepe a vynyarde which was not myne owne Tell me o thou whom my soule loueth where thou fedest where thou restest at the noone daye lest I go wronge and come vnto the flockes of thy companyons Yf thou knowe not y i self o thou fayrest amoÌ„ge women thaÌ„ go y e waye forth after y e fotesteppes of the shepe as though thou woldest fede y e goates besyde y e shepherdes tentes There wil I tary for the my loue w t myne hoost with my charettes which shal be no fewer then Pharaos Then shal thy chekes thy neck be made fayre hanged w t spaÌ„ges goodly iewels a neck bande of golde wil we make y e w t syluer bottons When the kynge sytteth at the table he shal smell my Nardus for a boÌ„dell of Myrre o my beloued lyeth betwixte my brestes A cluster of grapes of Cypers or of the vynyardes of Engaddi art thou vnto me O my beloued O how fayre art thou my loue how fayre art thou â–ª thou hast doues eyes O how fayre art thou my beloued how well fauored art thou Oure bed is decte with floures y e sylinges of oure house are of Cedre tre ouâ—e balkes of Cypresse The II. Chapter I Am the floure of the felde and lylie of the valleys as the rose amonge the thornes so is my loue amonge the daughters Like as the aple tre amonge the trees of the wodd so is my beloued amonge the sonnes My delite is to sitt vnder his shadowe for his frute is swete vnto my throte He bryngeth me in to his wyne seller and loueth me specially well Refresh me w t grapes coÌ„forte me with apples for I am sick of loue His left haÌ„de lyeth vnder my heade his right hande enbraceth me I charge you o ye doughters of Ierusalem by the Roes hyndes of the felde y t ye wake not vp my loue ner touch her till she be content herself Me thynke I heare the voyce of my beloued lo there commeth he hoppinge vpon y e mountaynes and leapinge ouer the litle hilles My beloued is like a Roo or a yonge hart Beholde he stondeth behynde o r wall he loketh in at the wyndowe pepeth thorow the grate My beloued answered sayde vnto me O stoÌ„de vp my loue my doue my beutyfull come for lo the wynter is now past the rayne is awaie gone The floures are come vp in the felde the twystinge tyme is come the voyce of the turtle doue is herde in oure londe The fyge tre bryngeth forth hir fyges the vynes beare blossoms and haue a good smell O stoÌ„de vp my loue my beutyfull and come my doue out of the caues of the rockes out of the holes of the wall O let me se thy countenaunce and heare thy voyce for swete is thy voyce and fayre is thy face Gett vs the foxes yee the litle foxes that hurte y e vynes for oure vynes beare blossoms My loue is myne and I am his which fedeth amoÌ„ge the lylies vntill the daye breake and till the shadowes be gone Come agayne preuely o my beloued like as a Roo or a yonge harte vnto the mountaynes The III. Chapter BY night in my bedd I sought him whom my soule loueth yee diligently sought I him but I founde him not I wil get vp thought I and go aboute the cite vpon the market and in all y e stretes will I seke him whom my soule loueth but whan I sought him I founde him not The watchmen that go aboute y e cite founde me Sawe ye not him whom my soule loueth So whan I was a litle past them I fouÌ„de him whom my soule loueth I haue got ten holde vpon him and wyl not let him go vntill I brynge him in to my mothers house and in to hir chambre that bare me I charge you o ye doughters of IerusaleÌ„ by the Roes and hyndes of the felde that ye wake not vp my loue ner touch her till she be content herself Who is this that commeth out of y e wyldernesse like pilers of smoke as it were a smell of Myrre frankencense and all maner spyces of the Apotecary Beholde aboute SalomoÌ„s bedsteade there stonde LX. valeaunt men of the mightie in Israel They holde swerdes euery one are experte in warre Euery man hath his swerde vpoÌ„ his thee because of feare in the night Kynge Salomon hath made himself a bedsteade of the wodd of Libanus the pilers are of syluer the coueringe of golde y e seate of purple y e grounde pleasauntly paued for the doughters of Ierusalem Go forth o ye doughters of Sion and beholde kynge Salomon in the crowne wherwith his mother crowned him in the daye of his mariage and in the daye of the gladnesse of his hert The IIII. Chapter O How fayre art thou my loue how fayre art thou thou hast doues eyes besyde that which
I do with them cōsidre my glory ye that be at honde The synners at Sion are a frayde a sodane fearfulnesse is come vpon the ypocrytes What is he amonge us saye they that will dwell by that consumynge fyre which of vs maye abyde that euerlastinge heate He that ledeth a godly life saye I speaketh the treuth He that abhorreth to do violence and disceate he that kepeth his hōde that he touch no rewarde which stoppeth his eares that he heare no councel agaynst the innocent which holdeth downe his eyes that he se no euel He it is that shal dwel on hie whose sauegarde shal be in the true rocke to him shal be geuen the right true meat drynke His eyes shal se the kynge in his glory in the wyde worlde and his herte shal delite in the feare of God What shal then become of the scrybe of the Senatoure what of him that teacheth childrē There shalt thou not se a people of a straunge tūge to haue so diffused a lāguage that it maye not be vnderstonde nether so straunge a speache but it shal be perceaued There shal Sion be sene the head citie of oure solempne feastes There shal thine eyes se Ierusalem that glorious habitation the tabernacle that neuer shal remoue whose nales shal neuer be taken out worlde without ende whose coardes euerychone shal neuer corruppe for the glorious Magesty of the LORDE shal there be present amōge vs. In that place where fayre broade ryuers streames are shal nether Gallye rowe ner greate shippe sale For the LORDE shal be oure capteyne the LORDE shal be oure lawe geuer The LORDE shal be oure kinge he himself shal be oure Sauioure There are the coardes so layd abrode that they cā not be better The mast set vp of soch a fashion that no bāner ner sale hāgeth therō but there is dealed greate spoyle yee lame men runne after the pray There lieth no mā that saieth I am sick but all euel is taken awaye from the people that dwel there The xxxiiij Chapter COme ye Heithen heare take hede ye people Herkē thou earth all that is therin thou rounde cōpasse al that groweth ther vpon for the LORDE is angrie with al people his displeasure is kindled agaynst all the multitude of them to curse them to slaye them So that their slayne shal be cast out their bodies stincke that euē the very hilles shal be wet with the bloude of them All the starres of heauen shal be consumed the heauen shal folde together like a roll all the starres therof shall fall like as the leaues fall from the vynes and fygetrees For my swearde saieth he shal be bathed in heauen shal immediatly come downe vpon Idumea and vpon the people which I haue cursed for my vengeaunce And the LORDES swearde shal be full of bloude be rustie with the fatnesse bloude of lambes and gootes with the fatnesse of neeres of the wethers For the LORDE shal kyl a great offringe in Bosra and in the londe of Idumea There shal the Vnicornes fall with the Bulles that is with the giauntes and their londe shal be washed with bloude their grounde corrupte with fatnesse Vnto the also o Sion shal come the daye of the vengeaunce of God and the yeare when as thyne owne iugdmentes shal be recompensed Thy floudes shal be turned to pytch and thine earth to brymstone therwith shal the londe be kyndled so that it shal not be quenched daye ner night But smoke euermore so forth to lie waist And no man shal go thorow thy londe for euer But Pellicanes Storkes great Oules and Rauens shall haue it in possession dwell therein For God shal sprede out the lyne of desolacion vpon it weye it with the stones of emptynes When kinges are called vpō there shal be none and all princes shal be awaye Thornes shal growe in their palaces nettels thistles in their stronge holdes y t the dragons maye haue their pleasure therin that they maye be a courte for Estriches There shal straunge visures and monstruous beastes mete one another the wylde kepe company together There shal the lamia lye haue hir lodginge There shall the hedghogge buylde digge be there at home and bringe forth his yongeones There shal the kytes come together ech one to his like Seke thorow the scripture of the LORDE rede it There shal none of these thinges be left out there shal not one ner soch like fayle ▪ For what his mouth commaundeth that same doth his sprete gather together or fulfilleth Vpon whom so euer y e lot fallet or to whom he dealeth it with the line those shal possesse the enheritaunce from generacion to generacion and dwel therin The xxxv Chapter BVt the deserte wildernesse shal reioyse y e waist grounde shal be glad and florish as the lilly She shal florish pleasauntly and be ioyful and euer be geuynge of thankes more and more For y e glory of libanus the bewty of Charmel Sarō shal be geuen her These shal knowe the honoure of the LORDE and the magesty of oure God And therfore strength y e weake hōdes and conforte the feble knees Saye vnto them that are of a fearful hert Be of good chere and feare not Beholde youre God cometh to take vengeaunce to rewarde God cometh his owne self and wil delyuer you Then shal the eyes of the blinde be lightned and the eares of the deaff opened Then shal the lame man leape as an herte the domme mās tūge shal geue thankes In the wildernesse also there shal welles springe and floudes of water in the deserte The drie grounde shal turne to ryuers and the thurstie to springes of water Where as dragons dwelt afore there shal growe swete floures and grene russhes There shal be footpathes comon stretes this shal be called the holy waye No vnclene person shal go thorow it for the LORDE himself shal go with thē that waye and the ignoraūt shal not erre There shal be no lyon and no rauyshinge beast shall come therin nor be there but men shal go there fre and safe And the redemed of the LORDE shal conuerte and come to Sion with thankesgeuinge Euerlastinge ioye shal they haue pleasure gladnesse shal be amōge them And as for all sorow and heuynes it shal vanish awaye The xxxvj Chapter IN the xiiij yeare of kinge Ezechias came Sennacherib kinge of the Assirians downe to laye sege vnto all the stronge cities of Iuda And the kinge of the Assiriās sent Rabsaches from Lachis toward Ierusalem agaynst kinge Ezechias with a greuous hooste ▪ which set him by the condite of the ouerpole in the waye that goeth thorow y e fullers lōde And so there came forth vnto him Eliachim Helchias sonne the presydent Sobna the scribe and Ioah Asaphs
by the smoke had the vpper hande After this there wēte ouer before me a watery cloude and sent downe moch rayne w t a storme whan the stormy rayne was past the droppes remayned still Then sayde he vnto me like as the rayne is more then the droppes and as the fyre exceadeth the smoke euen so y e measure of the thinges that are past hath the vpper hande Then wente the droppes and the smoke aboue and I prayed and sayde Maye I lyue thynkest thou vntyll that tyme Or what shall happen in those dayes He answered me and sayde As for the tokēs wherof thou axest me I maye tell the of thē in a parte but as touchinge y e life I maye not shewe the for I am not sent therfore The V. Chapter NEuerthelesse as concernynge the tokens mark this Beholde the dayes shal come that they which dwell vpon earth shal be takē in a greate nombre the waye of the trueth shal be hyd and the lōde shal be baren from faith but iniquyte shal haue the vpper hande like as thou hast sene now and as thou hast herde lōge agoo And the londe that thou seist now to haue rule shalt thou shortly se waist But yf God graunte the to lyue thou shalt se after y e thirde trompet that the Sonne shal sodenly shyne agayne in the night and the Moone thre tymes in the daye bloude shal droppe out of wodd and the stone shal geue his voyce and the people shal be vnquyete and euen he shal rule whom they hope not that dwell vpon earth and the foules shal flyt and the Sodomitysh see shal cast out his fish and make a noyse in the night which many shal not knowe but they shal all heare the voyce therof There shal be a cōfucion also in many places and the fyre shal be oft sent agayne and the wylde beastes shal go their waye menstruous wemen shal beare monsters and salt waters shal be founde in the swete one frende shal fight agaynst another then shal all wyt and vnderstandinge be hyd and put asyde in to their secrete places shal be sought of many and yet not be founde then shal vnrighteousnes and volupteousnes haue the vpperhande vpon earth One lande also shal axe another and saye Is righteousnes gone thorow the And it shal saye No. At the same tyme shal men hope but nothinge optayne they shal laboure but their wayes shall not prospere To shewe the soch tokens I haue leue and yf thou wylt praye agayne wepe as now and fast seuen dayes thou shalt heare yet greater thinges Then I awaked and a fearfulnes wente thorow all my body my mynde was feble and carefull so that I allmost swowned withall So the angell that was come to talke with me helde me comforted me and sett me vp vpon my fete And in the seconde night it happened y t Salathiel the captayne of the people came vnto me sayenge Where hast thou bene and why is thy countenaunce so heuy Knowest thou not y t Israel is commytted vnto the in the londe of their captyuyte Vp then and eate and forsake vs not as the shepherde that leaueth his flock in the handes of wicked wolues Then sayde I vnto him Go thy waye fro me and come not nye me he herde it and as I sayde so wēte he his waye fro me And so I fasted seuen dayes mournynge and wepynge like as Vriell the angell commaunded me And after seuen dayes it happened that y e thoughtes of my hert were very greuous vnto me agayne my soule receaued y e sprete of vnderstandynge I begāne to talke w t the most hyest agayne and sayde O LORDE LORDE of euery wod of y e earth of all the trees therof thou hast chosen y e one onely vynyarde and of all londes of the whole worlde thou hast chosen the one pytt and of all floures of the groūde thou hast chosen the one lylie and of all the depthes of the see thou hast fylled the one ryuer and of all builded cities thou hast halowed Sion vnto thy self and of all y e foules that are created thou hast named the one doue and of all the catell y t are made thou hast prouyded y e one shepe amōge all y e multitudes of folkes thou hast gotten the one people and vnto this people whom thou louedest thou gauest a lawe y t is proued of all And now O LORDE why hast thou geuē this one people ouer vnto many vpon the one rote thou hast prepared other and why hast thou scatred y e one onely people amonge many which treade thē downe yee which haue euer withstonde y e promyses neuer beleued y e couenaūtes And though thou werest enemye vnto y e people yet shuldest thou punysh thē w t thine owne handes Now whā I had spokē these wordes the angell y t came to me y e night afore was sēt vnto me sayde vnto me Heare me herkē to y e thinge y t I saye I shal tell y e more And I sayed Speake on my LORDE Thē sayde he vnto me Thou art sore vexed troubled for Israels sake Louest thou y t people better then him y t made them And I sayde No LORDE but of very grefe cōpassion haue I spokē For my reynes payne me euery houre because I wolde haue experience of the waye of the most hyest and to seke out parte of his iudgment And he sayde vnto me that thou mayest not And I sayde wherfore LORDE Where vnto was I borne then Or why was not my mothers childesbed then my graue So had I not sene the mysery and trouble of Iacob and the trauayle of my people of Israel And he sayde vnto me Nōbre me y e thinges y t are not yet come gather me together y e droppes that are scatred abrode make me y e floures grene agayne ▪ y t are wythered opē me the thinge that is closed and bringe me forth the wyndes that are shutt vp Shewe me the ymage of a voyce and then shal I declare the the thinge that thou labourest to knowe And I sayde O LORDE LORDE who maye knowe these thinges but he that hath not his dwellynge w t mē As for me I am vnwyse how maye I thē speake of these thinges wherof thou axest me Thē sayde he vnto me like as thou canst do none of these thinges y t I haue spoken of Euen so canst thou not fynde out my iudgment or in the ende the loue that I haue promysed vnto my people And I sayde Beholde o LORDE yet art thou nye vnto them that haue no ende and what shal they do that haue bene before me or we that be now or they that shal come after vs And he sayde vnto me I wyl lycken my iudgment vnto a rynge Like as there is no slacknesse of the last euen so is there no swiftnesse of the first So I answered sayde
the honger shal the swerde destroye the deed shal be cast out as donge there shal be no man to coÌ„forte them For y e earth shal be waisted the cities shal be cast downe there shal be no man left to tyll y e earth to sowe it The trees shal geue frute who shal plucke theÌ„ of gather them The grapes shal be ripe who shal treade theÌ„ For all places shal be desolate of meÌ„ so that one man shal desyre to se another or to heare his voyce For of one whole cite there shal be ten left two in the felde which shall hyde theÌ„selues in the thicke buszshes in the clyffes of stones like as whan there remayne thre or foure olyues vpon the olyue tre or as whan a vynyarde is gathered there are left some grapes of them that diligeÌ„tly sought thorow the vynyarde Euen so in those dayes there shal be thre or foure left for theÌ„ y t search their houses w t the swerde And the earth shal be left waist the feldes therof shall waxe olde and hir wayes and all hir pathes shal growe full of thornes because no man shal trauayle there thorow The daughters shal mourne hauinge no brydegromes the wemen shal make lamentacion hauynge no huszbandes their daughters shal mourne hauinge no helpe of their brydegrome In the warres shall they be destroyed their huszbandes shal perish of honger O ye seruauntes of the LORDE heare these thinges marck theÌ„ Beholde the worde of the LORDE O receaue it beholde the plages drawe nye are not slack in tarienge Like as a trauaylinge woman which after y e ix moneth briÌ„geth forth a sonne whan the houre of the byrth is come an houre two or thre afore that the paynes come vpoÌ„ hir body whan the childe coÌ„meth to the byrth they tary not the twincklynge of an eye EueÌ„ so shall not y e plages be slack to come vpon earth the worlde shal mourne sorowes shal come vpoÌ„ it on euery syde O my people heare my worde make you redy to the battayll in all euell be euen as pylgrems vpon earth He y t selleth let him be as he that flyeth his waye he y t byeth as one that wil lese Who so occupieth marchauÌ„dies as he that wynneth not he that buyldeth as he that shall not dwell therin he that soweth as one y t shal not reape he that twysteth the vynyarde as he that shal not gather the grapes they that mary as they that shall get no children they y t mary not as the wyddowes therfore they y t laboure labo r in vayne For straungers shall reape their frutes spoyle their goodes ouer throwe their houses take their childreÌ„ captyue for in captiuyte honger shal they get children And they that occupie their marchaundies w t robbery how longe decke they their cities their houses their possessions personnes the more wil I punysh them for their synnes sayeth the LORDE Like as an whore enuyeth an honest woman so shall righteousnes hate iniquyte whan she decketh hir self and shall accuse her to hir face whan he coÌ„meth that defendeth which shal make inquysicioÌ„ for all synne vpoÌ„ earth And therfore be not ye like there vnto ner to the workes therof for or euer it be longe iniquite shal be taken awaye out of the earth and righteousnes shal raigne amonge you Let not the synner saye that he hath not synned for coles of fyre shal burne vpon his heade which saieth before the LORDE God his glory I haue not synned Beholde the LORDE knoweth all y e workes of men their ymaginacions their thoughtes their hertes For he spake but the worde let the earth be made it was made let the heaueÌ„ be made it was made In his worde were y e starres made he knoweth the nombre of them He searcheth the grounde of the depe the treasures therof he hath measured the see what it conteyneth He hath shut the see in the myddest of the waters and w t his worde hath he hanged the earth vpon the waters He spredeth out the heauen like a vowte vpon the waters hath he founded it In the deserte and drye wyldernes hath he made sprynges of water and poles vpoÌ„ the toppe of the mountaynes y t the floudes might poure downe from y e stony rockes to water the earth He made man and put his hert in the myddest of y e body and gaue him breth life and vnderstandinge yee and the sprete of y e Allmightie God which made all thinges and hath searched the grouÌ„de of all the secretes of the earth He knoweth youre ymaginacions inueÌ„cions and what ye thynke whan ye synne wolde hyde youre synnes Therfore hath y e LORDE searched and sought out all yo r woâ—kes and he shal bewraye you all And whan yo r synnes are brought forth ye shal be ashamed before men and youre owne synnes shal be youre accusers in that daye What wil ye do Or how will ye hyde youre synnes before God and his angels Beholde God himself is the iudge feare him leaue of from youre synnes and forget youre vnrighteousnesses and medle nomore with them so shal God lede you forth and delyuer you from all trouble For beholde the heate of a greate multitude is kyndled ouer you and they shal take awaye certayne of you and fede the ydle w t Idols and they that coÌ„sent vnto them shal be had in derision laughed to scorne trodden vnder fote For vnto the places there shal be a place and in the next cities a greate insurreccion vpon those that feare y e LORDE They shal be like mad men they shall spare no man they shall spoyle and waist soch as feare the LORDE their goodes shall they take from them and shute them out of their houses Then shall it be knowne who are my chosen they shal be tryed as the golde in the fyre Heare O ye my beloued saieth the LORDE beholde the dayes of trouble are at honde but I wil delyuer you from the same Be not ye afraied dispayre not for God is youre captayne Who so kepeth my coÌ„maundementes and preceptes sayeth the LORDE God let not youre synnes weye you downe let not youre vnrighteousnesses be lift vp Wo be vnto theÌ„ that are subdued vnto their synnes and tangled in their wickednesses like as a felde is hedged in with buszshes and the path therof couered with thornes y t no man maye trauayle thorow and so is he taken and cast in the fyre and brent The ende of the IIII. boke of Eszdras The boke of Tobias What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Of the kynred life and godly conuersacion of Tobias Chap. II The louynge compassion that Tobias sheweth in buryeÌ„ge the deed for the which cause he is hated and persecuted God nurtoureth him with blyndnes His wyfe casteth him in the teth Chap. III. Tobias prayeth
them not therfore There is nothinge hyd that shal not be openly shewed and nothinge secrete that shall not be knowne What I tell you in darcknes that speake ye in light and what ye heare in the eare that preach ye vpon the house toppes And feare ye not them that kyll the body and be not able to kyll the soule But rather feare hiÌ„ which is able to destroye both soule and body in to hell Are not two sparowes solde for a farthinge Yet doth there none of theÌ„ light vpon the grouÌ„de without youre father And now are all y e hayres of youre heade tolde Feare ye not therfore ye are of more value then many sparowes Therfore whosoeuer knowlegeth me before meÌ„ him wil I knowlege also before my father which is in heauen But who soeuer denyeth me before meÌ„ him wil I also denie before my father which is in heauen Thynke not that I am come to sende peace vpon earth I came not to sende peace but a swerde For I am come to set a maÌ„ at variaunce ageynst his father and the doughter ageynst hir mother the doughter in lawe ageynst her mother in lawe and a mans foes shal be they of his owne housholde Who so loueth father and mother more then me is not mete for me and he that loueth sonne or doughter more then me is not mete for me And he y t taketh not his crosse and foloweth me is not mete for me Who so fyndeth his life shal lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shal fynde it He that receaueth you receaueth me who so receaueth me receaueth him y t sent me He that receaueth a prophet in the name of a prophet shal receaue a prophetes rewarde He y t receaueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shal receaue a righteous mans rewarde And who soeuer geueth vnto one of the least of these a cuppe of colde water onely to drinke in y e name of a disciple verely I saie vnto you he shal not lose his rewarde The XI Chapter ANd it came to passe whaÌ„ Iesus had made an ende of coÌ„maundinge his twolue disciples he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities Whan Ihon beinge in preson herde of the workes of Christ he sent two of his disciples and sayde vnto him â–ª Art thou he y t shal come or shal we loke for another Iesus answered and sayde vnto theÌ„ Go youre waye and tell Ihon agayne what ye se and heare The blynde se and the lame go the lepers are clensed and y e deaf heare the deed aryse ageyne and the gospell is preached to the poore and blessed is he that is not offended at me Whan they wente their waye Iesus beganne to speake vnto the people concernynge Ihon What are ye gone out for to se in the wyldernes Wolde ye se a rede shaken with the wynde Or what are ye gone out for to se Wolde ye se a man clothed in soft rayment Beholde they that weare soft clothinge are in kinges houses But what are ye gone out for to se A prophet Yee I saye vnto you and more theÌ„ a prophet For this is he of whoÌ„ it is written Beholde I sende my messauÌ„ger before thy face which shal prepare thy waye before the. Verely I saye vnto you Amonge y e children of wemen arose there not a greater then Ihon the baptist Not withstondinge he that is lesse in the kyngdome of Heauen is greater then he From the tyme of Ihon baptist hither to y e kyngdome of heauen suffreth violence and the violent plucke it vnto them For all the prophetes and the lawe prophecied vnto Ihon. Also yf ye wil receaue it this is Helias which shulde come Who so hath eares to heare let hiÌ„ heare But where vnto shal I lickeÌ„ this generacion It is like vnto childreÌ„ which syt in the market and call vnto their felowes saye we haue pyped vnto you and ye wolde not daunse We haue morned vnto you ye wolde not wepe For Ihon came nether eatinge nor drynkinge they saye he hath the deuyll The sonne of man came eatinge and drynkinge they saye lo what a glutton and wyne bebber this maÌ„ is and a companyon of publicans synners And wiszdome is iustified of hir children Then beganne he to vpbrade the cities in the which most of his miracles were done because they amended not Wo vnto the Chorasin Wo vnto the Bethsaida for yf the miracles which haue bene shewed amoÌ„ge you had bene done in Tyre and Sidon they had repented longe agoo in sack cloth and aszhes Neuertheles I saye vnto you It shal be easyer for Tyre and Sidon in the daye of iudgment then for you And thou Capernaum which art lift vp vnto heauen shalt be brought downe vnto hel For yf the miracles which haue bene done in the had bene shewed in Sodom they had remained vnto this daye Neuertheles I saye vnto you It shal be easyer for the londe of Sodome in the daye of iudgment theÌ„ for the. At y e same tyme Iesus answered and sayde I prayse the O father and LORDE of heauen and earth that thou hast hid these thinges from the wyse and prudent and opened theÌ„ vnto babes Euen so father for so it pleased the. All thinges are geuen ouer vnto me of my father and no maÌ„ knoweth the sonne but the father nether knoweth eny man the father saue the sonne and he to whom the sonne wil open it Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wil ease you Take my yock vpon you and lerne of me for I am meke and lowlye of hert ye shal fynde rest vnto youre soules for my yock is easy and my burden is light The XII Chapter AT the same tyme weÌ„te Iesus thorow the corne vpon the Sabbath and his disciples were hongrie and beganne to plucke of the eares of the corne and to eate When y e Pharises sawe thâ—t they sayde vnto him Beholde thy disciples do that which is not laufull to do vpon the Sabbath He sayde vnto them haue ye not red what Dauid did whan he was hongrie they also y t were with him How he entred in to the house of God ate the shew breds which were not laufull for him to eate nether for theÌ„ y t were with him but onely for the prestes Or haue ye not red in the lawe how that the prestes in the temple breake the Sabbath and yet are blamelesse But I saye vnto you y t here is one greater then the temple But yf ye wyst what this were I haue pleasure in mercy and not in offeringe ye wolde not haue condemned innocentes For the sonne of man is LORDE euen ouer the Sabbath And he departed thence and wente in to their synagoge and beholde there was a maÌ„ which had