porcyon O Lorde I am purposed to kepe thy lawe ×— I make myne humble petycyon in presence with my whole herte O be 〈◊〉 vnto me accordynge vnto thy worâ—â— ×— I call myne awne wayes to remembâ—â—â—ce and turne my fete in to thy testimonâ—â—â— ×— I make haste and prolonge not the 〈◊〉 to kepe thy commaundementes ×— The congregacyons of the vngodly 〈◊〉 robbed me but I forget not thy lawe ×— At mydnight stande I vp to geue thaÌ„â—â—â— vnto the for the iudgmentes of thy â—â—â—â—â—â—tuousnesse ×— I am a companyon of all them that 〈◊〉 the and kepe thy commaundementes ×— * The earth O Lorde is full of thy 〈◊〉 O teach me thy statutes ט Teh ט O Lord thou hast dealt frendly with 〈◊〉 seruaunt accordynge vnto thy worde ט O learne me thy kyndnesse 〈◊〉 knowledge for I beleue thy coÌ„mauÌ„deâ—â—â—◠ט Before I was troubled I went 〈◊〉 but now I kepe thy worde ט Thou art good frendly O teach 〈◊〉 statutes ט The proude ymagin lyes vpon me 〈◊〉 kepe thy commaundemeÌ„tes with my 〈◊〉 herte ט Their herte is as fat as brawne 〈◊〉 delyte is in thy lawe ט It is good for me y t I haue bene inâ—â—ble that I maye learne thy statutes ט The lawe of thy mouth is dearer 〈◊〉 me then thousandes of golde and sylueâ— â–ª ×™ Iod. ×™ * Thy haÌ„des haue made me and 〈◊〉 me O geue me vnderstaÌ„dynge that I 〈◊〉 learne thy commaundementes ×™ They y t feare the wyll be glad 〈…〉 me because I put my trust in thy 〈◊〉 ×™ I knowe O Lorde that thy iudgmâ—â—â— are right and that thou of very faithfuâ—â— hast caused me to be troubled ×™ O let thy mercyfull kyndnesse be my â—â—â—â—forte accordynge to the promes that 〈◊〉 hast made vnto thy seruaunt ×™ O let thy louyng mercies come vnto 〈◊〉 that I maye lyue for thy lawe is my 〈◊〉 ×™ Let the proude be coÌ„founded which 〈◊〉 me so falslye ×™ But let soch as feare the and know 〈◊〉 testymonies be turned vnto me ×™ O lett myne herte be vndefyled in the â—â—â—â—tutes that I be not ashamed ×› Caph. ×› My soule longeth for thy sauynge 〈◊〉 for my trust is in thy worde ×› Myne eyes loÌ„ge sore for thy worde 〈◊〉 O when wylt thou comforte me â— For I am become like a botell in y e smoke do not I forget thy statutes â— How many are the dayes of thy seruauÌ„t â—hen wylt thou be aueÌ„ged of myne aduerâ—â—â—yes â— The proude haue dygged pyttes for me â—â—ich are not after thy lawe â—â—ll thy commaundementes are true they â—â—â—secute me falsly O be thou my helpe â— They haue allmost made an ende of me 〈◊〉 earth but I forsake not thy coÌ„maundeâ—â—ntes â— O quyckeÌ„ me after thy louyng kyndnê â—hall I kepe y e testimonyes of thy moâ—â—h ל Lamed â— O Lord thy worde endureth for euer in â—â—â—uen â— Thy treuth also remayneth froÌ„ one 〈…〉 to another thou hast layed y e 〈…〉 of the earth and it abydeth â— They contynue this daye accordynge to 〈◊〉 ordynaunce for all thynges serue the. If my delyte were not in thy lawe I 〈◊〉 peryshe in my trouble â— I wyll neuer forget thy commaundeâ—â—ntes for with them thou quickenest me I am thyne Oh helpe me for I seke thy â—â—â—maundementes â— The vngodly laye wayte for me to 〈◊〉 me but I consydre thy testimonyes â— I â—e that all thyngê come to an ende but 〈◊〉 commaundement is exceadynge broade מ Mem. â— O what loue haue I vnto thy lawe all daye longe is my talkynge of it â— Thou thorow thy commaundement hast 〈◊〉 me wyser then myne enemies â–ª for it is 〈◊〉 by me â— I haue more vnderstandyng then all my â—thers for thy testymonies are my studie Yee I am wyser then y e aged for I kepe 〈◊〉 commaundementes â— I refrayne my fete froÌ„ euery euell waye 〈◊〉 I maye kepe thy wordes â— I shrynck not from thy iudgmentes for 〈◊〉 teachest me â— O how swete are thy wordes vnto my 〈◊〉 â— Yee more then hony vnto my mouth â— Thorow thy coÌ„maundementes I get vnâ—â—â—standing therfore I hate all false wayes × Nun. â— Thy worde is a e * lanterne vnto my fete 〈◊〉 a lyght vnto my â—â—â—thes 〈…〉 haue sworne 〈◊〉 â—tedfastly purposed â—epe y e iudgmeÌ„tes 〈◊〉 â—hy ryghtuousnesse I am troubled 〈◊〉 measure quycken 〈◊〉 O Lorde accordynge vnto thy worde Let the frewyll offeâ—ynges of my mouth 〈◊〉 the O Lord tâ—ach me thy iudgmeÌ„tê × My soule is alwaye in my hande yet do not I forget thy lawe × The vngodly haue layed a snare for me but yet swarue not I froÌ„ thy coÌ„maundmeÌ„tê × Thy testymonyes haue I claymed as myne herytage for euer and why they are y e very ioye of my herte × I applye myne herte to fulfyll thy statutes alwaye euen vnto the ende ס Samech ס I hate y e vngodly but thy lawe do I loue ס Thou art my defence shylde my trust is in thy worde ס Awaye fro me ye wycked I wyll kepe the commaundementes of my God ס O stablish me according vnto thy worde that I maye lyue let me not be disapoynted of my hope ס Holde thou me vp and I shall be safe yee I shall euer be talkynge of thy statutes ס Thou treadest downe all them y t departe froÌ„ thy statutê for they ymagin but disceate ס Thou puttest awaye all the vngodly of the earth lyke drosse therfore I loue thy testymonies ס My flesh trembleth for feare of the and I am afrayed of thy iudgmentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aiin ×¢ I deale w t the thinge y t is laufull right O geue me not ouer vnto mine oppressours ×¢ Be thou suertye for thy seruaunte to do him good y t the proude do me no wronge ×¢ Myne eyes are waysted â—waye with lokyng for thy health and for the worde of thy rightuousnesse ×¢ O deale w t thy seruaunt accordyng vnto thy louynge mercy teach me thy statutes ×¢ I am thy seruauÌ„t O graunte me vnderstaÌ„ding that I maye know thy testimonies ×¢ It is tyme for the O Lorde to laye to thine haÌ„de for they haue destroyed thy lawe ×¢ For I loue thy commaundemeÌ„tes aboue golde and precious stone ×¢ Therfore holde I streyght all thy commaundementes and all false wayes I vtterly abhorre פ Phe. פ Thy testymonyes are wonderfull therfore doth my soule kepe them פ When thy worde goeth forth it geueth lyght vnderstandynge euen vnto babes פ I opeÌ„ my mouth and drawe in my breth for I desyre thy commaundementes פ O loke thou vpon me be mercifull as thou vsest to do vnto those y t loue thy name פ Ordre my goinges after thy worde that no wyckednesse raygne in me פ O delyuer me froÌ„ y e wroÌ„geous dealinges of men so shall I kepe thy coÌ„maundemeÌ„tê פ Shewe y e lyght of thy countenauÌ„ce vnto thy seruaunt and learne me thy statutes פ Myne eyes gusshe out w t water because men kepe not thy lawe צ Zade
same for he is the minister off God for thy wealth But yff thou do euell then feare for he beareth not the swerde for naughte For he is the mynister of God a taker of vengeaunce to punyshe him that doth euell Wherfore ye must nedes obeye not onely for punyshmēt but also because of conscience For this cause must ye geue trybute also For they are Gods mynisters which māteyne y e same defence Geue to euery man therfore his dutye tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whom feare belongeth honoure to whom honoure pertayneth Owe nothinge to eny man but to loue one another For he that loueth another hath fulfylled the lawe For where it is sayde Thou shalt not breake wedlocke thou shalt not kyll thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse thou shalt not lust and yf there be eny other commaundement it is comprehēded in this worde Thou shalt loue thy neghboure as thy selfe Loue doth his neghboure no euell Therfore is loue y e fulfillynge of the lawe And for so moch as we know this namely the tyme that the houre is now for vs to ryse from slepe For now is oure saluacion nearer then whan we beleued the nighte is past but the daye is come nye Let vs therfore cast awaye y e workes of darknesse and put on the armoure of lighte Let vs walke honestly as in the daye not in excesse off eatinge and in dronkennesse not in chamburynge and wantonnesse not in stryfe and enuyenge but put ye on the LORDE Iesus Christ and make not prouysion for y e flesh to fulfill the lustes of it The XIIII Chapter HIm that is weake in the faith receaue vnto you and trouble not the consciences One beleueth that he maye eate all thinge but he that is weake eateth herbes Let not him that eateth despyse him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receaued him Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruaūt He stondeth or falleth vnto his LORDE Yee he maye well stōde for God is able to make hī stōde Some man putteth differēce betwene daye daye but another man counteth all dayes alyke Let euery man be sure of his meanynge He that putteth difference in the daye doth it vnto the LORDE he that putteth no differēce in the daye doth it vnto y e LORDE also He y t eateth eateth vnto the LORDE for he geueth God thākes and he that eateth not eateth not vnto y e LORDE and geueth God thankes For none of vs lyueth to him selfe and none dyeth to him selfe Yf we lyue we lyue vnto the LORDE Yf we dye we dye vnto the LORDE Therfore whether we lyue or dye we are the LORDES For therto dyed Christ and rose agayne and reuyued that he mighte be LORDE both of deed and quycke But why iudgest thou y e brother Or thou other why despysest thou y e brother We shal all be broughte before y e iudgmēt seate of Christ. For it is wryttē As truly as I lyue sayeth the LORDE all knees shal bowe vnto me all tūges shal knowlege vnto God Thus shal euery one of vs geue acomptes for himselfe vnto God Let vs not therfore iudge one another eny more But iudge this rather y t nomā put a stomblinge blocke or an occasion to fall in his brothers waye I knowe am full certified in y e LORDE Iesu y t there is nothinge cōmen of it selfe but vnto him y t iudgeth it to be cōmen to him is it cōmen But yf y e brother be greued ouer y e meate thē walkest thou not now after charite Destroye not w t thy meate him for whom Christ dyed Se therfore that youre treasure be not euell spokē of For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but righteousnes peace and ioye in the holy goost He that in these thinges serueth Christ pleaseth God is cōmended of mē Let vs therfore folowe those thinges which make for peace thinges wherwith one maye edifye another Destroye not y e worke of God for eny meates sake All thinges truly are cleane but it is euell for y t mā which eateth w t hurte of his cōscience It is moch better y t thou eate no flesh and drynke no wyne nor eny thinge wherby thy brother stombleth or falleth or is made weake Hast thou faith haue it with y e selfe before God happye is he that cōdemneth not him selfe in y t thinge which he aloweth But he that maketh conscience of it and yet eateth is dampned because he doth it not of faith For what so euer is not of faith that same is synne The XV. Chapter WE that are stronge ought to beare y e fraylnesse of them which are weake and not to stonde in oure awne consaytes Let euery one of vs ordre himselfe so that he please his neghboure vnto his welth and edifienge For Christ pleased not himselfe but as it is wrytten The rebukes of them which rebuked the are fallen vpon me What so euer thinges are wryttē afore tyme are wrytten for oure learnynge that we thorow pacience and comforte off the scriptures might haue hope The God of pacience and consolacion graunte you to be like mynded one towarde another acordinge vnto Iesu Christ that ye beynge of one mynde maye w t one mouth prayse God the father of oure LORDE Iesu Christ. Wherfore receaue ye one another as Christ hath receaued you to the prayse off God But I saye that Christ Iesus was a mynister of the circumcision for the trueth of God to cōfirme the promyses made vnto the fathers and that the Heythen mighte prayse God because of mercy as it is wrytten For this cause wyl I prayse the amōge the Gētyles and synge vnto thy name And agayne he sayeth Reioyse ye Heythen with his people And agayne Prayse the LORDE all ye Gentiles and laude him all ye naciōs And agayne Esay sayeth There shal be the rote of Iesse and he that shal ryse to rule the Gentyles in him shal the Gentyles trust The God off hope fyll you w t all ioye and peace in beleuynge y t ye maye be plenteous in hope thorow y e power of the holy goost I my selfe am full certified of you my brethren that ye youre selues are full of goodnes fylled with all knowlege so that ye are able to exhorte one another Neuertheles brethrē I haue somwhat more boldly wrytten vnto you as one that putteth you in remembraunce for the grace that is geuē me of God ▪ that I shulde be a mynister of Iesu Christ amonge the Heythen to declare the gospell of God that the Heythen mighte be an acceptable offerynge vnto God sanctified by the holy goost Therfore maye I boost myselfe thorow Iesu Christ that I medle with thinges perteyninge vnto God For I durst not speake
and to geue vs y e londe that he sware vnto oure fathers And therfore hath the LORDE commaunded vs to do acordinge vnto all these ordinaunces that we might feare the LORDE oure God that we might prospere all the dayes of oure life as it is come to passe this daye And it shall be righteousnes vnto vs before the LORDE oure God yf we kepe and do all these commaundementes as he hath commaunded vs. The VII Chapter WHan y e LORDE y e God bringeth the in to y e londe where in to thou shalt come to possesse it roteth out manacions before the the Hethites Girgoâ—ites Amorites Cananites Pheresites Heâ—ites and Iebusites seueÌ„ nacions which are greater and mightier then thou and whan the LORDE thy God delyuereth theÌ„ before y e that thou mayest smyte them thou shalt vtterly destroye them so that thou make no couenaunt with them nor shewe them fauoure and shalt make no mariages with them Ye shall not geue youre doughters vnto their sonnes ner take their doughters vnto youre sonnes For they will make youre sonnes departe fro me to serue straunge goddes then shall the wrath of the LORDE waxe whote vpon you and destroye you shortly But thus shal ye do with them Ye shal ouerthrowe their altares breake downe their pilers cut downe their groues burne their ymages with fyre For thou art an holy people vnto the LORDE thy God The hath the LORDE thy God chosen that thou shuldest be his awne peculier people from amonge all nacions that are vpon the earth It was not because of the multitude of you aboue all nacions â–ª that y e LORDE had lust vnto you and chose you For ye were the leest amonge all nacions but because he loued you and that he mighte kepe the ooth which he sware vnto youre fathers he broughte you out with a mightie haÌ„de and delyuered you froÌ„ the house of bondage out of the hande of Pharao kynge of Egipte Thou shalt vnderstonde now therfore that the LORDE thy God is a mightie and true God which kepeth couenaunt and mercy vnto them that loue him and kepe his coÌ„maundementes euen thorow out a thousande generacions And rewardeth them that hate him before his face that he maye destroye them and wyll not be longe in tarienge to rewarde them before his face that hate him Kepe now therfore the commaundementes and ordinaunces and lawes which I commaunde the this daye that thou do therafter And yf ye shall heare these lawes and kepe them and do therafter then shal the LORDE thy God also kepe the couenaunt and mercy with the which he sware vnto thy fathers and shal loue the blesse the and multiplye the he shal blesse the frute of y e wombe and the frute of thy londe thy corne wyne and oyle the frute of thy kyne and the frute of thy shepe in the londe that he sware vnto y e fathers to geue the. Blessed shalt thou be aboue all nacions there shal no vnfrutefull personne be in the ner amonge thy catell The LORDE shall put from the all maner of dysease and shal brynge vpon the none of y e euell sicknesses of Egipte which thou hast sene but shall put them vpon all those that hate the. Thou shalt brynge to naught all the nacions which the LORDE thy God shal delyuer the. Thine eye shall not spare them and their goddes shalt thou not serue for that shal be thy decaye Yf thou shalt saye in thyne hert These nacioÌ„s are mo then I how caÌ„ I dryue them out Feare them not Remembre what the LORDE thy God did vnto Pharao and to all the Egipcians thorow greate tentacions which thou hast sene with thine eyes thorow tokens and woÌ„ders thorow a mightie hande and a stretched out arme wherwith the LORDE thy God brought the out Euen so shall the LORDE thy God do vnto all y e nacions of whoÌ„ thou art afrayed The LORDE y e God also shal sende hornettes amonge them vntyll they that remayne and hyde them selues from the be destroyed Be not thou afrayed of them for the LORDE thy God is in the myddes of the euen the mightie and fearfull God He euen the LORDE thy God shall rote out the nacions before the by litle and litle Thou canst noâ— consume them at one time y t the beestes of the felde increase not vpon the. The LORDE thy God shall delyuer them before the and shall smite them with a greate slaughter tyll they be destroyed And he shal delyuer their kynges in to thine haÌ„de and thou shalt destroie their names from vnder heauen There shal no man make the resistaunce before the vntyll thou haue destroyed them The ymages of their goddes shalt thou burne with fyre shalt not desyre the syluer or golde that is on them or to take it vnto the that thou snare not thy self therin for it is abhominacion vnto the LORDE y e God Therfore shalt thou not brynge the abhominacion in to thine house y t thou be not damned as it is but shalt vtterly defye it and abhorre it for it is damned The VIII Chapter ALl the commaundementes which I commaunde y e this daye shal ye kepe so y t ye do therafter that ye maye lyue and multiplye and come in and take possession of the lande which y e LORDE sware vnto youre fathers and thynke vpon all y e waie thorow the which the LORDE thy God hath led the this fortye yeares in the wyldernesse that he mighte chasten the and proue the to wete whath were in thyne herte whether thou woldest kepe his comaundemeÌ„tes or no. He chastened the and let the hunger and fed the with Manna which thou and thy fathers knewe not to make the knowe that man lyueth not by bred onely but by all that proceadeth out of the mouth of the LORDE Thy clothes are not waxed olde vpon the and thy fete are not swolleÌ„ this fortye yeare Vnderstonde therfore in thine hert that as a man nurtoureth his sonne euen so hath the LORDE thy God nurtured the. Kepe therfore the commaundementes of the LORDE thy God that thou walke in his wayes and feare him For the LORDE thy God bryngeth the in to a good londe A londe where in are ryuers of water fountaynes and sprynges which flowe by the hilles and valleys A londe wherin is wheate barlye vines fygge trees and pomgranates A londe wherin growe Olyue trees and honye A londe where thou shalt not eate bred in scarcenes and where thou shalt lacke nothinge A loÌ„de where y e stones are yron where thou shalt dygge brasse out of hilles That whaÌ„ thou hast eaten and art fylled thou mayest praise the LORDE thy God for that good londe which he hath geuen the. Bewarre now therfore that thou forget not the LORDE thy God that thou woldest not kepe his commaundementes and his ordinaunces and lawes which I commaunde the
y e trybe of Nepthali and of the halfe trybe of Manasse at Basan The children of Merari of their kynred had twolue cities of the trybe of Ruben of the trybe of Gad and of the trybe of Zabulon So the children of Israel gaue these cities and their suburbes vnto the Leuites by lott as the LORDE commaunded by Moses Of the trybe of the children of Iuda and of the trybe of the children of Simeon they gaue these cities which they named by name vnto the children of Aaron of the kynred of the Kahathites amonge the children of Leui for the first lot was theyrs So they gaue them Kiriatharba which was the fathers of Enak that is Hebren vpon the mount Iuda and the suburbes therof rounde aboute But the felde of the cite and the vyllages therof gaue they vnto Caleb the sonne of Iephune for his possession Thus gaue they vnto the children of Aaron the prest the fre cite of the deed sleyers Hebron and the suburbes therof Libna and the suburbes therof Iathir and the suburbes therof Esthuma and the suburbes therof Holon and the suburbes therof Debir and the suburbes therof Ain and the suburbes therof Iuta and the suburbes therof Beth Semes and the suburbes therof euen nyne cities of these two trybes But of the trybe of Ben Iamin they gaue foure cities Gibeon and y e suburbes therof Gaba and the suburbes therof Anathot and the suburbes therof Almon and the suburbes therof so that all the cities of the children of Aaron the prest were thirtene with their suburbes The kynreds of the other children of Kahath the Leuites had by their lott foure cities of the trybe of Ephraim and they gaue thē the fre cite of the deedsleiers Sechē and the suburbes therof vpon mount Ephraim Gaser and the suburbes therof Kibzaim and the suburbes therof Bethron and the suburbes therof Of the trybe of Dan foure cities Eltheke and y e suburbes therof Gibthon and the suburbes therof Aialon and the suburbes therof Gath Rimon and the suburbes therof Of the halfe trybe of Manasses two cities Thaenach and the suburbes therof Gath Rimon and the suburbes therof so that all the cities of the other children of y e kynred of Kahath were ten with their suburbes But vnto the children of Gerson amonge the kynreds of the Leuites were geuen Of the halfe trybe of Manasse two cities the fre cite for the deedslayer Gola in Basan and the suburbes therof Beasthra and the suburbes therof Of the trybe of Isachar foure cities Kision and the suburbes therof Dabrach and the suburbes therof Iarmuth and the suburbes therof Engannim and the suburbes therof Of the trybe of Asser foure cities Miseal Abdon Helkath and Rehob with the suburbes therof Of the trybe of Nephtali thre cities the fre cite Kedes for the deedsleyer in Galile Hamoth Dor and Karthan with the suburbes therof so that all the cities of the kynred of the Gersonites were thirtene w t their suburbes Vnto the kynreds of Merari the other Leuites were geuen Of the trybe of Zabulon foure cities Iakneam Kartha Dimna and Nahalal w t y e suburbes therof Of the trybe of Ruben foure cities Bezer Iahza Kedemoth and Mephaat with their suburbes Of the trybe of Gad foure cities the fre cite for the deedsleyer Ramoth in Gilead Mahanaim Heszbon and Iaeser with their suburbes so that all the cities of the children of Merari amonge their kynreds of y e other Leuites were twolue Thus all the cities of the Leuites amonge y e possession of the children of Israel were eight and fortye with their suburbes And these cities were so dealte out that euery one had their suburbes rounde aboute the one as the other Thus the LORDE gaue the children of Israel all the londe which he had sworne vnto their fathers to geue they toke possession of it and dwelt therin And the LORDE gaue thē rest before all those y t were aboute them like as he sware vnto their fathers none of their enemies stode agaynst thē but all their enmies delyuered he in to their hande And their myssed nothinge of all the good that the LORDE had promysed vnto the house of Israel it came euery whyt The XXII Chapter THen Iosua called y e Rubenites and Gaddites and y e halfe trybe of Manasse and sayde vnto them Ye haue kepte all that Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE commaunded you and haue herkened vnto my voyce in all y t I haue commaūded you Ye haue not forsaken youre brethrē a longe season vnto this daye and haue wayted vpon the commaundement of the LORDE youre God For so moch now as the LORDE youre God hath broughte youre brethrē to rest as he promysed them turne you now and go youre waye to youre tentes in to the londe of youre possession which Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE gaue you beyōde Iordane But take diligent hede now that ye do acordinge to the commaundement and lawe which Moses the seruaunt of the LORDE hath commaunded That ye loue the LORDE youre God and walke in all his wayes and kepe his commaundementes and cleue vnto him and serue him with all youre hert and with all youre soule So Iosua blessed them and let them go And they wente vnto their tentes Vnto the halfe trybe of Manasse had Moses geuen possession at Basan vnto the other halfe gaue Iosua amonge their brethren on this syde Iordane westwarde And whan he let them go to their tentes and blessed them he sayde vnto them Ye come home agayne with greate good vnto youre tētes with exceadynge moch catell syluer golde brasse yron and rayment distribute therfore the spoyle of youre enemyes amonge youre brethren So the Rubenites Gaddites and the halfe trybe of Manasse returned and wente from the children of Israel out of Silo which lyeth in the londe of Canaan to go in to the countre of Gilead to the londe of their possession that they mighte possesse it acordynge to the commaundement of the LORDE by Moses And whan they came vnto the heapes by Iordane which lye in the londe of Canaan the same Rubenites Gaddites and the halfe trybe of Manasses buylded there besyde Iordane a fayre greate altare But whan the children of Israel herde saye Beholde the children of Ruben the children of Gad and the halfe trybe of Manasse haue buylded an altare ouer agaynst the londe of Canaan vpon the heapes by Iordane on this syde the children of Israel they gathered them selues together with the whole congregacion at Silo to go vp agaynst thē with an armye And in the meane season they sent to them in to the londe of Gilead Phineas the sonne of Eleasar the prest and with him ten chefe prynces amonge the houses of their fathers out of euery tribe in Israel one And they came to the children of Ruben to the children of Gad and to the halfe trybe of Manasse in the londe of Gilead and sayde Thus sayeth the whole congregacion
〈◊〉 I haue respecte vnto all thy commaundâ—mentes I wil thanke the with an vnfayâ—ned herte because I am lerned in the iudgâ—mentes of thy rightuousnesse I wil 〈◊〉 thy statutes o forsake me not vtterly They came aboute me lyke bees were â—s hote as the fyre in the thornes but in the â—â—me of the Lorde I wyll destroye them They thrust at me that I might fall but â—â—e Lorde was my helpe * The Lorde is my streÌ„gth and my songe â—nd is become my saluacyon The voyce of ioye and myrth is in y e dwelâ—â—ges of the ryghtuous for the ryght haÌ„de 〈◊〉 the Lorde hath gotten the victory The ryght hande of the Lorde hath y e preâ—â—ynence the ryght hande of the Lord hath â—â—tten the victory I wyll not dye but lyue and declare the â—orckes of the Lorde The Lorde hath chastened correcte me â—â—t he hath not geuen me ouer vnto death a * Open me the gates of ryghtuousnes 〈◊〉 I maye goo in there thorow and geue â—â—â—nckes vnto the Lorde This is the dore of the Lorde the ryghâ—â—ous shall entre in thorow it I thancke the that thou hast herde me become my saluacyon The same â–ªb* stone whych the buylders reâ—â—â—â—â—â— is become the heade stone in y e corner Thys was the Lordes doynge and it is â—â—â—uelous in oure eyes This is thec* daye which the Lorde hath â—â—de let vs reioyse and be glad in it Helpe now O Lorde O Lorde sende vs 〈◊〉 prosperite Blessed be he that commeth in the name of 〈◊〉 Lorde we wysh you good lucke ye that of the house of the Lorde God is the Lorde hath shewed vs light garnysh the solempne feast wyth grene â—â—â—ches eueÌ„ vnto the hornes of y e aulter â—â—ou art my God and I wyll thaÌ„cke the â–ª 〈◊〉 art my God and I wyll prayse the. 〈◊〉 geue thanckes vnto the Lorde for he is â—â—â—â—ous and hys mercy endureth for euer ¶ The .cxix. Psalme This Psalme declareth how moche the saynctes 〈…〉 set by the lawes of God and how greatly 〈◊〉 endeuour theÌ„ selues vnto them in so moche that 〈◊〉 sorowe them to be transgressed withstanded of 〈◊〉 wycked And how they praye to be taught theÌ„ froÌ„ 〈◊〉 to be accustomed with theÌ„ wyshe as many â—ransgresse withstande them to be destroyed and 〈◊〉 awaye × Aleph â—BLessed are those that a* be vndefyled in the waye which walcke in the lawe of the Lorde â— Blessed are they that kepe hys testymoâ—â—â—s and seke him with their whole herte 〈◊〉 which walcke in his wayes do no wycâ—â—â—nesse â— Thou hast geuen strayte charge to kepe 〈◊〉 commaundementes × O that my wayes were stablyshed to kepe thy statutes × So shulde I not be confounded whyle I haue respecte vnto all thy coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes × I wyll thancke the w t an vnfayned herte because I am learned in the iudgmentes of thy ryghtuousnesse × I wyll kepe thy statutes O forsake me not vtterly ב Beth. ב Where withall shall a yonge man clense his waye Euen by rulynge hym selfe after thy worde ב With my whole herte do I seke the O let me not go wroÌ„ge out of thy coÌ„maundemeÌ„tê ב Thy wordes haue I hyd within my herte that I shulde not synne agaynst the. ב Praysed be thou O Lorde O teach me thy statutes ב With my lyppes wyll I be tellyng out all the iudgmentes of thy mouth ב I haue as greate delyte in the waye of thy testymonies as in all maner of ryches ב I wyll exercyse my selfe in thy coÌ„maundmeÌ„tes haue respecte vnto thy fotepathes ב My delite shal be in thy statutê I will not forget thy wordes ×’ Gimel ×’ O do well vnto thy seruauÌ„t that I maye lyue and kepe thy wordes ×’ Open thou myne eyes and so shall I spie out wonderous thynges in thy lawe ×’ I am a straunger vpon earth O hyde not thy commaundementes fro me ×’ My soule breaketh oute for the very feruent desyre y t I haue alwaye vnto thy iudgmentes ×’ Thou rebukest the proude cursed are they that departe from thy commaundementes ×’ O turne fro me shame and rebuke for I kepe thy testimonyes ×’b*Prynces also syt speake agaynst me but thy seruauÌ„t is occupyed in thy statutes ×’ In thy testymonies is my delyte they are my councelers ד Daleth ד My soule cleaueth to the dust O quyckeÌ„ thou me accordynge to thy worde ד I knowledged my wayes thou herdest me O teach me then thy statutes ד Make me to vnderstande the waye of t 〈…〉 commaundementes and so shall I ta 〈…〉 thy wonderous worckes ד My soule melteth awaye for ver◠〈…〉 O set me vp according vnto th◠〈…〉 ד Take fro me y e waye of lyenge 〈…〉 me thy lawe ד I haue chosen the c* waye of treuth 〈…〉 iudgmentes haue I layed before me ד I stycke vnto thy testymonies O Lo 〈…〉 confounde me not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wyll runne the waye of thy coÌ„maundementes wheÌ„ thou hast comforted my herte ×” He. ×” Teach me O Lorde the waye of thy statutes and I shall kepe it vnto the ende ×” O d* geue me vnderstaÌ„dynge and I shal kepe thy lawe yee I shall kepe it wyth my whole herte ×” Leade me in the path of thy commaundmentes for that is my desyre ×” Enclyne myne herte vnto thy testymonies and not to couetousnes ×” O turne awaye myne eyes lest they beholde vanite quycken me in thy waye ×” O stablish thy worde in thy seruaunt y t I maye feare the. ×” Take awaye y e rebuke that I am afrayed of for thy iudgmentes are amyable ×” Beholde my delyte is in thy coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes O quyckeÌ„ me in thy ryghtuousnesse ו Vau. ו Let thy louynge mercy come vnto me O Lorde and thy sauynge health accordynge vnto thy worde ו That I maye geue answere vnto my blasphemers for my trust is in thy worde ו O take not y e worde of treuth vtterly out of my mouth for my hope is in thy iudgmeÌ„tê ו So shall I alwaye kepe thy lawe yee for euer and euer ו And I wyll walcke at lyberty for I seke thy commaundementes ו I wyll speake of thy testimonies euen before kynges and wyll not be ashamed ו My delyte shal be in thy coÌ„maundmeÌ„tes which I loue ו My handes also wyll I lyft vp vnto thy commaundementes which I loue my talkynge shal be of thy statutes ×– Zain ×– O thyncke vpon thy seruaunt as concernynge thy worde wherin thou hast caused me to put my trust ×– For it is my coÌ„forte in my trouble yee thy worde quyckeneth me ×– The proude haue me greatly in derisyon yet shryncke not I from thy lawe ×– I remembre thyne euerlastyng iudgmeÌ„tê O Lorde and am comforted â— I am horribly afrayed for the vngodly y t 〈…〉 thy lawe 〈…〉 statutes are my songes in the house 〈…〉 â—ylgremage 〈…〉 vpon thy name O Lord in the 〈…〉 â—eason and kepe thy lawe 〈…〉 myne awne for I kepe thy coÌ„mauÌ„dâ—â—â—â—es ×— Heth. â— Thou art my
צ Ryghtuous art thou O Lorde and true is thy iudgment צ The testymonyes that thou hast coÌ„manded are exceadynge ryghtuous and true צ My zele hath eueÌ„ consumed me because myne enemyes haue forgotten thy wordes צ Thy worde is tryed to the vttermost and thy seruaunte loueth it צ I am small and of no reputacyon yet do not I forget thy commaundementes צ Thy ryghtuousnesse is an euerlastynge ryghtuousnes and thy lawe is true צ Trouble and heuynesse haue taken holde vpoÌ„ me yet is my delyte in thy commaundementes צ The ryghtuousnes of thy testymonyes is euerlastyng O graunte me vnderstaÌ„dyng and I shall lyue ק Koph ק I call with my whole herte heare me O Lorde I wyll kepe thy statutes ק Yee euen vpon the do I cal helpe me and I shall kepe thy testymonies ק Early in the mornynge do Is crye vnto the for in thy worde is my trust ק Myne eyes preuente the night watches that I myght be occupied in thy wordes ק Heare my voyce O Lorde accordynge vnto thy louynge kyndnesse quycken me accordynge as thou art wont ק They drawe nye that of malyce persecute me and are farre from thâ— lawe ק Be thou nye at hande also O Lorde for thy promyses are faythfull ק As concernynge thy testimonies I haue knowne euer sens the begynnynge y t thou hast grounded them for euer ר Res. ר O coÌ„sydre myne aduersyte delyuer me for I do not forget thy lawe ר Manteyn thou my cause and defende me quycken me accordynge vnto thy worde ר Health is farre from the vngodly for they regarde not thy statutes ר Greate is thy mercy O Lorde quycken me as thou art wont ר Many there are that trouble me persecute me yet do not I swarue from thy testimonyes ר It greueth me when I se that the transgressours kepe not thy lawe ר Consydre O Lorde how I loue thy commaundementes O quycken me with thy louynge kyndnesse ר Thy worde is true from euerlastynge all the iudgmentes of thy ryghtuousnesse endure for euer more ש Sin שh*The princes persecute me wtout 〈◊〉 but my herte staÌ„deth in awe of thy 〈◊〉 ש I am as glad of thy worde as one 〈◊〉 greate spoyles ש As for lyes I hate and abhorre 〈…〉 thy lawe do I loue שi* SeueÌ„ tymes a daye do I prayse â—â—â—cause of thy ryghtuous iudgmentes ש Greate is the peace that they haue 〈◊〉 loâ—e thy lawe they are not offendâ—â— â–ª ש Lorde I loke for thy sauynge 〈◊〉 do after thy commaundementes ש My soule kepeth thy testymonyes 〈◊〉 loueth them exceadingly ש I kepe thy commaundementes and 〈◊〉 for all my wayes are before 〈◊〉 â–ª ת Chau. ת Let my complaynte come before 〈◊〉 Lorde geue me vnderstandynge 〈…〉 vnto thy worde ת Oh let my supplicacyon come befoâ—â— delyuer me accordynge to thy promes â–ª ת My lyppes shall speake of thy 〈◊〉 seynge thou hast taught me thy statuâ—â—â— â–ª ת Yee my tonge shall synge of thy 〈◊〉 for all thy commaundementes are 〈◊〉 ת Let thyne hande helpe me for I haue 〈…〉 thy commaundementes ת I longe for thy sauynge health O 〈◊〉 and in thy lawe is my delyte ת Oh let my soule lyue and prayse the 〈◊〉 thy iudgmentes maye helpe me ת I go astraye lyke a shepe that is 〈◊〉 seke thy seruaunt for I do not forget thâ—â—â—â—â—maundementes ¶ The .cxx. Psalme ¶ An affectuous complaynâ—e of the propheâ—◠〈◊〉 dryue oute of the lâ—nde â— aâ—ydyng amonge 〈…〉 that dyd all thynges by fraude and violence The songe of the steares WHen I am in trouble I call 〈◊〉 the Lorde 〈◊〉 answereth 〈◊〉 â–ª Delyuer my soule O 〈◊〉 from lyenge â—lyppes from a â—â—â—ceatfull tonge What rewarde shaâ—â— be geuen or 〈…〉 to the thou false tongâ—â— Euen myghtye anâ— sharpe arowes 〈◊〉 hote burnyngea* 〈◊〉 Wo is me that 〈◊〉 banishmeÌ„t endurâ—â—â— loÌ„ge I dwell in y e tabernacles of y e soroâ—â—â— My soule hath loâ—ge dwelt amoÌ„ge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the enemyes vnto peace I laboured for peace but when I spake 〈◊〉 they made them to battayle ¶ The .cxxj Psalme 〈◊〉 sheweth that the godly must loke for their helpe 〈◊〉 God only that he geueth it very readely The songe of the steares I Lyft vp myne eyes vnto thea*hylles 〈◊〉 from whence coÌ„meth my helpe My helpe commeth euen from the â—â—rde which hath made heauen and earth He wyll not suffre thy fote to be moued 〈◊〉 he that kepeth the slepeth not * Beholde he that kepeth Israel doth 〈◊〉 â—lombre nor slepe The Lorde him selfe is thy keper 〈◊〉 Lord â—hy defence vpon thy ryght hande So that the sunne shall not burne the by 〈◊〉 nether the moone by nyght The Lorde preserueth the from all euell 〈◊〉 it is the Lorde that kepeth thy soule The Lorde preserueth thy goynge out 〈◊〉 commynge in from this tyme forth for â—â—er more ¶ The .cxxij. Psalme â—nder the shadow and fygure of Ierusalem he deâ—â—â—â—eth the felycytie of the congregacyon of Christ 〈◊〉 the desyres of the saynctes wyshyng euer the furâ—â—â—â—aunce of it The songe of the steares I Was glad when they sayde vnto me we wyll go in to the house of the Lorde Oure fete shall stande in thy gates 〈◊〉 Ierusalem Ierusalem is buylded as a cytye that is 〈…〉 in it selfe For there the tribes go vp euen the tribes 〈◊〉 the Lorde to testyfye vnto Israel to geue â—â—anâ—kes vnto the name of the Lorde For there is the seate of iudgement euen 〈◊〉 seate of the house of Dauid O praye for the peace of IerusaleÌ„ they 〈◊〉 all prospere that loue the. Peace be within thy walles plenteousâ—â—â—s with 〈◊〉 thy palaces For my brethren and companions sakes 〈◊〉 wyll wysh 〈◊〉 the prosperite Yee because of the house of the Lord oure 〈◊〉 I wyll seâ—â—e to do the good ¶ The .cxxiij. Psalme The godly subdued 〈◊〉 the wycked do affectuously 〈◊〉 God to delyuer thâ—â— for vnto hym they wholy 〈◊〉 them selues The songe of the steares VNto the lyft I 〈◊〉 myne a * eyes thou that dwellest in thâ—â—e heauens Beholde eueÌ„ as the eyes of seruauÌ„â—â—â— loke vnto the handes of their masters 〈◊〉 the eyes of a mayden vnto the handes of â—astresse euen so oure eyes wayte vpon 〈…〉 oure God vnâ—yll he haue mercy vpon vs. Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we are vtterly despysed Oure soule is fylled with the scornefull reprofe of the welthy and wyth the despitefulnesse of the proude ¶ The .cxxiiij. Psalme ¶ The godly reioyse that they are rydde by the helpe of God froÌ„ a Ieopardy wherevnto they were very nye The songe of the steares IF the Lorde had not bene of oure syde now maye Israel saye If the Lorde had not bene of oure syde wheÌ„ men rose vp agaynst vs. They had swalowed vs vp quycke when they were so wrathfully dyspleased at vs. Yee the waters had drowned vs y e streame had gone ouer oure soule The depe waters of the proude had gone euen vnto oure soule But
a dyssemblynge tonge hādes that shed innocent bloude an herte y t goeth aboute w t wicked ymaginaciōs fete that be swift in rennynge to do myschefe a false wytnesse y t bringeth vp lyes soch one as soweth discorde amonge brethren My sonne kepe thy fathers cōmaundemētes forsake not y e lawe of thy mother Put thē vp together in thine herte and bynde thē aboute thy necke That they maye lede the where thou goest preserue the when thou art aslepe y t when thou awakest thou mayest talke of thē For the commaundement is a lanterne and the lawe a light yee chastenynge nurtoure is y e waye of life that they maye kepe the frō the euell woman from the flaterynge tonge of the harlott y t thou lust not after her beuty in thine herte lest thou be takē w t hir fayre lokes An harlot wil make a mā to begg his bred but a maried woman wil hunt for y e precious life Maye a man take fyre in his bosome and his clothes not be brent Or can one go vpon hote coales and his fete not be hurte Euen so who so euer goeth in to his neghbours wife and toucheth her can not be vngiltie Men do not vtterly despyse a thefe that stealeth to satisfie his soule when he is hongerie but yf he maye be gotten he restoreth agayne seuen tymes asmoch or els he maketh recompence with all the good of his house But who so cōmitteth aduoutrie with a womā he is a foole and bryngeth his life to destruccion He getteth him self also shame dishono r soch as shal neuer be put out For the gelousy wrath of the mā will not be ītreated no though thou woldest ofre him greate giftes to make amendes he will not receaue them The VII Chapter MY sonne kepe my wordes laye vp my cōmaundemētes by the. Kepe my cōmaundemētes my lawe euē as the aple of thine eye thou shalt lyue Bynde them vpon thy fyngers wryte thē in the table of thine hert Saye vnto wysdome thou art my sister and call vnderstondinge thy kynswoman that she maye kepe y e frō y e straūge womā frō y e harlot which geueth swete wordes For out of the wyndowe of my house I loked thorow the trelies behelde the simple people amonge other yonge folkes I spyed one yonge foole goinge ouer the stretes by the corner in the waye towarde the harlottes house in the twylight of of the euenynge when it begāne now to be night and darcke And beholde there mett him a womā in an harlottes apparell a disceatfull wāton an vnstedfast womā whose fete coude not abyde in y e house now is she without now ī y e stretes lurketh ī euery corner she caught y e yōge mā kyssed him was not ashamed sayēge I had a vowe to paye this daye I perfourme it Therfore came I forth to mete the that I might seke thy face and so I haue founde the. I haue deckte my bed with coueringes clothes of Egipte My bed haue I made to smell of Myrre Aloes and Cynamom Come let vs lye together take oure pleasure till it be daye light For the good man is not at home he is gone farre of He hath taken the bagg of moneye with him who can tell whē he cōmeth home Thus with many swete wordes she ouercame him and with hir flateringe lippes she wanne him Immediatly he foloweth her as it were an oxeled to the slaughter and like as it were to the stockes where fooles are punyshed so longe till she hath wounded his lyuer with hir darte like as yf a byrde haisted to the snare not knowinge that the parell of his life lyeth there vpō Heare me now therfore o my sonne and marcke the wordes of my mouth Let not thine herte wandre in hir wayes be not thou disceaued in hir pathes For many one hath she woūded and cast downe yee many a stronge mā hath she slayne Hir house is the waye vnto hell where men go downe to the chambers of death The VIII Chapter DOth not wysdome crie doth not vnderstondinge put forth hir voyce Stondeth she not in the hye places in the stretes wayes doth she not crie before the whole cite in the gates where men go out in It is you o ye men sayeth she whom I call Vnto you o ye childrē of mē lift I vp my voyce Take hede vnto knowlege o ye ignoraūt be wyse in herte o ye fooles Geue eare for I wil speake of greate matters open my lippes to tell thinges that be right For my throte shal be talkynge of y e trueth my lippes abhorre vngodlynesse All the wordes of my mouth are rightuous there is no frowardnesse ner falsede therin They are all playne to soch as wil vnderstōde right to thē that fynde knowlege Receaue my doctryne therfore and not syluer knowlege more then fyne golde For wysdome is more worth then precious stones ye◠all the thinges that thou cāst desyre are not to be compared vnto it I wysdome haue my dwellynge w t knowlege and prudent councell is myne owne With me is the feare of the LORDE and y e eschuynge of euell As for pryde disdayne an euell waye a mouth that speaketh wicked thīges I vtterly abhorre thē I can geue councell and be a gyde I haue vnderstondinge I haue strength Thorow me kynges reigne thorow me paces make iust lawes Thorow me lordes beare rule and all iudges of y e earth execute iudgmēt I am louynge vnto those that loue me and they that seke me early shal fynde me Riches honoure are w t me yee excellent goodes rightuousnes My frute is better thē golde precious stone myne encrease more worth then fyne syluer I walke in y e waye of rightuousnes in the strete of iudgment That I maye sende prosperite to those that loue me to encrease their treasure The LORDE himself had me in possessiō in the begynnynge of his wayes or euer he begame his workes aforetyme I haue bene ordened frō euerlastīge frō y e beginnynge or euer the earth was made When I was borne there were nether depthes ner springes of water Before the foundacions of y e mountaynes ▪ were layed yee before all hilles was I borne The earth and all that is vpon the earth was not yet made no not the grounde it self For when he made the heauens I was present whā he set the depthes in ordre whan he hanged the cloudes aboue whan he fastened the sprynges of the depe Whan he shutt the see within certayne bowndes that y e waters shulde not go ouer their marckes When he layed the foundacions of the earth I was with him ordringe all thinges delytinge daylie reioysynge all waye before him As for the roūde cōpase of his worlde I make it ioyfull ▪ for my delyte is
the lorde of the vynyarde commeth what wyl he do w t those huszbandmen They sayde vnto him He wyl cruelly destroye those euell personnes let out his vyniarde vnto other huszbaÌ„dmen which shal delyuer him the frute at tymes conuenyent Iesus sayde vnto theÌ„ Dyd ye neuer rede in the scriptures The same stone which the buylders refused is become the heade stone in the corner This was the LORDES doynge it is maruelous iÌ„ oure eyes Therfore I saie vnto you The kingdome of God shal be takeÌ„ froÌ„ you shal be geueÌ„ vnto the HeitheÌ„ which shal brynge forth y e frutes of it And who so falleth vpoÌ„ this stone shal be brokeÌ„ in peces loke vpoÌ„ whom it falleth it shal grynde him to poulder And when the hye prestes Pharises herde his parables they perceaued that he spake of them And they wente aboute to take him but they feared y e people because they helde hiÌ„ for a prophet The XXII Chapter ANd Iesus answered and spake vnto theÌ„ agayne by parables sayde The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a kynge which maried his sonne And sent forth his seruauntes to call the gestes vnto the mariage they wolde not come Agayne he sent forth other seruauntes and sayde Tell the gestes Beholde I haue prepared my dynner myne oxen and my fed catell are kylled and all thinges are readye come to the mariage But they made light of it and wente their wayes one to his huszbandrye another to his marchaundise As fâ—â— the remnauÌ„t they toke his seruauntes and intreated theÌ„ shamefully and slew theÌ„ When the kynge herde that he was wroth and sent forth his warryers and destroyed those murtherers and set fyre vpon their cite Then sayde he vnto his seruauntes The mariage in dede is prepared but the gestes were not worthy Go youre waye out therfore into y e hye wayes and as many as ye fynde byd them to the mariage And the seruauntes weÌ„te out in to the hye wayes and gathered together as many as they coulde fynde both good and bad the tables were all full Then the kynge weÌ„te in to se the gestes and spyed there a man that had not on a weddynge garment and sayde vnto him Frende how camest thou in hither hast not on a weddyinge garment And he was euen spechlesse Then sayde the kynge vnto his seruauntes Take and bynde him hande and fote cast him into y e vtter darcknes there shal be waylinge and gnaszhinge of teth For many be called but few are choseÌ„ Then wente the Pharises and toke councell how they might tangle him in his wordes and sent vnto him their disciples with Herodes officers and sayde Master we knowe that thou art true and teachest the waye of God truly and carest for no maÌ„ for thou regardest not the outwarde appearaunce of meÌ„ Tell us therfore how thinkest thou Is it laufull to geue tribute vnto the Emperoure or not Now whaÌ„ Iesus perceaued their wickednes he sayde O ye ypocrites why teÌ„pte ye me Shewe me y e tribute money And they toke hiÌ„ a peny And he saide vnto theÌ„ Whose is this ymage and superscription They sayde vnto him The Emperours Then sayde he vnto them Geue therfore vnto the Emperour that which is the Emperours and geue vnto God that which is Gods When they herde that they marueyled and left him weÌ„te their waye The same daye there came vnto him the Saduces which holde that there is no resurreccion and axed him and sayde Master Moses sayde Yf a man dye hauynge no children his brother shal mary his wife rayse vp sede vnto his brother Now were there with us seueÌ„ brethren The first maried a wife and dyed for somoch as he had no sede he left his wife vnto his brother Like wyse the secoÌ„de and thirde vnto the seueÌ„th Last of all the woman dyed also Now in the resurreccion whose wife shal she be of the seuen For they all had her Iesus answered and sayde vnto them Ye erre and vnderstoÌ„de not the scriptures ner the power of God In the resurreccion they shal nether mary ner be maried but are as the angels of God in heauen As touchinge the resurreccioÌ„ of the deed haue ye notred what is spoken vnto you of God which sayeth I am the God of Abraham and y e God of Isaac and the God of Iacob Yet is not God a God of the deed but of the lyuynge And whan the people herde that they were astonnyed at his doctryne When the Pharises herde that he had stopped the mouth of the Saduces they gathered them selues together And one of them a Scrybe teÌ„pted him and sayde Master which is the chefest commaundemeÌ„t in the lawe Iesus saide vnto him Thou shalt loue the LORDE thy God with all thy hert with all thy soule and with all thy mynde this is the pryncipall and greatest coÌ„maundement As for the seconde it is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neghboure as thyself In these two commaundementes hange all the lawe and the prophetes Now whyle the Pharises were gathered together Iesus axed them and sayde What thinke ye of Christ Whose sonne is he They sayde vnto him Dauids He sayde vnto them How then doth Dauid in sprete call him LORDE sayenge The LORDE sayde vnto my LORDE Syt thou on my right honde tyll I make thine enemies thy fote stole Yf Dauid now call him LORDE how is he then his sonne And no man coude answere him one worde nether durst eny man axe him eny mo questioÌ„s froÌ„ that daye forth The XXIII Chapter THen spake Iesus vnto y e people and to his disciples and sayde The scrybes Pharises are set downe vpon Moses seate Therfore what soeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do but after their workes shal ye not do for they saye do not For they bynde heuy and intollerable burthens and laye them vpon mens shulders But they them selues wil not heaue at them with one of their fyngers All their workes do they to be sene of men They set abrode their Philateries and make large borders vpon their garmentes and loue to syt vppermost at the table and to haue the chefe seates in the synagoges and loue to be saluted in the market and to be called of meÌ„ Rabbi But ye shal not suffre youre selues to be called Rabbi for one is youre master euen Christ and all ye are brethren And call no man father vpon earth for one is youre father which is in heaueÌ„ And ye shal not suffre youre selues to be called masters for one is youre master namely Christ. He that is greatest amoÌ„ge you shal be youre seruaunt For who so exalteth him self shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth himself shal be exalted Wo vnto you Scrybes and Pharises ye ypocrytes that shut vp the kyngdome of heauen before men Ye come not in youre
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
¶ 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
helpe of God ouerloke it better amende it Now wil I exhorte the who so euer thou be y e readest scripture yf thou fynde oughte therin y t thou vnderstondest not or that apeareth to be repugnaunt geue no temerarious ner haystye iudgmeÌ„t therof but ascrybe it to thyne awne ignoraunce not to the scrypture thynke y t thou vnderstondest it not or y t it hath some other meanynge or y t it is happlye ouersene of y e interpreters or wronge prynted Agayne it shall greately helpe y t to vnderstonde scripture yf thou marke not onely what is spoken or wrytten but of whom vnto whom with what wordes at what tyme where to what intent with what circumstaunce consyderynge what goeth before and what foloweth after For there be some thynges which are done wrytteÌ„ to the intente y t we shulde do lykewyse as whan Abraham beleueth God is obedient vnto his worde defendeth Loth his kynsman from violent wronge There be some thynges also which are wrytteÌ„ to the intente y t we shulde eschue soch lyke As whan Dauid lyeth with Vrias wyfe causeth him to be slayne Therfore I saye whan thou readest scripture be wyse circumspecte whan thou commest to soch straunge maners of speakynge darke sentences to soch parables similitudes to soch dreames or vysions as are hyd from thy vnderstondynge coÌ„mytte them vnto God or to the gyfte of his holy sprete in them y t are better lerned then thou As for the commendacyon of Gods holy scripture I wolde fayne magnifye it as it is worthy but I am farre vnsufficieÌ„t therto therfore I thoughte it better for me to holde my tonge then with few wordes to prayse or commeÌ„de it exhortynge y e most deare reader so to loue it so to cleue vnto it so to folowe it in thy daylye conuersacyon y t other men seynge thy good workes the frutes of y e holy goost in the maye prayse the father of heauen geue his worde a good reporte for to lyue after the lawe of God to leade a vertuous conuersacyon is the greatest prayse y t thou canst geue â—nto his doctryne But as touchynge the euell reporte and disprayse that the good worde of God hath by the corrupte and euell conuersacyon of some y t daylye heare it and professe it outwardly with theyr mouthes I exhorte y e most deare reader let not y t offende the ner withdrawe thy mynde froÌ„ the loue of y e trueth nether moue y e to be partaker in lyke vnthankfulnes but seynge y e lighte is come in to the worlde loue nomore the workes of darknes receaue not the grace of god in vayne Call to thy remembraunce how louynge mercifull God is vnto the how kyndly and fatherly he helpeth the in alâ— trouble teacheth thyne ignoraunce healeth the in all thy sycknesse forgeueth the all thy synnes fedeth y e geueth the drynke helpeth y e out of preson norysheth the in straunge countrees careth for the seyeth y t thou wante nothynge Call this to mynde I saye that earnestly and consydre how thou hast receaued of god all these benefites yee and many mo then thou canst desyre how thou art bounde lykewise to shewe thy selfe vnto thy neghboure as farre as thou canst to teach him yf he be ignoraunt to helpe him in all his trouble to heale his sycknes to forgeue him his offences and that hartely to fede him to cherish him to care for him and to se y t he wante nothyng· And on this behalfe I beseke the thou y t hast y e ryches of this worlde and louest God with thy harte to lyfte vp thyne eyes and se how greate a multitude of poore people renne thorow euery towne haue pitie on thyne awne flesh helpe them with a good harte and do with thy councell all that euer thou canst that this vnshamefast beggynge maye be put downe that these ydle folkes maye be set to laboure that soch as are not able to get theyr lyuynge maye be prouyded for At the leest thou y t art of councell with soch as are in auctoryte geue them some occasyon to cast theyr heades together and to make prouysyon for the poore Put the in remembraunce of those noble cityes in other countrees that by the auctoryte of theyr prynces haue so rychely aÌ„d well prouided for theyr poore people to the greate shame deshonestye of vs yf we lykewyse receauynge y e worde of God shewe not soch lyke frutes therof wolde God y t those men whose office is to maynteyne y e comon welth were as diligent in this cause as they are in other Let vs bewarre by tymes for after vnthankfulnes there foloweth euer a plage the mercyful hande of God be with vs defende vs that we be not partakers therof Go to now most deare reader syt the downe at the Lordes fete and reade his wordes as Moses teacheth the Iewes take them in to theyr herte let thy talkynge communicacion be of them whan thou syttest in thyne house or goest by y e waye whan thou lyest downe whan thou ryseth vp And aboue all thynges fasshyon thy lyfe coÌ„uersacion acordyng to the doctryne of the holy goost therin that thou mayest be partaker of y e good promyses of god in the Byble be heyre of his blessynge in Christ. In whom yf thou put thy trust be an vnfayned reader or hearer of hys worde with thy hert thou shalt fynde swetenesse theryn spye woÌ„derous thynges to thy vnderstondynge to the auoydynge of all sedicyous sectes to the abhorrynge of thy olde synfull lyfe to the stablyshynge of thy godly conuersacyon In the first boke of Moses called Genesis thou mayest lerne to knowe the almightye power of god in creatynge all of naught his infinite wysdome in ordryng the same his ryghteousnes in punyshynge y e vngodly his loue fatherly mercy in comfortynge the righteous with his promes c. In the seconde boke called Exodus we se the myghtye arme of god in delyuerynge his people from so greate bondage out of Egypte and what prouysyon he maketh for them in the wildernes how he teacheth them with his wholsome worde and how the Tabernacle was made and set vp In the thyrde boke called Leuiticus is declared what sacrifices the prestes Leuites vsed and what theyr office ministracyon was In the fourth boke called Numerus is declared how the people are nombred and mustred how the captaynes are chosen after y e trybes kynreds how they weÌ„te forth to y e battayll how they pitched theyr tentes how they brake vp The fyfth boke called Deuteronomium sheweth how that Moses now beynge olde rehearseth the lawe of god vnto y e people putteth them in remembraunce agayne of all the wonders benefices that god had shewed for them and exhorteth them earnestly to loue y e Lorde theyr god to cleue vnto him to put their trust
lesse Now whan the tyme came that she shulde be delyuered beholde there were two twyns in hir wombe The first that came forth was reed all rough as an hyde and they called him Esau. Anone therafter came his brother forth which helde the hele of Esau with his haÌ„de and they called him Iacob Thre score yeare olde was Isaac whan they were borne And whan the boies were growne vp Esau became an hunter an huszbande man As for Iacob he was a symple man and dwelt in the tentes And Isaac loued Esau because he ate of his venison But Rebecca loued Iacob And Iacob dight a meace of meate TheÌ„ came Esau from the felde and was weery and sayde vnto Iacob Let me proue of y t reed meace of meate for I am fayntie therfore is he called Edom. But Iacob sayde Sell me this daye thy byrthright Esau answered Lo I must dye neuerthelesse what good then shall my byrthright do me Iacob sayde Then sweare vnto me euen this same daye And he sware vnto him and so he solde his byrthright vnto Iacob Then Iacob gaue him bred and that meace of ryse And he ate and dronke and stode vp and wente his waye And so Esau regarded not his byrthright The XXVI Chapter THere came a derth in the londe passynge the other that was in Abrahams tyme. And Isaac wente to Gerar vnto Abimelech the kynge of y e Philistynes Then the LORDE appeared vnto him and sayde Go not downe in to Egipte but tary in the lande that I shall saye vnto the. Be thou a strauÌ„ger in this lande and I wil be with the and blesse the. For vnto the and thy sede wyll I geue all this londe and wyll perfourme myne ooth that I sware to thy father Abraham And I wyll multiplye thy sede as the starres of heauen and vnto thy sede wyll I geue all this londe and thorow thy sede shall all nacions be blessed because Abraham was obedient vnto my voyce and kepte myne ordinaunces my coÌ„maundementes my statutes and my lawes So Isaac dwelt at Gerar. And whan the men of the same place axed him of his wife he sayde she is my sister For he was afrayed to saye she is my wife thinkinge thus they might slaye me for Rebeccas sake for she was beutifull to loke vnto Now whan he had bene there a longe season Abimelech the kynge of the Phylistynes loked out at a wyndow and sawe Isaac sportinge with Rebecca his wife Then Abimelech called Isaac and sayde Beholde she is thy wyfe why saydest thou then She is my sister Isaac answered him I thought I might peraduenture ha-he died because of her Abimelech saide Why hast thou then done this vnto vs It coude lightly haue come to passe that some of the people might haue lyen with thy wyfe and so haddest thou brought synne vpoÌ„ vs. TheÌ„ Abimelech commaunded all the people and sayde Who so toucheth this man or his wyfe shal dye the death And Isaac sowed in that londe and fouÌ„de the same yeare an hundreth buszshels for the LORDE blessed him And he became a greate man wente forth and grew tyll he was exceadinge greate so that he had moch good in shepe and greate catell and a greate housholde Therfore had the Philistynes envye at him and stopped all the welles that his fathers seruauntes had dygged in the tyme of Abraham his father and fylled them with earth In so moch that Abimelech also himself sayde vnto him Departe from vs for thou art farre mightier then we Then departed Isaac from thence and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar and dwelt there And whan he was satled he caused to dygge vp the welles agayne that they had dygged vp in his father AbrahaÌ„s tyme which the Philistynes had stopte after the death of Abraham and he called theÌ„ after y e same names that his father had named them withall Isaacs seruauntes also dygged in the valley and there they founde a well of lyuinge water But the hyrdmen of Gerar stroue with Isaacs hyrdmen and saide The water is oures Then called he the well Eseck because they had done him wronge Then dygged they another well and stroue for that also therfore called he it Sytena So he gatt him from thence and dygged another well for the which they stroue not thâ—rfore he called it Rehoboth and sayde â–ª Now hath the LORDE made vs rowme and letten vs growe in the londe Afterwarde he departed thence vnto Berseba And the LORDE appeared vnto him the same night and sayde I am the God of thy father Abraham feare thou not for I am with the and wyll blesse the and multiplye thy sede for my seruaunt Abrahams sake Then buylded he an altare there and called vpon the name of the LORDE and pitched his tent there and there his seruauntes dygged a well And Abimelech wente vnto him from Gerar and Ahusath his frende and Phicolhis chefe captayne But Isaac sayde vnto them Wherfore come ye to me seynge ye hate me and haue put me awaye from you They sayde We se with open eyes that the LORDE is with the therfore we deuysed that there shulde be an ooth betwixte vs and the and that we wolde make a bonde with the that thou do vs no harme like as we haue not hurte the and as we haue done nothinge vnto the but all good and let the departe in peace As for the thou art y e blessed of the LORDE Then Isaac made them a feast and they ate and dronke And on the morow they arose and sware one to the other And Isaac let them go and they departed from him in peace The same daye came Isaacs seruauntes and tolde him of the well that they had digged and sayde vnto him We haue founde water And he called it Saba Therfore is y e cite called Bersaba vnto this daye The XXVII Chapter WHan Esau was fourtye yeare olde he toke wyues Iudith the doughter of Beri the Hethite and Basmath the doughter of Elon the Hethite â–ª both these were dishobedient vnto the sprete of Isaac and Rebecca And it came to passe when Isaac was olde his eyes waxed dymme of sight and he called Esau his greater sonne and sayde vnto him My sonne He answered him Here am I. And he sayde Beholde I am olde and knowe not whan I shal dye Now therfore take thy geer thy quyuer and thy bowe and get the forth to the felde and take me some venyson and make me meate soch as I loue and brynge it me herein that I may eate y t my soule maye blesse the before I dye But Rebecca herde these wordes that Isaac sayde vnto his sonne And Esau wente his waye in to the felde to hunte venyson and to brynge it home Then sayde Rebecca vnto Iacob hir sonne beholde I haue herde thy father talkinge with Esau thy brother and sayenge Brynge me venyson and make me meate that I maye eate and blesse the before y e
people synge a songe of thankesgeuynge vnto the LORDE and come to Marath where the bytter water is made swete Chap. XVI The LORDE sendeth quayles and the Manna to the vnpacient people Chap. XVII Water cōmeth out of the stonye rocke They fight agaynst Amaleck Chap. XVIII Iethro bryngeth Moses his wife and children and geueth him a good councell Chap. XIX The LORDE appeareth vnto Moses vpon mount Sinai Moses sheweth the people Chap. XX. The LORDE geueth Moses the two tables of the commaundementes vnto the people Chap. XXI Lawes and statutes concernynge bodely thinges Of murthur theft and other mo Chap. XXII Of theft Of hurte that is done with wyll or vnawarres Of thinges geuē to kepe Of borowynge and pledges Chap. XXIII Many dyuerse lawes statutes Chap. XXIIII Of the boke and bloude of the couenaunt Chap. XXV XXVI The LORDE cōmaundeth Moses to make the Sanctuary and the thinges belonginge therto Chap. XXVII Of the altare and the apparell therof Of the courte of the habitaciō Of the oyle and lampes Chap. XXVIII How the prestes were arayed and consecrated Chap. XXIX The consecratinge of Aaron of his sonnes and of the altare Chap. XXX Of the altare of incense and the brasen lauer the anoyntinge oyle and incense Chap. XXXI The workmen are called The kepynge of the Sabbath The two tables of wytnes are geuen Moses Chap. XXXII They make the golden calf Moses in his displeasure breaketh the tables and punysheth the transgressours Chap. XXXIII The people mourne Moses pitcheth the tabernacle and the LORDE talketh with him Chap. XXXIIII Moses receaueth other tables of the LORDE with certaine lawes The people are afrayed at the brightnes of his face Chap. XXXV Certaine statutes cōcerninge th◠Tabernacle The workemen are appoynted Chap. XXXVI What the thinges be that they made Chap. XXXVII The tabernacle of witnesse with the staues Cherubins the table candelsticke Chap. XXXVIII The altare of brēt offerīges with the thinges belonginge therto Chap. XXXIX Of the prestes garmentes Chap. XL. The LORDE commaundeth Moses to set vp the tabernacle to order the apparell therof The first Chapter THese are y e names of the childrē of Israel that came with Iacob in to Egipte euery one came in w t his house Ruben Simeon Leui Iuda Isachar Zabulō Ben Iamin Dan Nephtali Gad and Aser And of all the soules that came out of the loynes of Iacob there were seuentie As for Ioseph he was in Egipte all ready Now whā Ioseph was deed and all his brethren and all they that lyued at that tyme the children of Israel grewe and increased and multiplied and became exceadinge mightie so y t the lande was full of them Thē came there a new kynge ouer Egipte which knewe nothinge of Ioseph and sayde vnto his people Beholde the people of the children of Israel are many mightier then we Vp let vs deale wysely with them y t there be not so many of them For yf there shulde ryse vp eny warre agaynst vs they might ioyne them selues also vnto oure enemies and ouercome vs so get them out of the lande And he set worke masters ouer them to kepe them vnder with burthens For they buylded the cities Phiton and Raemses for treasuries vnto Pharao But the more they vexed them the more they multiplied and grew Therfore had they indignaciō at the children of Israel and the Egipcians compelled the children of Israel without mercy to do seruyce and made their lyues bytter vnto them with greuous laboure in claye and brycke and with all maner of bondage in y e felde and with all maner of laboure which they layed vpon them without mercy And the kynge of Egipte sayde vnto the mydwyues of the Hebrueswemen Of the which one was called Siphra and the other Pua Whan ye helpe the wemen of the Hebrues and se vpon the stole that it is a sonne then slaye him but yf it be a doughter let her lyue Neuertheles the mydwyues feared God dyd not as the kinge of Egipte commaunded them but let the children lyue Then the kynge of Egipte called the mydwyues and sayde vnto them Wherfore do ye this that ye let the children lyue The mydwyues answered Pharao The wemen of the Hebrues are not as the wemen of Egipte for they are sturdy wemen or euer the mydwyues come at them they are delyuered Therfore God dealt well with the mydwyues And the people multiplied and became exceadinge mightie And for so moch as the mydwyues feared God he made them houses Then Pharao commaūded all his people and sayde All the sonnes that are borne cast in to the water but let all the doughters lyue The II. Chapter ANd there wente forth a man of the house of Leui and toke a doughter of Leui. And the wife conceaued and bare a sonne And whan she sawe y t it was a proper childe she hyd him thre monethes And whan she coude hyde him no longer she toke an Arke of redes and dawbed it ouer with slyme and pitch and layed the childe therin and set it amonge the redes by the waters brynke But his sister stode a farre of to wete what wolde come of him And Pharaos doughter came downe to wash herself in the water And hir maydens walked by the water syde and whan she sawe the Arke amonge the redes she sent one of hir maydens and caused it to be fett And whan she opened it she sawe y e childe and beholde the babe wepte Then had she pytie vpon it and sayde It is one of the Hebrues children Then sayde his syster vnto Pharaos doughter Shal I go and call the a nurse of the Hebrues wemen to nurse y e the childe Pharaos doughter sayde vnto her Go thy waye The mayde wente and called the childes mother Then sayde Pharaos doughter vnto her Take this childe and nurse it for me I wyll geue y e thy rewarde The woman toke the childe and nursed it And whan the childe was growne she brought it vnto Pharaos doughter and it became hir sonne and she called him Moses For she sayde I toke him out of the water Vpon a tyme whan Moses was greate he wente forth vnto his brethren and loked vpon their burthens and sawe that an Egipciā smote one of his brethren y e Hebrues And he loked rounde aboute him and whan he sawe that there was no man he slew the Egipcian and buried him in the sonde The next daye he wente forth also and sawe two men of the Hebrues stryuynge together and sayde to the vngodly Wherfore smytest thou thy neghboure But he sayde Who made the a ruler or iudge ouer vs Wilt thou slaye me also as thou slewest the Egipcian Thē was Moses afrayed and sayde How is this knowne And Pharao herde of it and sought for Moses to slaye him But Moses fled from Pharao and kepte him in the lande of Madian and sat him downe by a wells syde The prest Madian had seuen doughters
y e Gomor he that gathered moch had not the more and he y t gathered litle wanted nothinge but euery one gathered for himself as moch as he ate And Moses sayde vnto them Let no mā leaue ought therof vntyll the mornynge But they harkened not vnto Moses And some left of it vntill the morninge Then waxed it full of wormes and stanke And Moses was angrie at them And euery mornynge they gathered for them selues as moch as euery one ate but as soone as it was whote of the Sonne it melted awaye And vpon the sixte daye they gathered twyse as moch of bred two Gomors for one And all the rulers of the congregaciō came in and tolde Moses And he sayde vnto them This is it that the LORDE hath sayde Tomorow is the Sabbath of the holy rest of the LORDE loke what ye wil bake that bake and what ye wyll seeth that seeth and that remayneth ouer let it remayne y t it maye be kepte vntyll the mornynge And they let it remayne tyll the morow as Moses commaunded Then stanke it not nether was there eny worme therin Thē sayde Moses Eate that to daye for to daye is y e Sabbath of the LORDE to daye shal ye fynde none in the felde Sixe dayes shall ye gather it but the seuenth daye is the Sabbath wherin there shal be none But vpon the seuenth daye there wente out some of the people to gather and founde nothinge Then sayde y e LORDE vnto Moses How longe refuse ye to kepe my commaundementes and lawes Beholde y e LORDE hath geuen you the Sabbath therfore vpon the sixte daye he geueth you bred for two dayes therfore let euery man now byde at home and no man go forth of his place vpon the seuenth daye So the people rested vpō y e seuenth daye And the house of Israel called it Man and it was like Coriander sede and whyte had a taist like symnels with hony And Moses sayde This is it that y e LORDE hath commaunded Fill a Gomor therof to be kepte for youre posterities y t they maye se the bred wherwith I fed you whan I brought you out of y e lande of Egipte And Moses sayde vnto Aaron Take a cruse and put a Gomor full of Man therin and laye it vp before the LORDE to be kepte for youre posterities as the LORDE commaunded Moses So Aaron layed it vp there for a testimony to be kepte And the children of Israel ate man fourtye yeares tyll they came vnto a lande where people dwelt euen vntyll they came to y e borders of the lande of Canaan ate they Man A Gomor is the tenth parte of an Epha The XVII Chapter ANd the whole multitude of the children of Israel wēte on their iourneys out of the wyldernes of Sin as the LORDE cōmaunded thē pitched in Raphidim Then had the people no water to drynke And they chode w t Moses sayde Geue vs water y t we maye drynke Moses sayde vnto thē Why chyde ye w t me Wherfore tēpte ye y e LORDE But whan the people thyrsted there for water they murmured agaynst Moses sayde Wherfore hast thou caused vs to come out of Egipte to let vs oure children and oure catell dye of honger Moses cried vnto the LORDE and sayde What shal I do w t this people They are all most ready to stone me The LORDE saide vn to him Go before the people take some of the elders of Israel with y e and take in thine hande thy staff wherwith thou smotest the water and go thy waye Beholde I wyl stonde there before the vpon a rock in Horeb there shalt thou smyte the rocke so shall there water runne out that the people maye drynke Moses dyd so before the elders of Israel Then was that place called Massa Meriba because of the chydinge of the children of Israel and because they tempted y e LORDE and sayde Is the LORDE amonge vs or not Then came Ameleck fought agaynst Israel in Raphidim And Moses sayde vnto Iosua Chose vs out men go out fight against Amaleck tomorow wil I stōde vpō the toppe of the hyll haue y e staff of God in my hande And Iosua dyd as Moses bade him fought agaynst Amalek Moses Aaron Hur wente vp to y e toppe of the hyll And whā Moses helde vp his hāde Israel had the victory but whan he let downe his hande Amalek had the victory But Moses hādes were heuy therfore toke they a stone layed it vnder him that he might syt vpon it And Aaron Hur stayed vp his hādes the one vpon the one syde and the other vpon y e other syde So his handes were stedfast vnto y e Sonne wente downe And Iosua discomfited Amalek his people thorow the edge of the swerde And y e LORDE sayde vnto Moses Wryte this for a remēbraunce in a boke cōmytte it vnto y e eares of Iosua for I wyll rote out Amalek from vnder heauen so that he shall nomore be remembred And Moses buylded an altare vnto the LORDE and called it The LORDE Nissi for he sayde The battayll of the LORDE shal be agaynst Amalek thorow an hande vnder the defence of God from childe to childes childe The XVIII Chapter ANd whan Iethro y e prest in Madian Moses father in lawe herde of all y t God had done w t Moses his people of Israel how y t the LORDE had brought Israel out of Egipte he toke Zipora Moses wife whom he had sent backe with her two sonnes The one was called Gerson for he saide I am become a straunger in a straunge londe And the other was called Eliaser for he sayde The God of my fathers hath bene my helpe and hath delyuered me from Pharaos swerde Now whā Iethro Moses father in lawe and his sonnes and his wife came vnto him in the wyldernes by the mount of God where he had pitched his tent he sent worde vnto Moses I Iethro thy father in lawe am come vnto the and y i wife and both hir children with her Then wente Moses forth to mete him and dyd obeysaūce vnto him and kyssed him And whan they had saluted ech other they wente in to the tente Then Moses tolde his father in lawe all that the LORDE had done vnto Pharao and the Egipcians for Israels sake and all the trauayle that had happened them by y e waye and how the LORDE had delyuered them Iethro reioysed ouer all y e good that the LORDE had done for Israel y t he had delyuered them from the hāde of the Egipcians And Iethro sayde Praysed be the LORDE which hath delyuered you from the hande of the Egipcians and of Pharao and that knoweth how to delyuer his people from the Egipcians hande Now I knowe that the LORDE is greater thē all goddes because they dealt proudly w t them And Iethro toke brent offerynges and
straunger or gest that he maye lyue by the and thou shalt take no vsury of him ner more then thou hast geuē but shalt feare thy God that thy brother maye lyue besydes the. For thou shalt not lende him y e money vpon vsury ner delyuer him thy meate vpon vauntage For I am the LORDE yo r God which haue brought you out of the lōde of Egipte to geue you the lande of Canaan and to be youre God Whan thy brother waxeth poore besyde the and selleth himself vnto the thou shalt not holde him as a bōde mā but as an hyred seruaunte and as a soiourner shall he be w t the and serue the vntyll y e yeare of Iubilye Then shal he departe lowse from the his childrē with him shal returne to his awne kinred and to his fathers possession for they are my seruauntes whom I brought out of the londe of Egipte Therfore shal they not be solde like bondmen And thou shalt not raigne ouer them with crueltie but shalt feare thy God But yf thou wylt haue bōde seruauntes and maydens thou shalt bye them of the Heithen that are rounde aboute you of the children of the soiourners and straungers amonge you and of their generacions with you and that are borne in youre londe the same shal ye haue for bonde seruaūtes shal possesse them youre children after you for an euerlastinge possession these shal be yo r bondmen But ouer youre brethren the children of Israel there shall none of you raigne ouer another with crueltie Whan a straunger or soiourner waxeth ryche by the and thy brother waxeth poore besyde him selleth him self vnto y e straunger or soiourner by the or to eny of his kynne then shall he haue right after that he is solde to be redemed agayne And eny of his brethren maye lowse him out or his vncle or his vncles sonne or eny other kynszman of his kynred Or yf his awne hande getteth so moch he shal lowse him self out and shal reken with him that bought him from y e yeare that he solde him self vntyll the yeare of Iubilye And y e money shal be counted acordinge to the nombre of the yeares that he was solde and his wages of the whole tyme shal be rekened withall Yf there be yet many yeares vnto y e yeare of Iubilye then shal he acordinge to the same geue the more for his delyueraunce therafter as he is solde Yf there remayne but few yeares vnto the yeare of Iubilye then shall he geue agayne therafter for his redempcion And his wages from yeare to yeare shall he reken withall and thou shalt not let the other raigne cruelly ouer him in y e sight But yf he bye not him self out after this maner then shal he go out fre in the yeare of Iubilye and his childrē with him for the childrē of Israel are my seruauntes which I haue brought out of the londe of Egipte I am the LORDE youre God Ye shall make you no Idols ner ymage and ye shal reare you vp no piler ner set vp eny markstone in youre londe to bowe youre selues therto For I am the LORDE youre God Kepe my Sabbathes and stonde in awe of my Sanctuary I am the LORDE The XXVI Chapter YF ye wyll walke now in my statutes and kepe my commaundementes and do them thē wyl I geue you rayne in due season and y e londe shal geue hir increase and the trees of y e felde shal brynge forth their frute And the threszshinge tyme shall reache vnto the wyne haruest and the wyne haruest shal reache vnto the sowynge tyme And ye shall eate yo r bred in plenteousnes and shal dwell safe in youre londe I wil geue peace in youre londe so that ye shall slepe and no man shall make you afrayed I wyl ryd euell beestes out of youre londe and there shall no swerde go thorow youre londe Ye shal chace youre enemies they shal fall into y e swerde before you Fyue of you shal chace an hundreth and an hundreth of you shal chace ten thousande For youre enemies shall fall in to the swerde before you And I wyl turne me vnto you and wyl cause you to growe and increase and wyl set vp my couenaunt with you And ye shal eate of the olde stoare and shall let go the olde for plenteousnesse of the new I will haue my dwellynge amonge you and my soule shall not refuse you And I wyll walke amonge you and wyl be youre God and ye shal be my people For I am the LORDE youre God which brought you out of the londe of Egipte that ye shulde not be their bondmen And I haue brokē the cepter of youre yocke and caused you to go vp right But yf ye wil not harken vnto me ner do all these commaundementes and wyl despyse my statutes and yf youre soules refuse my lawes y t ye wyll not do all my commaundementes shal let my couenaunt stonde then wyll I do this agayne vnto you I wyl vyset you shortly with swellynges and feuers which shal destroye y e eyes consume awaie y e hert Ye shal sowe youre sede in vayne and youre enemies shal eate it vp And I wyl set my face agaynst you and ye shal be slayne before youre enemies And they that hate you shal haue dominion ouer And ye shall flye whā no man chaseth you But yf ye wyll not herken vnto me for all this then wyl I make it yet seuen tymes more to punysh you for youre synnes that I maye breake y e pryde of youre strength and wyl make youre heauen lyke yron and youre earth as brasse and youre trauaile and labo r shal be but lost so that youre londe shall not geue hir increase and the trees in the londe shal not brynge forth their frute Yf ye walke yet agaynst me and wyll not harken vnto me then wyl I make it yet seuen tymes more to punysh you because of youre synnes wyl sende wylde beestes amō mōge you which shal robbe you and destroie youre catell and make you fewer and youre hye waye shal become waist But yf ye wyl not yet be refourmed here withall and wyll walke contrary vnto me then wyl I walke contrary vnto you also wyll punysh you yet seuen tymes for youre synnes And I wyl brynge vpon you a swerde of vengeaunce which shall auenge my Testament And though ye gather you together in to youre cities yet wyll I sende the pestilence amonge you and wyll delyuer you in to the handes of youre enemies For I wil destroye youre prouysion of bred so y t ten wemen shall bake youre bred in one ouen and youre bred shal be delyuered out by weight And whan ye eate ye shall not haue ynough Yf ye wyl not yet for all this harken vnto me wyl walke contrary vnto me then wyll I also walke cōtrary vnto you in wrath
spake before Moses and before the captaynes amonge the chefe fathers of the children of Israel and saide Syr the LORDE hath commaunded that ye shulde geue the londe by lott vnto the childreÌ„ of Israel to inheret And thou my lorde hast commaunded thorow the LORDE that the enheritaunce of o r brother Zelaphead shulde be geueÌ„ vnto his doughters Now yf eny men out of the trybes of Israel take them to wyues then shal oure fathers enheritaunce be lesse and as moch as they haue shal come to y e enheritaunce of the trybe that they come vnto Thus shal the lott of oure inheritaunce be mynished So whan the yearâ— of Iubilye commeth vnto the childreÌ„ of Israel then shal their enheritaunce come to y e enheritaunce of the trybe where they are Thus shal oure fathers enheritaunce be mynished as moch as they haue Moses charged the childreÌ„ of Israel acordinge to the commaundement of the LORDE and sayde The trybe of the children of Ioseph hath sayde righte This is it that y e LORDE commaundeth the doughters of Zelaphead and sayeth Let them mary as they like best onely that they mary in y e kynred of the trybe of their father that the enheritaunce of the children of Israel fall not froÌ„ one trybe to another For euery one amonge the children of Israel shall cleue to the enheritaunce of the trybe of his father euery doughter that possesseth eny enheritaunce amonge the trybes of the children of Israel shal be maryed vnto one of the kynred of the trybe of hir father y t euery one amonge the children of Israel maye enioye his fathers enheritaunce and that the enheritaunce fall not from one trybe to another but that euery one maye cleue to his awne enheritaunce amonge the trybes of the children of Israel As the LORDE coÌ„maunded Moses eueÌ„ so dyd y e doughters of y e Zelaphead Mahela Thirza Hagla Milca Noa were maried vnto their fathers brothers sonnes of y e kynred of the children of Manasse the sonne of Ioseph So their enheritauÌ„ce remayned in the trybe of the kynred of their father These are the commaundemeÌ„tes lawes which y e LORDE commaunded by Moses vnto the childreÌ„ of Israel in the felde of the Moabites by Iordane ouer agaynst Iericho The ende of the fourth boke of Moses called Numerus The fyfth boke of Moses called Deuteronomion What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Moses putteth the childreÌ„ of Israel in remembraunce of the greate benefites that they haue receaued of God and rebuketh them for their vnthankfulnesse and myszbeleue Chap. II. They are commaunded not to fighte agaynst Seir the Moabites and Ammonites But Sihon the kynge of the Amorrites is delyuered vnto them Chap. III. Og the kynge of Basan is slayne the londe taken in and destroyed â–ª Ruben Gad and the halfe trybe of Manasse haue their enheritaunce on this syde Iordane Iosua is ordeyned in Moses steade Chap. IIII. After he hath rehearsed vnto them the benefites of God he exorteth them to kepe his commaundementes that they forget them not Fredome for soch as committe slaughter vnawarres Chap. V. He rehearseth the commaundementes of God vnto them agayne exorteth them earnestly to kepe them Chap. VI. He telleth them of the statutes ordinauÌ„ces of God exortinge them to kepe them and to teache their children the same Cahp VII They are commaunded whan they come in the loÌ„de of Canaan to make no frendshipe ner to kepe company with the people therof but vtterly to rote them out and not to be afrayed of them Chap. VIII He exorteth them not to forget the commaundementes of God but to remembre what singuler kindnes God hath shewed them from what troubles he hath delyuered them And geueth the londe that they are to go vnto a good reporte Chap. IX He warneth them that they ascrybe not the goodnes that God hath done for them to their awne power for yf he had serued them after their awne deseruinge he had destroyed them euerychone Chap. X. He proceadeth forth in tellinge them their wickednes how they departed from Be Chap. XI Consyderinge the multitude roth of the benefites of God that they had receaued and the pleasaunt londe that they were to receaue he exorteth them againe to kepe Gods commaundementes Chap. XII He descrybeth vnto them againe the statutes ordinaunces of the LORDE Chap. XIII How men shal knowe false prophetes and how they ought to be punyshed Chap. XIIII For so moch as they are a cleane people of God they are commaunded to avoyde the customes of the Heythen as in shauynge their heades in eatinge certayne meaâ—es c. Chap. XV. Of the seuenth yeare wherof thou readest also in the XXV chapter of the thirde boke of Moses how the poore folkes and bonde men oughte to be intreated Chap. XVI The feaste of Easter Whytsondaye and of tabernacles Chap. XVII Certayne statutes The office of kynges and iudges Chap. XVIII The porcion of the Leuites Of the prophete that is promised vnto the people and how the false prophetes maye be knowne Chap. XIX Of the fre cities for the deedslayers How many witnesses are to be accepted in a matter and how the false oughte to be punished Chap. XX. A godly ordinaunce concernynge warre and strykinge of battayll Chap. XXI What ought to be done with one that is founde slaine in the felde and with a woman which is taken presoner Children that wil not obeye father and mother are to be stoned to death The deed bodies maye not hange styll vpon the tre Chap. XXII Of loue towarde a mans nehgboure with dyuerse other commaundemeÌ„tes How a man shal ordre himself with his wife whom he founde no mayden Chap. XXIII What they are that maye not come in to the congregacion of the LORDE and other commaundementes Chap. XXIIII Of deuorcement of the fredome of him that is new maried with other commaundementes concernynge loue towarde a mans neghboure Chap. XXV How the iudge ought to punyshe how one brother shulde rayse vp sede to another Of true weightes and measures and destroyenge of Amaleck Chap. XXVI Of the first frutes and tythes how they are to be broughte with prayse and thankesuynge vnto God Chap. XXVII Of the stones to be set vp beyonde Iordane and the commaundementes of God to be wrytten theron Of the blessinge and cursinge vpon the two mountaynes Chap. XXVIII Swete and gracious promyses for all soch as loue the commaundementes of God to do them Agayne Maruelous sore and fearfull plages threatened vnto all theÌ„ that regarde not Gods worde Chap. XXIX The couenaunt is renewed in the londe of Moab Moses putteth them in mynde of the louynge benefites of God that they maie be stedfast in the LORDE Chap. XXX Of the merciful kyndnesse of God yf men wil herken vnto his voyce and conuerte froÌ„ their awne euell wayes Of his sore punyshment â—f they wil not obeye Chap. XXXI Iosua is geueÌ„ vnto the people to be
e LORDE y e God in vayne for y e LORDE shal not holde him vngiltie y t taketh his name in vaine Kepe y e Sabbath daye that thou sanctifye it as the LORDE thy God hath commauÌ„ded the. Sixe daies shalt thou laboure and do all thy worke but vpon the seuenth daye it is the Sabbath of the LORDE thy God No maner worke shalt thou do in it thou and thy sonne and thy doughter and thy seruaunt and thy mayde and thine oxe and thine Asse and all thy catell and the straunger which is within thy gates that thy seruaunt and thy mayde maye rest as well as thou For thou shalt remeÌ„bre that thou thyself also wast a seruaunte in the londe of Egipte and how that the LORDE thy God brought the out from thence with a mightye hande and a stretched out arme Therfore hath the LORDE y e God commaunded y t to kepe the Sabbath daye Honoure thy father and thy mother as the LORDE thy God hath commaunded the that thou mayest lyue longe vpoÌ„ earth and that it maye go well with the in the londe which the LORDE thy God shall geue the. Thou shalt not kyll Thou shalt not breake wedlocke Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt beare no false witnes against thy neghboure Thou shalt not lust after y e neghbours wyfe Thou shalt not lust after thy neghbours house londe seruaunt mayde oxe Asse or what so euer he hath These are the wordes that the LORDE spake to all youre congregacion vpon the mount out of the fyre of the cloude and darknesse with a greate voyce and added nothinge therto And he wrote them vpon two tables of stone and delyuered theÌ„ vnto me But whan ye herde the voyce out of the darknes and sawe the mount burne w t fyre ye came vnto me all ye rulers amonge youre trybes and youre Elders and sayde Beholde the LORDE oure God hath shewed vs his glory his greatnes and we haue herde his voyce out of y e fyre This daye haue we sene that God maie talke with a man and he yet lyue And now wherfore shulde we dye that this fire â–ª shulde coÌ„sume vs. Yf we shulde heare the voyce of the LORDE oure God eny more we shulde dye For what is all fleshe that it shulde be able to heare y e voyce of the lyuynge God speakynge out of y e fyre as we haue done and yet lyue Go thou and heare all y t the LORDE oure God sayeth and tell us All y t the LORDE sayeth vnto the that will we heare and do Whan the LORDE herde the voyce of yo r wordes which ye spake vnto me he sayde vnto me I haue herde y e voyce of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto ye. It is all good that they haue spoken But who shal geue them soch an herte y t they maye feare me kepe all my coÌ„maundementes as longe as they lyue y t it maye go well with them and with their childreÌ„ for euer Go saye vnto them Get you in to yo r tentes agayne But thou shalt stonde here before me that I maye tell the all the commaundementes and ordinauÌ„ces and lawes which thou shalt teach them y t they maye do therafter in the loÌ„de which I shal geue theÌ„ to possesse Take hede now therfore that ye do as the LORDE yo r God hath commaunded you and turne not asyde nether to y e right hande ner to the lefâ—e but walke in all y e wayes which the LORDE youre God hath commaunded you that ye maie lyue and that it maie go well with you and y t ye maye lyue longe in y e londe which ye shall haue in possession The VI. Chapter THese are the commaundementes ordinaunces lawes which y e LORDE yo r God hath coÌ„maunded y t ye shulde lerne them do them in the londe whyther ye go to possesse it that thou mayest feare the LORDE y e God kepe all his ordinauÌ„ces commaundementes which I commaunde the thou and y e children and y e childers children all y e dayes of youre life that ye maye lyue loÌ„ge Thou shalt heare O Israel take hede y t thou do therafter y t it maye go well with y e that thou mayest multiplye greatly as y e LORDE God of y e fathers hath promysed the a londe y t floweth w t mylke hony Heare O Israel the LORDE oure God is one LORDE onely And thou shalt loue the LORDE thy God w t all thy hart with all y e soule with all thy mighte And these wordes which I commauÌ„de the this daie shalt thou take to hert shalt whet them vpon y e children and shalt talke of them whaÌ„ thou syttest in thyne house whan thou walkest by the waie whan thou lyest downe whaÌ„ thou rysest vp And thou shalt bynde them for a signe vpon thine hande and they shall be a token of remeÌ„braunce before thine eyes and thou shalt wryte them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates Now whan y e LORDE y e God shal bringe the in to y e londe wherof he sware vnto y e fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob and shal geue the greate goodly cities which thou hast not buylded and houses full of all goodes which thou hast not filled digged welles which thou hast not digged and vynyardes and olyue trees which thou hast not plaÌ„ted so y t thou eatest and art full then bewarre that thou forget not the LORDE which brought the out of the londe of Egipte froÌ„ the house of bondage but thou shalt feare the LORDE thy God and him onely shalt thou serue and sweare by his name And ye shal not folowe the other goddes of the nacions which are aboute you for the LORDE thy God is a gelous God in the myddest of the that the wrath of the LORDE thy God waxe not whote ouer the and destroye the from the earth Ye shal not tempte y e LORDE youre God as ye tempted him at Massa but kepe the commaundementes of the LORDE yo r God and his witnesses his ordinaunces which he hath commaunded the that thou mayest do that which is right good in y e sighte of the LORDE y t thou mayest prospere and y t thou mayest go in conquere that good londe which the LORDE sware vnto y e fathers that he maye chace out all thine enemies before the as the LORDE hath sayde Now whan thy sonne axeth the todaye or tomorow and sayeth What meane these witnesses ordinaunces and lawes that the LORDE oure God hath comaunded you Then shalt thou saye vnto thy sonne We were Pharaos bondmen in Egipte and the LORDE brought vs out of Egipte with a mightie hande and the LORDE did greate euell tokens wonders in Egipte vpoÌ„ Pharao and all his house before oure eyes and brought vs from thence to bringe vs in
of stone like vnto the first and come vp vnto me in to the mount and make y t an Arke of wod and in the tables I wyll wryte the wordes that were in the first which thou brakest and thou shalt laye them in the Arke So I made an Arke of Fyrre tre and hewed two tables of stone like as the first were wente vp into the mount and y e two tables were in my hande Then wrote he in y e tables acordinge as the first wrytinge was the ten verses which the LORDE spake vnto you out of the fyre vpon the mountayne at the tyme of the gatheringe together And the LORDE gaue theÌ„ vnto me And I turned me wente downe from the mount and layed the tables in the Arke which I had made that they mighte be there as the LORDE commaunded me And the childreÌ„ of Israel departed from Beroth Bne Iaâ—kan vnto Mosera there dyed Aaron there was he buried Eleasar his sonne became prest in his steade FroÌ„ thence they departed from Gadgad From Gadgad to Iathbath a londe of ryuers of water At the same season the LORDE separated out the trybe of Leui to beare the Arke of the LORDES couenaunt and to stonde before the LORDE to mynister vnto him and to prayse his name vnto this daye Therfore shal the Leuites haue no porcion ner enheritaunce with their brethren for the LORDE is their enheritaunce as the LORDE thy God hath promysed them But I taried vpoÌ„ the mount like as afore euen fortye dayes and fortye nightes and the LORDE herde me at that tyme also and wolde not destroye the. But he sayde vnto me Vp get the forth y t thou mayest go before the people y t they maye come in and coÌ„quere the loÌ„de which I sware vnto their fathers to geue them Now Israel what requyreth the LORDE thy God of the but y t thou feare the LORDE thy God and that thou walke in all his wayes loue him serue the LORDE y e God with all thy hert with all thy soule and y t thou kepe the coÌ„maundementes of y e LORDE his ordinaunces which I coÌ„maunde the this daye y t thou mayest prospere Beholde the heauen the heauen of all heaueÌ„s and the earth and all y t is therin is y e LORDES y e God Yeth hath he had a pleasure vnto y e fathers to loue theÌ„ and hath chosen their sede after theÌ„ namely you aboue all nacions as it is come to passe this daye Circumcyse therfore y e foreszkynne of yo r hert be nomore styffnecked For the LORDE yo r God is God of all goddes LORDE ouer all lordes a greate God mightie terryble which regardeth no personne taketh no giftes and doeth righte vnto the fatherlesse and wedowe and loueth the straunger to geue him fode rayment Therfore shal ye loue a strauÌ„ger for ye youre selues also were straungers in the londe of Egipte Thou shalt feare the LORDE thy God him onely shalt thou serue vnto him shalt thou cleue sweare by his name He is thy prayse y e God which hath done for y e these greate terryble thinges y t thine eyes haue sene Thy fathers weÌ„te downe in to Egipte w t seuentye soules but now hath y e LORDE thy God made the as y e starres of heauen in multitude The XI Chapter THerfore shalt thou loue the LORDE y e God kepe his coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes his ordinaunces his lawes his preceptes all y e life loÌ„ge And vnderstoÌ„de this daye that which youre childreÌ„ knowe not Which haue not sene the nurtoure of the LORDE yo r God his greatnesse his mightie hande his stretched out arme his tokens and actes which he dyd amonge the EgipciaÌ„s vnto Pharao the kynge of Egipte to all his londe what he dyd to the power of y e Egipcians vnto their horses charettes whan he broughte the waters of the reed see vpoÌ„ them as they folowed after you how y e LORDE hath broughte them to naught vnto this daye what he dyd vnto you in the wildernesse vntyll ye came vnto this place what he dyd vnto Dathan and Abiram the children of Eliab the sonne of Ruben how the earth opened hir mouth and swalowed them with their housholdes teÌ„tes all their good that they had in the myddes amonge all Israel For youre eyes haue sene the greate workes of y e LORDE which he hath done Therfore shal ye kepe all the commaundementes which I commaunde you this daye that ye maye be stronge to come in and to conquere the londe whither ye go to possesse it that ye maye lyue longe in the londe which the LORDE sware vnto youre fathers to geue vnto them and to their sede eueÌ„ a londe that floweth with mylke and hony For the londe whither thou commest in to possesse it is not as the londe of Egipte whence ye came out where thou sowedest thy sede and waterdest it at thy fote as a garden of herbes but it hath hilles and valleys which drynke water of the rayne of heauen a londe that the LORDE thy God careth for And the eyes of the LORDE thy God are allwaye therin from the begynnynge of the yeare vnto the ende Yf ye shal herken therfore vnto my commaundementes which I commaunde you this daye y t ye loue the LORDE youre God and serue him with all youre hert and with all youre soule then wyl I geue rayne vnto youre loÌ„de in due season early and late that thou mayest gather in thy corne thy wyne and thine oyle and I wyll geue grasse vpon thy felde for thy catell that ye maye eate be fylled But bewarre y t youre hert be not disceaued that ye go asyde serue other goddes worshipe them and then the wrath of the LORDE waxe whote vpoÌ„ you and he shut vp the heaueÌ„ that there come no rayne and the earth geue not hir increase ye perishe shortly from the good loÌ„de which the LORDE hath geuen you Put vp therfore these my wordes in youre hertes and in youre soules and bynde theÌ„ for a signe vpon youre handes y t they maye be a token of remembraunce before yo r eyes and teach them youre children so that thou talke therof whan thou syttest in thine house or walkest by the waye whan thou lyest downe and whan thou rysest vp and wryte them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates that thou and thy children maye lyue longe in the londe which the LORDE sware vnto thy fathers to geue them as longe as the dayes of heauen endure vpon earth For yf ye shal kepe all these commaundementes which I commaunde you so that ye do therafter that ye loue the LORDE youre God and walke in all his wayes and cleue vnto him then shall the LORDE dryue out
the londe which the LORDE thy God geueth the for inheritaunce to possesse then shalt thou put out the remembraunce of the Amalechites from vnder heauen Forget not this The XXVI Chapter WHan thou commest in to the londe that the LORDE thy God shal geue the to inheritaunce and enioyest it and dwellest therin thou shalt take of all maner first frutes of the londe that come out of thy grounde which the LORDE thy God geueth the shalt put them in a maunde and go vnto the place which the LORDE thy God shal chose y t his name maye dwell there and thou shalt come vnto the prest which shal be at that tyme and saye vnto him I knowlege this daye vnto the LORDE thy God that I am come in to the londe which y e LORDE sware vnto oure fathers to geue vs. And the prest shal take the maunde out of thine hande and set it downe before the altare of the LORDE thy God Then shalt thou answere and saye before the LORDE thy God The Syrians wolde haue destroyed my father which wēte downe in to Egipte and was a straūger there with a small folke and became there a naciō greate mightie full of people But the Egipciās intreated vs euell and troubled vs and layed an harde bondage vpō vs. Then cried we vnto y e LORDE the God of oure fathers And the LORDE herde oure cryenge and loked on oure aduersite laboure and oppressiō brought vs out of Egipte with a mightie hande and a stretched out arme and with greate terryblenesse thorow tokens and wōders and hath broughte vs vnto this place and hath geuen vs this londe that floweth with mylke and hony Therfore brynge I now the first frutes of the londe which the LORDE hath geuen vs. And thou shalt leaue them before the LORDE thy God and geue thankes before the LORDE thy God and reioyse ouer all the good that the LORDE y e God hath geuen the and thyne house thou and the Leuite and the straunger that is with the. Whan thou hast brought together all y e tythes of thine increase in the thirde yeare which is a yeare of tithes thou shalt geue it vnto the Leuite to the straunger to the fatherlesse ▪ and to the wedowe that they maie eate within y e gates and be filled And thou shalt saye before the LORDE thy God I haue broughte that halowed is out of my house and haue geuen it vnto the Leuyte the straunger the fatherlesse and the wedowe acordinge to all thy commaundement which thou hast cōmaunded me I haue not transgressed thy commaundementes ner forgotten them I haue not eaten therof in my heuynesse ner taken awaye therof in vnclennesse I haue not geuē therof vnto the deed I haue bene obedient vnto the voyce of the LORDE my God and haue done all as he hath commaunded me Loke downe from thy holy habitacion from heauen and blesse thy people of Israel and y e londe that thou hast geuen vs as thou swarest vnto oure fathers a londe that floweth with mylke and hony In the daye whan the LORDE thy God commaunded the to do acordynge vnto all these ordinaūces and lawes that thou shuldest kepe them and do therafter with all thy hert and with all thy soule The same daye maydest thou a promysse vnto the LORDE that he shulde be thy God and y t thou woldest walke in all his wayes and kepe his ordynaunces his commaundementes and his lawes and to herken vnto his voyce And the LORDE promysed the vpō the same daye that thou shuldest be his awne peculier people like as he hath sayde vnto the so y t thou kepe all his commaundementes and that he wolde make the hye in prayse name and honoure aboue all nacions which he hath made y t thou mayest be an holy people vnto y e LORDE thy God as he hath sayde vnto the. The XXVII Chapter ANd Moses with y e Elders of Israel commaunded the people sayde Kepe all the commaundementes which I commaunde you this daye And what time as ye go ouer Iordane in to the londe y t y e LORDE thy God shal geue the thou shalt set vp greate stones and playster them with playster and wryte vpon them all the wordes of this lawe whan thou art come ouer y t thou mayest come in to the londe which the LORDE thy God shall geue the a londe y t floweth with milke and hony as y e LORDE God of thy fathers hath promysed the. Now whan ye go ouer Iordane ye shall set vp these stones wherof I cōmaunde you this daye vpon mount Eball and playster them with playster and there shalt thou buylde vnto the LORDE thy God an altare of stone whervpon thou shalt lifte no yron Of whole stones shalt thou builde this altare vnto the LORDE thy God and offre burnt offeringes theron vnto the LORDE thy God and thou shalt offre health offeringes and eate there and reioyse before the LORDE thy God and vpon the stones thou shalt wryte all the wordes of this lawe manyfestly and well And Moses with the prestes and Leuites spake vnto all Israel and sayde Take hede and heare O Israel This daye art thou become the people of the LORDE thy God that thou mayest be obedient vnto the voyce of the LORDE thy God and do acordinge vnto all his commaundementes and ordinaunces which I cōmaunde the this daye And Moses charged the people the same daye and sayde These shal stonde vpon mount Grisim to blesse the people whan ye are gone ouer Iordane Simeon Leui Iuda Isachar Ioseph and Ben Iamin And these shal stonde vpon mount Eball to curse Ruben Gad Asser Zabulon Dan Nephtali And the Leuites shal begynne and saye vnto euery man of Israel w t a loude voyce Cursed be he that maketh eny carued Idoll or molten ymage an abhominacion of the LORDE a worke of the handes of y e craftesman and putteth it in a secrete place And all the people shal answere and saye Amen Cursed be he that curseth his father and mother And all the people shall saye Amen Cursed be he y t remoueth his neghbours mark And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be he that maketh a blynde man go out of his waye And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be he that wresteth y e righte of y e straunger of the fatherlesse wedowe And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be he that lyeth with his fathers wife to vncouer his fathers couerynge And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be he y t lyeth w t eny maner beest And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be he y t lyeth w t his sister which is the doughter of his father or of his mother And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be he y t lyeth with his mother in lawe And all the people shal saye Amen Cursed be
God maketh with the this daye that he mighte set the vp this daye to be a people vnto himself and that he mighte be thy God as he hath sayde vnto the and as he sware vnto y e fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob For I make not this couenaunt and this ooth with you onely but both with you y t are here this daye and stonde with vs before the LORDE oure God and also with them that are not here with vs this daye For ye knowe how we haue dwelt in the londe of Egipte and how we came thorow the myddes of the Heythen whom ye passed by and sawe their abhominacions and their Idols wodd and stone syluer and golde which were with them Lest there be amōge you man or woman or an housholde or a trybe which turneth awaye his hert this daye from the LORDE oure God to go and to serue y e goddes of these nacions and lest there be amonge you some rote that beareth gall worm wodd so that though he heare the wordes of this curse he blesse him selfe yet in his hert and saye Tush it shal not be so euell I wil walke after the meanynge of myne awne hert that the dronken maye perishe with the thyrstie Then shall not the LORDE be mercifull vnto him but his wrath and gelousy shall smoke ouer soch a man and all the curses that are wrytten in this boke shall lighte vpon him and the LORDE shal put out his name from vnder heauen and shall separate him vnto euell out of all the trybes of Israel acordinge vnto all the curses of the couenaunt that is wrytten in the boke of this lawe So the posterities of youre childrē which shal ryse vp after you and the straungers that come out of farre countrees shall saye whan they se the plages of this londe and the diseases wherwith the LORDE hath smytten it that he hath brent vp all their londe with brymstone and salt so y t it cannot be sowne ner is frutefull nether groweth there eny grasse therin Like as Sodom Gomor Adama and Zeboim are ouer throwne which the LORDE ouerthrewe in his wrath and anger Then shall all nacions saye Wherfore hath the LORDE done thus vnto this londe What greate wrothfull displeasure is this Then shalt it be sayde Euen because they haue forsaken the couenaunt of y e LORDE God of their fathers which he made with them whan he broughte them out of the londe of Egipte and they wēte and serued other goddes and worshipped thē euen soch goddes as they knewe not and whom he had not deuyded vnto them Therfore the wrath of the LORDE waxed whote ouer this londe to brynge vpon it all the curses that are wrytten in this boke And the LORDE thrust them out of their londe w t greate wrath indignacion displeasoure hath cast them into another londe as it is come to passe this daye These are the secretes of the LORDE oure God which are opened vnto vs and oure children for euer y t we shulde do all the wordes of this lawe The XXX Chapter NOw whan all this commeth vpon the whether it be the blessinge or y e curse which I haue layed before the and thou goest in to thine hert beynge amōge the Heithen whither the LORDE thy God hath thrust the and thou turnest vnto the LORDE y e God so that thou herkenest vnto his voyce thou and thy children with all y e hert and with all thy soule in all that I commaunde the this daye then shal the LORDE thy God turne thy captiuyte and haue compassion vpon the and shal gather thy congregacion agayne from amonge all the nacions whither the LORDE thy God hath scatered the. And though thou werest thrust out vnto the vttemost partes of the heauen yet shall the LORDE thy God gather the from thence and from thēce shal he fetch the and shal brynge the in to the londe which thy fathers haue possessed and thou shalt enioye it and he shal do the good and multiplye the aboue thy fathers And the LORDE thy God shall circumcyse thine hert and the hert of thy sede that thou mayest loue the LORDE y t God with all thy hert and with all y e soule that thou mayest lyue But all these curses shall the LORDE thy God laye vpon thine enemyes and vpon them that hate the and persecute the. But thou shalt turne and herken vnto the voyce of the LORDE to do all his commaundementes which I commaunde the this daye And the LORDE thy God shal make the plenteous in all the workes of thine hādes in the frute of thy body in the frute of thy catell in the frute of thy londe to good For the LORDE shall turne to reioyse ouer the to good as he reioysed ouer thy fathers so that thou herken vnto the voyce of the LORDE thy God to kepe his commaundementes and ordinaunces which are wrytten in the boke of this lawe and turne vnto the LORDE thy God with all thy hert and with all thy soule For the commaundement which I commaunde y e this daye is not to wonderfull for the ner to farre ner yet in heauen that thou neadest to saye Who wil go vp for vs in to heauen and brynge it vnto vs that we maie heare it and do it Nether is it beyonde the see that thou neadest to saye Who wyll go ouer the see for vs and fetch it vs that we maye heare it and do it For the worde is very nye vnto the euē in thy mouth and in thine hert that thou do it Beholde I haue layed before you this daye life and good death and euell For I cōmaunde the this daye to loue the LORDE thy God and to walke in his wayes and to kepe his commaundementes ordinaunces and lawes that thou mayest lyue and multiplye and that the LORDE thy God maye blesse the in the londe whither thou goest to possesse it But yf thou turnest awaye thine hert so that thou wilt not heare but fall a waye to worshipe other goddes and to serue them I certifye you this daye that ye shal perishe not lyue longe in the londe whither thou goest ouer Iordane to possesse it I take heauen and earth this daye to recorde ouer you I haue layed before you life and death blessinge and cursinge that thou mayest chose life and that thou and thy sede maye lyue y t ye maye loue the LORDE youre God and herken vnto his voyce and cleue vnto him For he is thy life and thy lōge age that thou mayest dwell in the londe which the LORDE sware vnto thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob to geue them The XXXI Chapter ANd Moses wente spake these wordes to all Israel and saide vnto them I am this daye an hundreth and twētye yeare olde I can nomore go out and in the LORDE also hath sayde vnto me Thou shalt not go ouer this Iordane The LORDE thy
earth and fed him with the increase of the felde He caused him sucke hony out of the rocke and oyle out of the harde stone Butter of the kyne and mylke of the shepe with the fat of the lambes and rammes of the sonnes of Basan and he goates with the fat of the kydneys and wheate And gaue him drynke of the very bloude of grapes And whan he was fat and had ynough he waxed wanton He is fat and thicke and smothe hath letten God go that made him and despysed the rocke of his saluacion He hath prouoked him to indignacion thorow straunge goddes and thorow abhominacion hath he angred him They offred vnto felde deuels not vnto their God Vnto goddes whom they knewe not eueÌ„ vnto new goddes y t came newly vp whom their fathers honoured not Thy rocke that begat y e hast thou despysed and hast forgotten God that made the. And whan the LORDE sawe it he was moued vnto wrath ouer his sonnes and his doughters And he sayde I wyll hyde my face from them I wyll se what their ende shal be for it is a frowarde generacion they are childreÌ„ in whom is no fayth They haue prouoked me in it that is not God w t their vanites haue they angred me And I agayne wil prouoke them by those that are no people by a foolish nacion wil I anger them For the fyre is kyndled in my wrath and shal burne vnto y e nethermost hell and shal consume the londe with the increase therof and set the foundacions of y e mountaynes on fyre I wil heape myscheues vpoÌ„ them I wil spende all myne arowes at them They shal pyne awaye thorow honger be consumed of the feuers and of bytter sicknesses I wil sende amonge them y e tethe of beestes and furious serpentes Without shall the swearde robbe them feare in the chambers both the yonge man and yonge woman the suckynge children w t the gray headed man I wyll saye Where are they I shall make their remembraunce to ceasse from amonge men Yf the wrath of the enemies were not gathered lest their enemies shulde be proude might saie Oure hande is hye and The LORDE hath not done all this For it is a people wherin is no councell and there is no vnderstondinge in them O that they were wyse vnderstode this that they wolde coÌ„sidre what shulde happeÌ„ vnto them herafter How coÌ„meth it y t one shall chace a thousande of them and y t two shal put ten thousande to flyghte Is it not so euen because their rocke hath solde them and because the LORDE hath geuen them ouer For oure rocke is not as their rocke of this are oure enemies iudges themselues Their vyne is of the vyne of Sodom and of the feldes of Gomorra their grapes are the grapes of gall they haue bytter clusters Their wyne is the poyson of Dragons the furious gall of Adders Is not this hid with me and sealed vp in my treasures Vengeaunce is myne and I wyll rewarde in due season Their fote shall slyde for the tyme of their destruccioÌ„ is at honde and the thinge that is to come vpon them maketh haiste For the LORDE shall iudge his people and shal haue compassion on his seruauntes For he shal considre that their power is awaie and that it is gone with them which were shut vp and remayned ouer And he shal saye Where are their goddes their rocke wherin they trusted Of whose sacrifices they ate y e fatt and dranke the wyne of their drynk offeringes Let them ryse vp and helpe you and be youre proteccion Se now that I I am and that there is none other God but I. I can kyll and make alyue what I haue smytten that can I heale and there is noman able to delyuer out of my hande For I wil lifte vp my hande to heauen wyl saye I lyue euer Yf I whet y e edge of my swerde and my hande take holde of iudgment then wyll I auenge me on myne enemies and rewarde them that hate me I wil make myne arowes dronken with bloude and my swerde shal eate flesh ouer y e bloude of the slayne and ouer the captyuite and in that the enemies heade shall be discouered Reioyse ye Heythen with his people for he wil auenge the bloude of his seruauntes and wyl auenge him on his enemies wil be mercifull vnto the londe of his people And Moses came and spake all the wordes of this songe in the eares of the people he and Iosua the sonne of Nun. Now whaÌ„ Moses had made an ende of speakinge all these wordes vnto all Israel he sayde vnto theÌ„ Take to hert all y e wordes which I testifye vnto you this daye that ye commaunde youre children to obserue and do all the wordes of this lawe For it is no vaine worde vnto you but it is yo r life this worde shal prolonge youre life in y e londe whither ye go â—uer Iordane to conquere it And y e LORDE spake vnto Moses y e same daie sayde Get the vp to this mount Abarim vpon mount Nebo which lyeth in y e londe of the Moabites ouer agaynst Iericho beholde the londe of Canaan which I shall geue vnto the children of Israel in possessioÌ„ And dye thou vpon the mount whan thou art come vp and be gathered vnto thy people like as Aaron thy brother dyed vpon mount Hor and was gathered vnto his people â–ª Because ye trespaced agaynst me amonge the children of Israel by the water of stryfe at Cades in the wildernesse of Zin and sanctified me not amonge the children of Israel For thou shalt se the londe ouer against the which I geue vnto y e children of Israel but thou shalt not come in to it The XXXIII Chapter THis is the blessynge wherwith Moses the man of God blessed y e childreÌ„ of Israel before his death and saide The LORDE came from Sinai and rose vp vnto theÌ„ from Seir. He appeared fro mount Paran and came w t many thousande sayntes At his righte hande is there a lawe of fyre for them O how loued he the people All his sayntes are in his hande they shall set them selues downe at thy fete and receaue of thy wordes Moses commaunded vs the lawe which is the enheritaunce of the congregacion of Iacob And he was in the fulnesse of the kynge helde y e rulers of y e people together with the trybes of Israel Let Ruben lyue and not dye and his people be fewe in nombre This is the blessynge of Iuda And he sayde LORDE heare the voyce of Iuda and brynge him vnto his people Let his haÌ„des multiplye him and let him be helped froÌ„ his enemies And vnto Leui he sayde Thy perfectnes and y e lighte be acordinge vnto the man of thy mercy whoÌ„ thou hast tempted at Massa whan ye stroue by
with you and set my sonne Salomon vpon my Mule and cary him downe to Gihon and let Sadoc y e prest and the prophet Nathan anoynte him there to be kynge ouer Israel and blowe the trompe and saye God saue kynge Salomon and go ye vp after him and whan he commeth he shal syt vpoÌ„ my seate and be kynge in my steade for I haue ordeyned him to be prynce ouer Israel and Iuda Then answered Benaia the sonne of Ioiada vnto the kynge sayde Amen The LORDE God of my lorde the kynge saye thus also As the LORDE hath bene with my lorde the kynge so be he with Salomon also that his seate maye be greater then the seate of my lorde kynge Dauid Then wente they downe the prest Sadoc and the prophet Nathan and Benaia the sonne of Ioiada and the Chrethians Plethians set Salomon vpon kynge Dauids Mule broughte him to Gihon And Sadoc the prest toke the oyle horne out of the Tabernacle and anoynted Salomon And they blewe the trompe And all y e people sayde God saue kynge Salomon And all the people wente vp after him and the people pyped with pypes and was very ioyfull so that the earth range at the noyse of them And Adonias herde it and all they whom he had called which were w t him and they had new eaten And whan Ioab herde the noyse of the trompe he sayde What meaneth this noyse of the cite and this busynes But whyle he yet spake beholde Ionathas the sonne of Abiathar y e prest came And Adonias sayde Come in for thou art a valeaunt man and bryngest good tydinges Ionathas answered and sayde vnto Adonias Alas o r lorde kynge Dauid hath made Salomon kynge and hath sent with him Sadoc the prest and the propheth Nathan and Benaia the sonne of Ioiada and the Chrethians and Plethians and they haue set him vpon the kynges Mule and Sadoc y e prest with the prophet Nathan hath anoynted him kynge at Gihon and from theÌ„ce are they gone vp with ioye that the cite range with all that is the noyse that ye haue herde Salomon also sytteth vpoÌ„ the kynges seate and the kynges seruauntes are gone in to wysh good lucke vnto ouer lorde kynge Dauid and haue sayde Thy God make Salomon a better name then thy name is and make his seate greater then thy seate And they haue wyszshed the kynge good lucke vpon the bed Morouer y e kynge hath sayde thus Praysed be y e LORDE God of Israel which this daye hath made one to syt vpon my seate that myne eyes haue sene it Then were they afrayed and gatt them vp all that were called by Adonias and so they departed euery man his waye But Adonias was afrayed of Salomon and gat him vp and weÌ„te his waye toke holde of y e hornes of y e altare And it was tolde Salomon beholde Adonias feareth kynge SalomoÌ„ beholde he taketh holde of the hornes of y e altare sayeth Let kiÌ„ge SalomoÌ„ sweare vnto me this daye that he shall not slaye his seruaunt with the swerde Salomon sayde Yf he wil be an honest man there shall not one heer fall from him vpon the earth but yf there be euell founde in him he shall dye And kinge SalomoÌ„ sent and caused him to be fetched from the altare And whan he came he fell downe before kynge Salomon But Salomon sayde vnto him Go y e waye in to thy house The II. Chapter NOw whan the tyme came that Dauid shulde dye he commaunded Salomon his sonne and sayde I go the waye of all the worlde Be thou stroÌ„ge therfore and shewe thyselfe a man and kepe the watch of the LORDE thy God that thou walke in his wayes and holde his ordinaunces his commaundementes his lawes and his testimonies as it is written in the lawe of Moses that thou mayest be wyse in all that thou doest and whither so euer thou turnest the that the LORDE maye rayse vp his worde which he hath spokeÌ„ ouer me and saide Yf thy children kepe their waye and walke before me faithfully and truly and with all their hert and withall their soule theÌ„ shal there neuer fayle the a man vpon the seate of Israel Thou knowest well also what Ioab the sonne of Zeru Ia hath done vnto me what he dyd vnto the two chefe captaynes of Israel Abner the sonne of Ner and Amasa the sonne of Iether whom he slewe and shed the bloude of warre whaÌ„ it was peace put the bloude of warre vpon his girdel y t was aboute his loynes and in his shues that were vpon his fete Do thou acordynge to thy wyszdome that thou brynge not his graye heer downe to the graue in peace And to the children of Barsyllai the Gileadite thou shalt shewe mercy that they maye eate at thy table For so ioined they theÌ„ selues vnto me whan I fled before thy brother Absalom And beholde thou hast with the Semei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini of Bahurim which cursed me with very bytter and shamefull cursynges what tyme as I wente to Mahanaim Yet came he downe to mete me at Iordan where I sware vnto him by the LORDE and sayde I wyll not slaye the with the swerde But suffre not thou him to be vngiltye for thou art a wyse man and shalt wel knowe what thou oughtest to do vnto him that thou mayest brynge his graye heer downe to the graue with bloude So Dauid slepte with his fathers and was buried in the cite of Dauid The tyme that Dauid was kynge ouer Israel is fortie yeare Seuen yeares was he kynge at HebroÌ„ and thre and thirtie yeare at Ierusalem And Salomon sat vpon the seate of Dauid his father and his kyngdome was made very sure But Adonias the sonne of Hagith came in to Bethseba Salomons mother And she sayde Is thy commynge peaceable He spake Yee and sayde I haue somwhat to â—aye to the. She sayde Saye on He sayde Thou knowest that the kyngdome was myne and that all Israel had sett them selues vpon me that I shulde be kynge but now is the kyngdome turned and become my brothers for he hath it of the LORDE Now desyre I one peticion of the Make not my face ashamed She sayde vnto him Saye on He sayde Speake vnto kynge Salomon for he shall not shame thy face that he maye geue me Abisag to wyfe Bethseba sayde Wel I wil speake to the kynge for the. And Bethseba came in to kynge Salomon to speake with him And the kynge stode vp and wente to mete her and worshipped her and sat him downe vpon his seate And there was a chayre set for the kynges mother so that she sat at his righte hande And she sayde One peticion desyre I of the make not my face ashamed The kynge saydt Axe O my mother I wyl not shame thy face She saide Let Abisag of Sunem be geuen thy brother Adonias to wyfe Then
yf they make their prayer in this place and knowlege thy name and turne from their synnes whaÌ„ thou troublest them heare thou them then in heauen and be mercifull vnto the synnes of thy seruauntes and of thy people of Israel that thou mayest shewe them the good waye wherin they shulde walke and let it rayne vpon the londe that thou hast geuen thy people to inheritaunce Whan a derth or pestilence or drouth or burnynge or greshopper or catirpiller is in their londe or whan his enemye layeth lege to his portes in the londe or whan eny other plage or disease happeneth who so euer then maketh his prayer and peticion whether it be eny other men or thy people of Israel which theÌ„ are aware of their plage euery one in his hert and spredeth out his handes vnto this house Heare thou then in heauen in the seate where thou dwellest and be mercifull se that thou geue euery one acordinge as he hath walked like as thou knowest his hert for thou onely knowest the hert of all the children of men that they maye allwaye feare the as longe as they lyue in the lande which thou hast geuen vnto oure fathers And whan eny straunger that is not of thy people of Israel commeth out of a farre countre for thy names sake for they shall heare of thy greate name and of thy mightie haÌ„de and of thy outstretched arme and commeth to make his prayer in this house heare thou him then in heauen euen in the seate of thy dwellynge and do all for the which that straunger calleth vpon the that all the nacions vpon earth maye knowe thy name and that they maye feare the as thy people of Israel do and that they maye knowe how that this house which I haue buylded is named after thy name Whan thy people go forth to the battayll agaynst their enemyes the waye that thou shalt sende them and shall praye vnto the LORDE towarde the waye of the cite which thou hast chosen and towarde the house that I haue buylded vnto thy name heare thou then their prayer and peticion in heauen and execute iudgment for them Whan they synne agaynst the for there is no maÌ„ that synneth not thou be wroth and delyuer theÌ„ vnto their enemyes so that they cary them awaye captyue in to the enemyes londe farre or nye and yf they remembre them selues in the londe where they are captyue and turne and make their intercession vnto the in the londe of their captyuite and saye We haue synned done amysse and haue bene vngodly and so turne vnto y e with all their hert and with all their soule in the loÌ„de of their enemies which led them awaye captyue and make their prayer vnto the towarde the waye of their londe that thou hast geuen vnto their fathers euen towarde the cite which thou hast chosen and towarde the house that I haue buylded vnto thy name then heare thou their prayer and supplicacion in heauen from the seate of thy dwellynge and execute iudgment for them and be mercifull vnto thy people that haue synned agaynst the and vnto all their trespaces wherwith they haue transgressed agaynst the and graunte theÌ„ mercy in the sighte of them which led them awaye presonners that their enemyes maye be mercyfull vnto them for they are thy people and thyne enheritaunce whom thou broughtest out of Egipte from the yron fornace that thine eyes maye be open vnto the peticion of thy seruaunt and of thy people of Israel that thou maiest heare them in all thinges for the which they shall call vpon the for thou O LORDE LORDE hast sundered them out to be an inheritaunce vnto thy selfe from amoÌ„ge all the nacions vpon earth acordinge as thou saydest by Moses thy seruaunt whan thou broughtest oure fathers out of Egipte And whaÌ„ Salomon had ended all this prayer and peticion before the LORDE he rose vp from the altare of the LORDE and lefte of from knelynge and holdynge out of handes towarde heauen and stode and blessed all the congregacion of Israel with loude voyce and sayde Praysed be the LORDE which hath geuen rest vnto his people acordinge as he sayde There hath not one fayled of all his good wordes which he spake by his seruaunt Moses The LORDE oure God be with vs as he hath bene with oure fathers and forsake vs not nether withdrawe his hande from vs but bowe oure hertes vnto him that we maye walke in all his wayes and kepe his commaundementes ordinaunces and lawes which he commaunded oure fathers And these wordes wherwith I haue made my peticion before the LORDE come nye vnto the LORDE oure God daye and nighte that he maye execute iudgment for his seruaunt and for his people of Israel euery one at his tyme that all nacions vpon earth maye knowe that the LORDE is God that there is none other And let youre hert be perfecte with the LORDE oure God to walke in his statutes and to kepe his commaundementes as it is this daye And the kynge with all Israel his people offred sacrifice before the LORDE And Salomon offred deed offerynges which he offred vnto the LORDE two and twenty thousande oxen and an hundreth twenty thousande shepe So the kynge and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORDE The same daye dyd the kynge dedicate the myddelmost courte which was before the house of the LORDE that he mighte there perfourme the burnt offerynges meat-offerynges and the fat of the deed offerynges for the brasen altare that stode before y e LORDE was to litle for the burnt offerynges meat offerynges and for the fat of the deed offerynges And at the same tyme made Salomon a solempne feast and all Israel a greate congregacion with him from the border of Hemath vnto the ryuer of Egipte before the LORDE oure God seuendayes and yet seuen dayes that were fourtene daies And on the eight daye he let the people go And they blessed the kynge and wente vnto their tentes reioysinge and with a mery hert because of all the good that the LORDE had done vnto Dauid his seruaunt to his people of Israel The IX Chapter ANd whan Salomon had fynished y e buyldinge of the house of the LORDE and the kynges house and all that his desyre and pleasure was to make y e LORDE appeared vnto him the seconde tyme euen as he appeared vnto him at Gibeon And the LORDE sayde vnto him I haue herde thy prayer and peticion that thou hast made before me and haue sanctified this house which thou hast buylded that I maye set my name there for euer and myne eyes and my hert shal be there allwaye And yf thou walke before me as thy father Dauid walked with a perfecte and a true hert so that thou do all that I haue commaunded the and kepe myne ordinaunces and lawes then wyll I stablish the â—eate of thy kyngdome ouer Israel for euer
is to saye of Iotham and all that he dyd beholde it is wrytteÌ„ in the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda At y e same tyme beganne y e LORDE to sende Rezin y e kynge of Syria Pecah y e sonne of Romelia in to Iuda And Iotham fell on slepe with his fathers and was buried w t his fathers in the cite of Dauid his father And Achas his sonne was kynge in his steade The XVI Chapter IN the seuententh yeare of Pecah y e sonne of Romelia was Achas the sonne of Iotham kynge of Iuda TweÌ„tye yeare olde was Achas whaÌ„ he was made kynge reigned sixtene yeare at Ierusalem dyd not y t which was righte in the sighte of y e LORDE his God as dyd Dauid his father for he walked in the waye of the kynges of Israel Yee and caused his sonne to go thorow the fyre after the maner of the abhominacions of the Heythen whom the LORDE droue awaye before the childreÌ„ of Israel And he dyd sacrifice and brent incense vpon the hye places vpon all hilles and amonge all grene trees Then wente Rezin the kynge of Syria and Pecah the sonne of Romelia kynge of Israel vp to Ierusalem to fighte agaynst it and layed sege to Achas but they coulde not wynne it At the same tyme dyd Rezin the kynge of Syria brynge Eloth agayne vnto Syria and thrust y e Iewes out of Eloth But the Syrians came dwelt therin vnto this daye Neuertheles Achas sent messaungers vnto Teglatphaâ—asser y e kynge of Assiria sayeÌ„ge I am thy seruaunt thy sonne come vp helpe me out of y e hande of the kynge of Syria of the kynge of Israel which are rysen vp agaynst me And Achas toke the syluer golde y t was founde in y e house of y e LORDE in the treasures of y e kynges house sent a present to y e kynge of Assiria And y e kinge of Assiria coÌ„sented vnto him wente vp to Damascon wanne it caried them awaye vnto Cira slewe Rezin And kynge Achas weÌ„te to Damascon for to mete Teglatphalasser y e kynge of Assiria And whaÌ„ he sawe an altare y t was at Damascon kynge Achas sent a patrone symilitude of y e same altare vnto the prest Vrias euen as it was made And Vrias the prest buylded an altare and made it acordinge as kynge Achas had sent vnto him from Damascon tyll Achas y e kynge came from Damascon And whan y e kynge came from Damascon and sawe the altare he offred theron kyndled his burnt offerynges and meat offerynges vpon it and poured his drynk offeringes theron caused the bloude of y e deedofferynges which he offred to be sprenkled vpon the altare But the brasen altare that stode before the LORDE put he awaye so that it stode not betwene the altare and the house of the LORDE but set it in the corner on the north syde of the altare And Achas the kynge coÌ„maunded Vrias y e prest sayde VpoÌ„ the greate altare shalt thou kyndle y e burnt offrynge in the mornynge the meat offrynge in the euenynge the kynges burnt offrynge his meat offrynge the burnt offrynge of all the people in the londe w t their meat offrynge drynk offrynge And all the bloude of the burnt offerynges all the bloude of the other offrynges shalt thou sprenkle theron but with the brasen altare wyll I deuyse what I can Vrias the prest dyd all acordinge as Achas the kynge commaunded him And kynge Achas brake downe the seates and put awaye the ketell from aboue and toke the lauer from the brasen bullockes that were there vnder and set it vpon y e pauement of stone And the pulpit for the Sabbath which they had buylded in the house and y e entrye of the kynges house turned he vnto the house of the LORDE for the kynge of Assirias sake What more there is to saye of Achas what he dyd beholde it is wrytten in y e Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda And Achas fell on slepe with his fathers was buried w t his fathers in the cite of Dauid And Ezechias his sonne was kynge in his steade The XVII Chapter IN the twolueth yeare of Achas the kynge of Iuda begaÌ„ne Oseas y e sonne of Ela to reigne ouer Israel at Samaria nyne yeare and dyd y t which was euell in y e sighte of the LORDE but not as y e kynges of Israel y t were before him Agaynst him dyd Salmanasar y e kynge of Assiria come vp And Oseas was subiecte vnto him gaue him trybutes But whaÌ„ the y e kynge of Assâ—ria perceaued y t Oseas had conspyred sent messaungers to Sua y e kynge of Egipte payed not trybute yearly to y e kynge of y e Assirians he beseged him put him in preson And the kynge of Assiria wente vp in to all the londe and to Samaria and layed sege vnto it thre yeare And in the nyenth yeare of Oseas dyd y e kynge of Assiria wynne Samaria and caried Israel awaye in to Assiria and set them at Halah and at Habor by the water Gosan and in the cities of the Meedes For whan the childreÌ„ of Israel synned agaynst y e LORDE their God y t broughte theÌ„ out of y e londe of Egipte from the haÌ„de of Pharao kynge of Egipte and serued other goddes and walked after the customes of the HeytheÌ„ whom the LORDE had dryuen out before the children of Israel and dyd as the kynges of Israel and prouoked y e LORDE their God and dyd secretly the thinges that were not righte in the sighte of y e LORDE their God namely in that they buylded them hye places in all cities both in castels and stronge cities and set vp pilers and groues vpon all hye hilles and amonge all grene trees and brent incense there in all y e hye places euen as dyd the Heythen whom the LORDE had cast out before them wroughte wicked thinges wherwith they prouoked the LORDE vnto wrath serued the Idols wherof the LORDE sayde vnto them Ye shal not do soch a thynge And whan the LORDE testified in Israel and Iuda by all the prophetes and Seers sayenge O turne agayne from youre euell wayes and kepe my commaundemeÌ„tes and ordynaunces acordinge to all y e lawe which I gaue vnto youre fathers and that I sent vnto you by my seruauntes the prophetes they wolde not herken but herdened their neckes acordinge to the hardneck of their fathers which beleued not on the LORDE their God Yee they despysed his ordinaunces and his couenaunt which he made with their fathers and his testimonies which he witnessed amonge them and walked in their awne vanities and became vayne folowinge the Heythen which dwelt rounde aboute them concernynge whom the LORDE had commaunded them that they shulde not do as they dyd Neuertheles they forsoke all
first course of the first moneth was Iasebeam y e sonne of Sabdiel and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande Of the children of Phares was the pryncipall amonge all the chefe captaynes in the first moneth Ouer the course of the seconde moneth was Dodaithe Ahohite and Mikloth was the prynce ouer his course And vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande The thirde pryncipall captayne of the thirde moneth was Benaia the sonne of Ioiada y e prest and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande This is y t Benaia the Worthie amonge thirtie and aboue thirtie And his course was vnder his sonne Ammi Sabad The fourth in y e fourth moneth was Asahel the brother of Ioab and Sabadia his sonne after him and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande The fifth in the fifth moneth was Samehuth the Iesrahite and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande The sixte in the sixte moneth was Ira y e sonne of Ickes the Thecâ—ite and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande The seuenth in the seuenth moneth was Helez the Pelonite of the children of Ephraim and vnder his course were foure and tweÌ„tye thousande The eight in the eight moneth was Sibechai the Husathite of y e Sarehites and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande The nyenth in the nyenth moneth was Abieser the Anthothite of the childreÌ„ of Iemini vnder his course were foure and tweÌ„tye thousande The tenth in the tenth moneth was Maherai the Netophatite of the Serahites and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande The eleuenth in the eleueÌ„th moneth was Benaia the Pirgathonite of the children of Ephraim and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande The twolueth in the twolueth moneth was Heldai y e Netophatite of Athniel and vnder his course were foure and twentye thousande Ouer the trybes of Israel were these Amonge the Rubenites was Prynce Elieser the sonne of Sichri Amonge the Simeoninites was Sephatia the sonne of Maecha Amonge the Leuites was Hasabia the sonne of Kemuel Amonge the Aaronites was Sadoc AmoÌ„ge Iuda was Elihu one of Dauids brethren Amonge Isachar was Amri the sonne of Michael Amonge ZabuloÌ„ was Iesmaia the sonne of Obadia Amonge Nephtali was Ieremoth the sonne of Asriel Amonge the children of Ephraim was Hosea the sonne of Asasia Amonge the halfe trybe of Manasses was Ioel the sonne of Pedaia Amonge the halfe trybe of Manasses in Gilead was Ieddo the sonne of Zacharias Amonge Ben Iamin was Iaesiel the sonne of Abner Amonge Dan was Asareel the sonne of Ieroham These are the princes of the trybes of Israel But Dauid toke not the nombre of them that were twentye yeare olde and there vnder for the LORDE had promysed to multiplye Israel as the starres of the szkie Howbeit Ioab the sonne of Zeruia had begonne to nombre them and perfourmed it not for there came wrath vpon Israel for the same cause therfore came not the nombre in to y e Cronicles of kynge Dauid Ouer the kynges treasures was Asmaueth the sonne of Adiel And ouer the treasures in the loÌ„de in the cities vyllages and castels was Ionathan the sonne of Vsia Ouer the huszbandmen to tyll the londe was Esri the sonne of Chelub Ouer the vynyardes was Simei the Ramathite Ouer the wyne Cellers and treasures of wyne was Sabdi the Siphimite Ouer the oyle gardens and Molberytrees in the lowe feldes was Baal Hanan the Gaderite Ouer the treasure of the oyle was Ioas. Ouer y e oxen of the pasture at Saron was Sitari the Saronite Ouer the oxen in the valleys was Saphath the sonne of Adlai Ouer the Camels was Obil the Ismaelite Ouer the asses was Iehethia the Meronothite Ouer the shepe was Iasis the Hagarite All these were rulers ouer kynge Dauids goodes Ionathan Dauids vncle was of the councell a wyse man and a scrybe And Iehiel â–ª the sonne of Hachmoni was with the kynges children Achitophel also was of the kynges councell Husai the Arachite was the kinges frende After Achitophel was Ioiada y e sonne of Benaia and Abiathar As for Ioab he was the kynges chefe captayne of warre The XXIX Chapter ANd Dauid gathered vnto Ierusalem all the rulers of Israel namely y e prynces of the trybes the rulers ouer the courses which wayted vpon the kynge the captaynes ouer thousandes and ouer hundreds the rulers ouer the goodes and catell of the kynge and of his sonnes with the chaÌ„berlaines warryers and valeaunt men And Dauid the kynge stode vp vpon his fete and saide Heare me my brethren and my people I was mynded to buylde an house where the Arke of the couenaunt of the LORDE shulde rest and a fote stole for the fete of oure God and prepared my selfe for to buylde But God sayde vnto me Thou shalt not buylde an house vnto my name for thou art a man of warre and hast shed bloude Now hath the LORDE God of Israel chosen me out of all my fathers house y t I shulde be kynge ouer Israel for Iuda hath he chosen to be the Prynce and in the house of Iuda amonge my fathers children hath he had pleasure vnto me to make me kynge ouer all Israel and amoÌ„ge all my sonnes for the LORDE hath geuen me many sonnes he hath chosen Salomon my sonne to syt vpon the seate of the kyngdome of the LORDE ouer Israel and hath sayde vnto me Salomon thy sonne shall buylde me an house and my courtes for I haue chosen him to be my sonne I wil be his father wyll stablishe his kyngdome for euer yf he be constant to do after my commaundementes and lawes as it is this daye Now in the sight of all Israel the congregacion of the LORDE and in the eares of oure God se that ye obserue and seke all the commaundemeÌ„tes of the LORDE yo God that ye maye possesse this good londe and that ye and youre children maie haue y e inheritaunce therof for euer And thou my sonne SalomoÌ„ knowe thou the God of thy father and serue him with all thy hert and with the desyre of thy soule for the LORDE searcheth all hertes and vnderstondeth all thoughtes ymaginacions Yf thou seke him thou shalt fynde him but yf thou forsake him he shall refuse the for euer Take hede now for the LORDE hath chosen the to buylde an house to be the SaÌ„ctuary be stronge and make it And Dauid gaue Salomon his sonne â— patrone of the Porche and of his house and of the celles and perlers and ynnermer chaÌ„bers and of the house of the Mercyseate of all that he had in his mynde namely of the courte of the LORDES house and of all the oratories rounde aboute the treasures in y e house of God and of the treasures of soch thinges as were halowed of the ordinaunces of the prestes and Leuites and of all y e busynesse of the offyces in the house of the LORDE Golde gaue
all them that seke him and his violence and wrath vpon all them that forsake him So we fasted and soughte this at oure God and he herde us And I toke out twolue of the chefe prestes Serebia and Hasabia and ten of their brethren with them and weyed them there the syluer and golde and vessels for the Heue offeringe vnto the house of oure God which the kynge and the lordes of his councell and prynces and all Israel that were at hande had geuen to the Heue offerynge and there weyed I them vnder their hande sixe hundreth and fiftye talentes of syluer and in syluer vessell an hundreth talentes and in golde an hundreth talentes twentye cuppes of golde of a thousande guldens and two costly ornamentes of good brasse as cleare as golde and sayde vnto them Ye are holy vnto the LORDE therfore are the vessels holy also and so is the syluer and golde that is geuen of a good wyll vnto the LORDE God of youre fathers Watch ye therfore and kepe it tyll ye weye it downe before the chefe prestes and Leuites and awncient fathers of Israel at Ierusalem in the chestes of the house of the LORDE Then toke the prestes and Leuites that weyed syluer and golde vessell to brynge it to Ierusalem vnto y e house of oure God So we brake vp from the water of Ahena on the twolueth daye of the first moneth to go vnto Ierusalem and the hande of oure God was vpon us and delyuered us frō the hande of the enemies and preuy waytinges by the waye And we came to Ierusalem and abode there thre dayes But on y e fourth daye was the syluer and golde and vessell weyed in the house of oure God vnder the hande of Meremoth the sonne of Vrias the prest and with him Eleasar the sonne of Phineas and with them Iosabad the sonne of Iesua and Noadia y e sonne of Benui the Leuites acordinge to the nombre weight of euery one And the weight was all wrytten vp at the same tyme. And the children of the captiuyte which were come out of preson offred burnt offeringes vnto y e God of Israel twolue bullockes for all Israel sixe and nynetye rammes seuen and seuentye lambes and twolue goates for a syn offerynge all to the burnt offeringe of the LORDE And they delyuered the kynges commyssion vnto the kynges officers to the Debytes on this syde the water And they promoted the people and the house of God The IX Chapter WHan all this was perfourmed the rulers came to me and sayde The people of Israel and the prestes Leuites are not separated from the nacions in the londes as touchinge their abhominacions namely of the Cananites Hethites Pheresites Iebusites Ammonites Moabites Egipcians and Amorites For they haue taken the doughters of the same their sonnes and haue myxte the holy sede with y e nacions in the londes and the hande of the rulers and lordes of councell hath bene principall in this trespace Whan I herde this I rente my clothes and my rayment and plucte out the heer of my heade and of my beerd and sat mournynge And there resorted vnto me all soch as feared the worde of the LORDE God of Israel because of the greate transgression And I sat mournynge vntyll the euenynge sacrifyce And aboute the euenynge sacrifice I rose vp fro my heuynes and rente my clothes and my raiment and fell vpon my knees and spred out my handes vnto the LORDE my God and sayde My God I am ashamed and darre not lifte vp mine eies vnto the my God for oure wickednesses are growne ouer oure heade oure trespaces are waxen greate vnto y e heauē Sence the tyme of oure fathers haue we bene in greate trespace vnto this daie and because of oure wickednesses haue we and o r kynges bene delyuered in to the hande of y e kynges of the nacions in to the swerde in to captiuyte in to spoyle and in to confusion of face as it is come to passe this daye But now is there a litle and sodane graciousnes come from the LORDE oure God so that some of vs are escaped that he maie geue vs a nayle in his holy place that oure God maye lighte oure eyes and geue vs a litle lyfe in oure bondage For we are bondmen and o r God hath not forsakē vs though we be bondmen and hath enclyned mercy vnto vs in the sighte of the kynges of Persia that they shulde geue vs lyfe and promote the house of oure God and to sett vp the desolacion therof and to geue vs an hedge in Iuda and Ierusalem O oure God what shall we saye now after this that we haue forsaken thy commaundementes which thou hast commaunded by thy seruauntes the prophetes and saide The londe wherin ye shal come to possesse it is an vncleane londe thorow the fylthines of the people of the londes in their abhominacions wherwith they haue made it full of vnclennes on euery syde * Therfore shal ye not geue youre doughters vnto their sonnes and their doughters shall ye not take vnto youre sonnes and seke not their peace and welth for euer that ye maye be stronge and enioye the good in the londe and y t ye and youre children maye haue the inheritaunce of it for euermore And after all this that is come vpon vs because of oure euell dedes and greate trespace thou oure God hast spared oure wickednesses and hast geuen vs a delyueraunce as it is come to passe As for vs we haue turned backe haue let go thy commaundementes to make contracte with the people of these abhominacions Wilt thou then be wroth at vs tyll we be vtterly consumed so that nothynge remayne and tyll there be no delyueraunce O LORDE God of Israel thou art righteous for we remaine yet escaped as it is this daie Beholde in thy presence are we in oure trespace for because of it is there no stondinge before the. The X. Chapter ANd whan Eszdras prayed after this maner and knowleged wepte and laie before the house of God there resorted vnto him out of Israel a very greate congregacion of men and wemen and children for the people wepte very sore And Sachania the sonne of Iehiel one of the children of Elam answered and sayde vnto Eszdras We haue trespaced agaynst the LORDE oure God in that we haue taken straunge wyues of all the people of the londe Now there is hope yet in Israel cōcerninge this therfore let vs make a couenaūt now with oure God that we shal put awaye all the wyues and soch as are borne of them acordynge to the councell of y e LORDE and of them that feare the commaundement of oure God y t we maye do acordynge to the lawe Get the vp therfore for the matter belongeth vnto the. We wyll be with the be of good comforte and do it Then rose Eszdras and toke an ooth of the rulers prestes and Leuites and of all Israel that
they shulde do acordynge to this worde and they swore And Eszdras stode vp before the house of God and wente in to the chamber of Iohanan the sonne of Eliasab And whan he came thither he ate no bred and dranke no water for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had bene in captiuyte And they caused a proclamacion be made thorow out Iuda and Ierusalem vnto all the children which had bene in captiuite y t they shulde gather them selues together vnto Ierusalē And that who soeuer came not within thre dayes acordinge to the deuyce of the rulers and Elders all his substaunce shulde be forfett and he put out from the cōgregacion of the captiue Then all the men of Iuda and Ben Iamin gathered them selues together vnto Ierusalem in thre dayes y t is on the twentieth daye of the nyenth moneth and all the people sat in the strete before the house of God and trembled because of the matter and for the rayne And Eszdras y e prest stode vp and sayde vnto them Ye haue transgressed y t ye haue taken straunge wyues to make the trespace of Israel yet more confesse now therfore vnto y e LORDE God of youre fathers do his pleasure and separate youre selues from the people of the londe from y e straunge wyues Thē answered all the cōgregacion sayde with loude voyce Let it be done as thou hast sayde But the people are many it is a raynye wether they cānot stōde here without nether is this a worke of one daye or two for we are many y t haue offended in this transgression Let vs appoynte oure rulers therfore in all the congregacion y t all they which haue taken straunge wyues in oure cities maye come at the tyme appoynted and the Elders of euery cite and their Iudges with them tyll the wrath of oure God because of this matter be turned awaye from vs. Then were appoynted Ionathan the sonne of Asahel Iehasia the sonne of Thecua ouer this matter And Mesullam and Sabthai the Leuites helped them And the children of the captiuyte dyd euen so And Eszdras the prest and y e awncient fathers thorow the house of their fathers and all that were now rehearsed by name separated thē selues and sat them downe on the first daye of the tenth moneth to examē this matter And on y e first daye of y e first moneth broughte they the matter to a conclusion concernynge all the men y t had takē straunge wyues And amōge the childrē of the prestes there were men founde y t had takē straunge wyues namely amōge the children of Iesua the sonne of Iosedec of his brethrē Maeseia Elieser Iarib and Godolia And they gaue their hādes there vpon that they wolde put awaye their wyues for their trespace offerynge to geue a rāme for their trespace Amōge the children of Immer Hanani Sabadia Amonge the childrē of Harim Maeseia Elia Semaia Iehiel and Vsia Amonge y e children of Pashur Elioenai Maeseia Ismael Nethaneel Iosabad Eleasa Amonge the Leuites Iosabad Simei and Celaia He is that Celita Pethahia Iuda Eleasar Amonge the syngers Elyasib Amonge the porters Sallum Telem and Vri. Of Israel Amonge the children of Pareos Ramia Iesia Malchia Meiamin Eleasar Malchia Benaia Amonge y e children of Elam Mathania Zachary Iehiel Abdy Ieremoth Elia. Amonge the children of Sathu Elioenai Eliasib Mathania Ieremoth Sabad Asisa Amonge the children of Bebai Iohanan Hanania Sabai Athlai Amonge the children of Bani Mesullam Malluch Adaia Iasub Seal and Ieremoth Amonge the children of Pahath Moab Adna Chelal Benaia Maesea Mathania Bezaleel Benui and Manasse Amonge the children of Harim Elieser Iesia Malchia Semaia Simeon Bē Iamin Malluch Samaria Amonge the childrē of Hasum Mathnai Mathatha Sabad Eliphelet Ieremai Manasse Simei Amōge the childrē of Bani Maedai Amram Huel Benaia Bedia Chelui Naia Meremoth Eliasib Mathania Mathnai Iaesau Bani Benui Simei Selemia Nathan Adaia Machnadbai Sasai Sarai Afareel Selemia Samaria Sallum Amaria Ioseph Amonge the childrē of Nebo Ieiel Mathithia Sabad Sebina Iaddai Ioel and Benaia All these had taken straunge wyues And amonge the same wyues there were some that had borne children The ende of the first boke of Eszdras The seconde boke of Esdras otherwyse called the boke of Nehemias What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Nehemias mourneth for the captiuyte of the people Chap. II. Nehemias optayneth licence of the kynge Artaxerses otherwyse called Arthasastha to go vnto Ierusalem Chap. III. Of buyldinge the cite Chap. IIII. The officers go aboute to hynder the buyldinge The Iewes watch prepayre thē selues to buylde and to fighte Chap. V. Nehemias reproueth vsury Chap. VI. The officers go aboute to kyll Nehemias Chap. VII The nombre of them that departe from Babilon Chap. VIII In the feast of the Tabernacles readeth Eszdras the boke of the lawe Chap. IX The lawe is red before the people which are exhorted vnto godlynesse Chap. X. They renue the couenaunt with the LORDE and seale it Chap. XI How the people are sundered out some to dwell at Ierusalem and some in the cities without Chap. XII The names of the prestes and Leuites that wente vp with Zorobabel Of the dedicacion of the wall at Ierusalem Chap. XIII They separate the straungers from amonge the people of God The porcion of the Leuites is appoynted and the Sabbath renued The first Chapter THese are the actes of Nehemias the sonne of Hachalia It fortuned in y e moneth Chisleu in y e twētieth yeare that I was in the castell at Susan and Hanani one of my brethren came with certayne mē of Iuda and I axed them how the Iewes dyd that were delyuered and escaped from the captiuyte how it wente at Ierusalē And they sayde vnto me The remnaunt of the captiuyte are there in the londe in greate mysfortune rebuke The walles of Ierusalem are broken downe and the portes therof are brent with fyre Whā I herde these wordes I sat me downe wepte mourned two dayes fasted prayed before the God of heauen sayde O LORDE God of heauen thou greate terrible God thou y t kepest couenaunt mercy for them y t loue the obserue thy cōmaundementes let y e eares marke let thine eies be open y t thou mayest heare the prayer of y e seruaunt ▪ which I praye now before y e daye and nighte for the children of Israel thy seruauntes knowlege the synnes of the children of Israel which we haue commytted agaynst the. And I my fathers house haue synned also We haue bene corrupte vnto the in y t we haue not kepte the cōmaundementes statutes lawes which thou cōmaundedst y e seruaunt Moses Yet call to remembraunce y e worde that thou cōmaundedst thy seruaunt Moses and saydest Yf ye trāsgresse then wil I scater you abrode amonge the naciōs But yf ye turne vnto me and kepe my
grounde And Iesua Bani Serebia Iamin Acub Sabthai Hodaia Maescia Celita Asaria Iosabad Hanam Plaia and the Leuites caused y e people to geue hede vnto the lawe the people stode in their place And they red in the boke of the lawe of God distinctly and planely so that men vnderstode the thinge that was red And Nehemias which is Hathirsatha and Esdras the prest and scrybe and the Leuites y t caused the people to take hede sayde vnto all the people This daye is holy vnto the LORDE youre God be not ye sory therfore wepe not For all y e people wepte whaÌ„ they herde the wordes of the lawe Therfore sayde he vnto them * Go youre waye and eate the fat and drynke the swete and sende parte vnto them also that haue not prepared themselues for this daye is holy vnto oure LORDE be not ye sory therfore for the ioye of the LORDE is youre strength And the Leuites stylled all the people and sayde Holde youre peace for the daye is holy vexe not ye youre selues And all the people wente their waye to eate and drinke and to sende paâ—te vnto other and to make greate myrth for they had vnderstonde the wordes that were declared vnto them And on the nexte daye were gathered together the chefe fathers amonge all the people and the prestes and Leuites vnto Esdras the scrybe that he shulde teach them y e wordes of the lawe And they founde written in the lawe how that the LORDE had commaunded by Moses that the childreÌ„ of Israel shulde dwell in bothes in the feast of the seuenth moneth And so they caused it be declared and proclamed in all their cities at Ierusalem sayenge Go vp vnto y e mouÌ„t and fetch Olyue braunches Pynebraunches Myrtbraunches Palmebraunches braunches of thicketrees to make bothes as it is wrytten And y e people wente vp and fetched theÌ„ and made them bothes euery one vpon the rofe of his house and in their courtes and in the courtes of the house of God and in the strete by the Watergate and in the strete by Ephraims porte And all the congregacion of them that were come agayne out of the captyuite made bothes and dwelt therin for sence the tyme of Iosua the sonne of NuÌ„ vnto this daye had not the children of Israel done so and there was very greate gladnesse And euery daye from the first daie vnto the last red he in the boke of the lawe of God And seuen dayes helde they the feast on the eight daye the gatherynge together acordynge vnto the maner The IX Chapter IN the foure and twentieth daye of this moneth came the children of Israel together with fastinge and sack clothes and earth vpon them and separated the sede of Israel from all the straunge children and stode and knowleged their synnes and the wyckednesses of their fathers and stode vp in their place and red in the boke of the lawe of the LORDE their God foure tymes on the daye and they knowleged and worshipped the LORDE their God foure tymes on the daye And the Leuites stode on hye namely Iesua Bani Cadmiel Sebania Buni Serebia Bani and Chenani and cryed loude vnto the LORDE their God And the Leuites Iesua Cadmiel Bani Hasabenia Serebia Hodia Sebania Pethahia sayde Stonde vp prayse the LORDE oure God for euer and let thankes be geueÌ„ vnto the name of thy glorye which excelleth all thankesgeuynge and prayse LORDE thou art alone thou hast made heauen and the heauen of all heauens with all their hoost the earth and all that therin is the See and all that is therin thou geuest life vnto all and y e hoost of heauen bowe themselues vnto the. Thou art the LORDE God that hast chosen AbraÌ„ and broughte him out of Vr in Chaldea called him Abraham and founde his hert faithfull before the and madest a couenauÌ„t with him to geue vnto his sede the londe of the Cananites Hethites Amorites Pheresites Iebusites and Girgosites and hast made good thy wordes for thou art righteous And hast considered the mysery of oure fathers in Egipte and herde their complainte by the reed See and shewed tokeÌ„s and wonders vpoÌ„ Pharao and on all his seruauÌ„tes and on all his people of his londe for thou knewest y t they were presumptuous cruell against them so madest thou the a name as it is this daie And the reed See partedst thou in sunder before them so that they weÌ„te thorow the myddes of the See drye shod their persecuters threwest thou in to the depe as a stone in the mightie waters and leddest them on the daye tyme in a cloudy pyler and on the nighte season in a piler of fyre to shewe them lighte in the waye y t they wente Thou camest downe also vpoÌ„ mount Sinai and spakest vnto them from heauen and gauest them righte iudgmentes true lawes good commaundementes and statutes and declared vnto them thy holy Sabbath and commaunded them preceptes ordinaunces and lawes by Moses thy seruaunt and gauest them bred from heauen whan they were hongrye and broughte forth water for them out of the rock whan they were thyrstye and promysed them that they shulde go in and take possession of the londe where ouer thou haddest lyfte vp thine hande for to geue them Neuertheles oure fathers were proude and hardnecked so that they folowed not y e coÌ„maundementes and refused to heare and were not myndefull of the wonders y t thou dyddest for them but became obstynate and heady in so moch that they turned back to their bondage in their dishobedience But thou my God forgauest and wast gracious mercifull pacient and of greate goodnesse and forsokest them not And though they made a molten calfe and sayde This is thy God that broughte the out of the londe of Egipte and dyd greate blasphemies yet for sokest thou them not in the wyldernes acordinge to thy greate mercy And y e cloudy piler departed not from them on y e daye tyme to lede them the waye nether the piler of fyre in the night season to shewe them lighte in the waye that they wente And thou gauest them thy good sprete to enfourme them and withheldest not thy Manna from their mouth and gauest theÌ„ water whaÌ„ they were thirstie Fortye yeares longe madest thou prouysion for them in the wyldernesse so that they wanted nothinge their clothes waxed not olde and their fete swelled not And thou gauest theÌ„ kiÌ„gdomes nacions partedst theÌ„ acordinge to their porcions so that they possessed the londe of Sihon kynge of Heszbon the londe of Og y e kynge of Basan And their childreÌ„ multiplyedst thou as the starres of heauen and broughtest theÌ„ in to the londe wherof thou haddest spoken vnto their fathers that they shulde go in to it and haue it in possession And y e children wente in and possessed the londe and thou subdudest before theÌ„ the
inhabiters of the londe euen the Cananites gauest them in to their hande and their kynges and y e people of the londe y t they might do with them what they wolde And they wanne their stronge cities a fat londe and toke possession of houses y t were full of all maner goodes welles dygged out vynyardes oylgardens many frutefull trees and they ate were fylled became fat lyued in welth thorow thy greate goodnes Neuertheles they were disobedient and rebelled agaynst the and cast thy lawe behynde their backes and slewe thy prophetes which exhorted them so earnestly that they shulde cōuerte vnto the and dyd greate blasphemies Therfore gauest thou them ouer in to the hāde of their enemies that vexed them And in y e tyme of their trouble they cried vnto the and thou hardest them from heauen and thorow thy greate mercy thou gauest them sauiours which helped thē out of the hande of their enemies But whan they came to rest they turned back agayne to do euell before the therfore leftest thou them in the hande of their enemies so y t they had y e dominion ouer them So they cōuerted and cryed vnto the and thou herdest them from heauen and many a tyme hast thou delyuered them acordinge to y e greate mercy and testified vnto them that they shulde turne agayne vnto thy lawe Notwithstōdinge they were proude and herkened not vnto thy cōmaundementes but synned in thy lawes which a man shulde do lyue in them turned their shulder awaye were styffnecked wolde not heare And many yeares dyddest thou forbeare them testified vnto them thorow y e sprete euen by the office of y e prophetes yet wolde they not heare Therfore gauest thou thē in to y e hāde of y e nacions in the londes But for thy greate mercies sake thou hast not vtterly cōsumed them nether forsaken them for thou art a gracious and mercifull God Now oure God thou greate God mightie and terrible thou that kepest couenaunt and mercy regarde not a litle all the trauayle y t hath happened vnto vs oure kynges prynces prestes prophetes fathers all thy people sence the tyme of the kynges of Assur vnto this daie Thou art righteous in all y t thou hast broughte vpō vs for thou hast done righte As for vs we haue bene vngodly and o r kynges prynces prestes fathers haue not done after y e lawe ner regarded y e cōmaundementes thy earnest exhortaciōs wherwith thou hast exhorted them haue not serued y e in their kyngdome and in thy greate goodes y t thou gauest them and in the large and plenteous lōde which thou gauest them to good and haue not conuerted from their wicked workes Beholde therfore are we in bondage this daye Yee euen in the lōde that thou gauest vnto oure fathers to enioye the frutes and goodes therof beholde there are we bondmen And greate is the increase of it vnto the kynges whom thou hast set ouer vs because of oure synnes and they haue dominion ouer oure bodies and catell and we are in greate trouble And in all this made we a sure couenaunt wrote it let o r prynces Leuites prestes seale it The X. Chapter THe sealers were Nehemias that is Hathirsatha the sonne of Hachalia and Sedechias Seraia Asaria Ieremy Pashur Amaria Malchia Hattus Sebania Malluch Harim Meremoth Obadia Daniel Sinthun Baruch Mesullam Abia Meiamin Maasga Bilgai and Semaia these were prestes The Leuites were Iesua y e sonne of Asania Binui amonge the childrē of Henadad Cadmiel And their brethren Sechania Hodia Celita Plaia Hauan Micha Rehob Hasabia Sachur Serebia Sebania Hodia Bani and Beninu The heades of the people were Pareos Pahath Moab Elam Sathu Bani Buni Asgad Sebai Adonia Bigenai Adiu Ater Hezechias Asur Hodia Hasum Bezai Hariph Anathot Neubai Magpias Mesullam Hesir Mesesabeel Sadoc Iaddua Platia Hanan Anaia Hoseia Hanania Hasub Halohes Pilha Sobek Rehum Hasabna Maeseia Ahia Hanan Anan Malluch Harim and Baena And the other people the prestes Leuites Porters syngers Nethinims all they that had separated them selues from y e people in the lōdes vnto the lawe of God with their wyues sonnes and daughters as many as coulde vnderstonde it and their lordes that had rule of them receaued it for their brethren And they came to sweare and to bynde them selues with an ooth to walke in Gods lawe which was geuen by Moses the seruaunt of God that they wolde obserue and do acordinge vnto all the commaundementes iudgmentes and statutes of the LORDE oure God and that we wolde not geue oure doughters vnto the people in the lōde nether to take their doughters for oure sonnes And yf y e people of the lōde broughte ware on the Sabbath and all maner of vytayles to sell that we wolde not take it of them on the Sabbath and on the holy dayes And that we wolde let the seuēth yeare be fre concernynge all maner of charge And we layed a statute vpon oure selues to geue yearly y e thirde parte of a Sycle to the mynistracion in the house of oure God namely to the shewbred to the daylie meat-offerynge to the daylie burnt offerynge of y e Sabbathes of the new mones and feast dayes and to the thinges that were sanctified and to the syn offerynges to reconcyle Israel with all and to all the busynes in y e house of oure God And we cast the lot amonge the prestes Leuites and the people for offerynge of y e wod to be brought vnto y e house of o r God from yeare to yeare after the houses of oure fathers that it might be brent at tymes appoynted vpon the altare of the LORDE oure God as it is wrytten in the lawe and yearly to brynge the firstlinges of o r londe the firstlinges of oure frutes of all trees yeare by yeare vnto y e house of the LORDE and the firstlinges of oure sonnes and of oure catell as it is wrytten in the lawe and the firstlinges of oure oxen and of oure shepe that we shulde brynge all this to the house of oure God vnto the prestes that mynister in the house of oure God and that we shulde brynge the firstlinges of oure dowe and of oure Heue offeringes and the frutes of all maner trees of wyne also and of oyle vnto the prestes to the chestes of the house of oure God And the tithes of o lōde vnto the Leuites y t the Leuites might haue the tithes in all the cities of oure mynistracion And the prest the sonne of Aaron shal w t the Leuites haue also of the tithes of y e Leuites so that the Leuites shal brynge vp the tithes of their tithes vnto the house of oure God to the chest in y e treasure house For the children of Israel and the children of Leui shall brynge vp the Heue offerynges of the corne wyne and oyle vnto the chestes there are the vessels of
that maried wyues of Asdod Ammon and of Moab and their children spake halfe in the speache of Asdod and coulde not speake in y e Iewish language but by y e tonge mighte a mā perceaue euery people And I reproued them and cursed them smote certayne men of thē and plucte them vp and toke an ooth of them by God Ye shal not geue youre daughters vnto their sonnes nether shal ye take their daughters vnto youre sonnes or for youre selues Dyd not Salomon y e kynge of Israel synne ther in yet amonge many Heythen was there no kynge like him he was deare vnto his God and God made him kynge ouer all Israel and the outlandish wemen And one of the children of Ioiada the sonne of Eliasib y e hye prest had made a cōtracte wyth Saneballath the Horonite but I chaced him fro me O my God thynke thou vpon them that are quyte of the presthode and haue desyled the couenaunt of the presthode and of the Leuites Thus clensed I them from all soch as were outlandish and appoynted the courses of the prestes and Leuites euery one to his office and to offre the wod at tymes appoynted and the first frutes Thynke thou vpon me O my God for the best The ende of the seconde boke of Eszdras otherwyse called the boke of Nehemias The boke of Hester What this boke conteyneth Chap. I. Ahasuerus maketh a greate feast to his lordes and prynces calleth for Vasthi the quene she commeth not therfore is she deposed from the kyngdome Chap. II. Amonge the daughters Hester pleaseth the kynge Mardocheus geueth the kynge warnynge of his harme Chap. III. Amā is greate with the kynge hateth Mardocheus that wil not worshippe him and cōmaundeth to slaye all the Iewes Chap. IIII. Greate heuynes amonge the Iewes Chap. V. Hester cōmeth before the kynge and byddeth him and Aman to a feast Aman maketh a galowe for Mardocheus Chap. VI. Mardocheus is recompensed for his frendshippe shewed vnto the kynge Chap. VII Hester prayeth for hir people Aman is hanged on the galowe that he had prepared for Mardocheus Chap. VIII The kynge geueth Amās house vnto the quene and at hir request he causeth Amās wrytinges to be called agayne Chap. IX Amans sonnes are hanged also and many enemyes slayne The Iewes kepe a ioyfull feast Chap. X. Of the auctorite of Mardocheus vnder the kynge The first Chapter IN the tyme of Ahasuerus which reigned from India vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundreth and seuen and twentye londes what tyme as he sat on his seate roiall in the castell of Susan in the thirde yeare of his reigne he made a feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes namely vnto the mihgtie men of Persia and Media to the Debities and rulers of his countrees that he mighte shewe the noble riches of his kingdome and the glorious worshippe of his greatnesse many dayes longe euen an hundreth and foure score dayes And whan these dayes were expyred the kynge made a feast vnto all the people that were in the castell of Susan both vnto greate and small seuen dayes longe in the courte of the garden by the kynges palace where there hanged whyte reed yalow clothes fastened with coardes of lynnen and scarlet in siluer rynges vpon pylers of Marble stone The benches were of golde and siluer made vpon a pauement of grene white yalow◠and black Marble And y e drinke was caried in vessels of golde and there was euer chaunge of vessell And the kinges wine was moch acordynge to the power of the kynge And no man was appoynted what he shulde drinke for the kynge had commaunded all the officers of his house that euery one shulde do as it lyked him And the quene Vasthi made a feast also for the wemen in the palace of Ahasuerus And on the seuenth daye whan the kynge was mery of the wine he cōmaunded Mehuman Bistha Harbona Bigtha Abagtha Sethar and Charcas the seuen chamberlaynes that dyd seruyce in the presence of kynge Ahasuerus to fetch the quene Vasthi with the crowne regall that he might shewe y e people and prynces hir fairnesse for she was bewtifull But the quene Vasthi wolde not come at the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes Then was the kynge very wroth and his indignaciō kyndled in him And the kynge spake to y e wyse men that had vnderstondinge in the ordinaunces of the londe for the kinges matters must be hādled before all soch as haue knowlege of the lawe and iudgment And the nexte vnto him were Charsena Sethar Admatha Tharsis Meres Marsena and Memuchan the seuen prynces of the Persiās and Meedes which sawe the kynges face and satt aboue in the kyngdome What lawe shulde be execute vpon the quene Vasthi because she dyd not acordynge to the worde of the kynge by his chamberlaines Thē saide Memuchā before the kynge the prynces The quene Vasthi hath not onely done euell agaynst the kinge but also agaynst all the prynces and all the people in all the londes of kynge Ahasuerus for this dede of the quene shall come abrode vnto all wemen so that they shall despyse their huszbandes before their eyes and shall saye The kynge Ahasuers cōmaunded Vasthi y e quene to come before him but she wolde not And so shall the pryncesses in Persia and Media saye lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces whan they heare of this dede of the quene thus shall there aryse despytefulnes and wrath ynough Yf it please the kynge let there go a kyngly commaundemēt from him and let it be wrytten acordynge to the lawe of the Persians and Median◠and not to be transgressed that Vasthi come nomore before kynge Ahasuerus and let the kynge geue the kyngdome vnto another that is better then she And y t this wrytinge of the kynge which shal be made be published thorow out all his empyre which is greate that all wyues maye holde their huszbandes in honoure both amonge greate and smal This pleased the kynge and the prynces and the kynge dyd acordynge to the worde of Memuchan Then were there letters sent forth in to all the kynges londes in to euery londe acordinge to the wrytinge ther of and to euery people after their lāguage y t euery man shulde be lorde in his awne house And this caused he be spoken after the language of his people The II Chapter AFter these actes whan the displeasure of kynge Ahasuerus was layed he thoughte vpon Vasthi what she had done and what was concluded concernynge her Then sayde the kynges seruauntes Let there be fayre yonge virgins soughte for the kynge and let the kynge appoynte ouerseers in all y e londes of his empyre that they maye brynge together all fayre yonge virgins vnto the castel of Susan to the Wemens buyldinge vnder the hande of Hegai the kynges clamberlayne that kepeth the wemen and let him geue them their apparell And loke which damsell pleaseth the kynge let her be quene in Vasthis steade This
suertye for a straunger hurteth himself but he that medleth not with suerteshippe is sure A gracious womā manteyneth honestie as for the mightie they manteyne ryches He y t hath a gentle liberall stomacke is mercifull but who so hurteth his neghbo r is a tyraūt The laboure of the vngodly prospereth not but he that soweth rightuosnes shal receaue a sure rewarde Like as rightuousnes bryngeth life euē so to cleue vnto euell bryngeth death The LORDE abhorreth a fayned hert but he hath pleasure in them that are vndefyled It shal not helpe y e wicked though they laye all their hondes together but the sede of the rightuous shal be preserued A fayre woman without discrete maners is like a rynge of golde in a swynes snoute The iust laboure for peace and trāquylite but the vngodly for disquyetnesse Some man geueth out his goodes and is the richer but y e nygarde hauynge ynough wil departe from nothinge and yet is euer in pouerte He that is lyberall in geuynge shal haue plenty and he that watereth shal be watered also himself Who so hoordeth vp his corne shal be cursed amonge the people but blessynge shal light vpon his heade that selleth it He that laboureth for honesty fyndeth his desyre but who so seketh after myschefe it shal happē vnto him He that trusteth in his riches shal haue a fall but y e rightuous shal florish as the grene leaf Who so maketh disquyetnesse in his owne house he shal haue wynde for his heretage and the foole shal be seruaunt to the wyse The frute of the rightuous is as the tre of life a wyse man also wynneth mens soules Yf y e rightuous be recōpēsed vpō earth how moch more thē the vngodly y e synner ▪ The XII Chapter Who so loueth wyszdome wil be content to be refourmed but he that hateth to be reproued is a foole A good man is acceptable vnto the LORDE but y e wicked wyl he condempne A man cā not endure in vngodlynesse but y e rote of y e righteous shal not be moued A stedfast woman is a crowne vnto hir huszbonde but she that behaueth herself vnhonestly is a corrupcion in his bones The thoughtes of y e righteous are right but the ymaginacion of the vngodly are disceatfull The talkynge of the vngodly is how they maye laye wayte for bloude but the mouth of y e righteous wil delyuer them Or euer thou canst turne the aboute the vngodly shal be ouerthrowne but the house of the righteous shal stōde A man shal be commended for his wyszdome but a foole shal be despysed A simple man which laboureth and worketh is better thē one that is gorgious and wanteth bred A righteous man regardeth the life of his catell but the vngodly haue cruell hertes He that tilleth his lōde shal haue plenteousnesse of bred but he y t foloweth ydylnes is a very foole The desyre of y e vngodly hunteth after myschefe but the rote of the righteous bryngeth forth frute The wicked falleth in to the snare thorow y e malyce of his owne mouth but the iust shal escape out of parell Euery man shal enioye good acordinge to the innocency of his mouth and after the workes of his hādes shal he be rewarded Loke what a foole taketh in honde he thinketh it well done but he that is wyse wyl be coūceled A foole vttereth his wrath in all the haist but a discrete man forgeueth wronge A iust man will tell the trueth shewe the thinge y t is right but a false wytnesse disceaueth A slaunderous personne pricketh like a swerde but a wyse mans tonge is wholsome A true mouth is euer constāt but a dyssemblinge tōge is soone chaunged They that ymagin euell in their mynde wil disceaue but the councelers of peace shal heaue ioye folowinge thē There shal no mysfortune happen vnto the iust but the vngodly shal be fylled with misery The LORDE abhorreth disceatfull lippes but they that laboure for treuth please him He that hath vnderstōdinge can hyde his wysdome but an vndiscrete herte telleth out his foolishnesse A diligēt hande shal beare rule but the ydle shal be vnder tribute Heuynesse discorageth y e herte of man but a good worde maketh it glad agayne The righteous is liberall vnto his neghboure but the waye of the vngodly wil disceaue them selues A disceatfull man shal fynde no vaūtage but he that is content w t that he hath is more worth thē golde In the waye of righteousnesse there is life as for eny other waye it is the path vnto death The XIII Chapter A Wyse sonne wyll receaue his fathers warnynge but he y t is scornefull wyll not heare when he is reproued A good mā shal enioye the frute of his mouth but he that hath a frowarde mynde shal be spoyled He that kepeth his mouth kepeth his life but who so speaketh vnaduysed fyndeth harme The slogarde wolde fayne haue and can not get his desyre but the soule of the diligent shal haue plenty A righteous man abhorreth lyes but the vngodly shameth both other and himself Righteousnesse kepeth the innocēt in the waye but vngodlynesse shal ouerthrowe the synner Some men are riche though they haue nothinge agayne some mē are poore hauynge greate riches With goodes euery man delyuereth his life and the poore wyl not be reproued The light of the righteous maketh ioyfull but the candle of the vngodly shal be put out Amonge the proude there is euer strife but amonge those that do all thinges with aduysement there is wyszdome Hastely gottē goodes are soone spent but they that be gathered together with the hande shal increase Longe tarienge for a thinge that is dyfferred greueth y e herte but when the desyre commeth it is a tre of life Who so despyseth the worde destroyeth himself but he that feareth the cōmaundement shal haue peace The lawe is a wel of life vnto the wyse that it maye kepe him from the snares of death Good vnderstondinge geueth fauoure but harde is the waye of the despysers A wyse man doth all thinges with discrecion but a foole wil declare his foly An vngodly messaūger bryngeth myschefe but a faithfull embassitoure is wholsome He that thinketh scorne to be refourmed commeth to pouerte and shame but who so receaueth correccion shal come to honoure When a desyre is brought to passe it delyteth the soule but fooles abhorre him that eschueth euell He that goeth in the company of wyse men shal be wyse but who so is a cōpanyō of fooles shal be hurte Myschefe foloweth vpon synners but the rightuous shal haue a good rewarde Which their childers childrē shal haue in possessiō for the riches of the synner is layed vp for y e iust There is plenteousnesse of fode in the feldes of the poore shal be increased out of measure He that spareth the rodde hateth his sonne but who so loueth him holdeth him euer in nurtoure The
For whose pleasure do I thus consume awaye my lyfe This is also a vayne and miserable thinge Therfore two are better then one for they maye well enioye the profit of their laboure Yf one of them fall his companyon helpeth him vp againe But wo is him that is alone for yf he fall he hath not another to helpe him vp Agayne when two slepe together they are warme but how can a body be warme alone One maye be ouercome but two maye make resistauÌ„ce A thre folde cable is not lightly broken A poore childe beynge wyse is better then an olde kinge that doteth and can not bewarre in tyme to come Some one commeth out of preson is made a kynge another which is borne in the kyngdome commeth vnto pouerte And I perceaued y t all men lyuynge vnder the Sonne go w t the seconde childe that commeth vp in the steade of the other As for the people that haue bene before him and that come after him they are innumerable yet is not their ioye the greater thorow him This is also a vayne thinge and a vexacion of mynde Whan thou commest in to the house of God kepe thy fote and drawe nye that thou mayest heare that is better then the offeringes of fooles for they knowe not what euell they do The V. Chapter BE not hastie with thy mouth let not thine hert speake eny thiÌ„ge rashly before God For God is in heauen thou vpon earth therfore let thy wordes be fewe For where moch carefulnesse is there are many dreames where many wordes are there men maye heare fooles Yf thou make a vowe vnto God be not slacke to perfourme it As for foolish vowes he hath no pleasure in them Yf thou promyse eny thinge paye it for better it is that thou make no vowe then that thou shuldest promise and not paye Vse not thy mouth to cause y e flesh for to synne y t thou saye not before the angell my foolishnesse is in y e faute For theÌ„ God wil be angrie at thy voyce and destroye all y e workes of thine handes And why where as are many dreames many wordes there are also dyuerse vanities but loke y t thou feare God Yf thou seyst the poore to be oppressed and wrongeously dealt withall so y e equite the right of the lawe is wraisted in the londe maruell not thou at soch iudgmeÌ„t for one greate maÌ„ kepeth touch with another and the mightie helpe theÌ„ selues together The whole londe also with the feldes and all that is therin is in subieccion and bondage vnto y e kinge He that loueth money wil neuer be satisfied with money and who so delyteth in riches shal haue no profit therof Is not this also a vayne thinge â–ª Where as many riches are there are many also that spende them awaye And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth them sauynge that he maye loke vpon them with his eyes A labouringe man slepeth swetely whether it be litle or moch that he eateth but the abundaunce of the riche wil not suffre him to slepe Yet is there a sore plage which I haue sene vnder the Sonne namely riches kepte to the hurte of him y t hath them in possession For oft times they perishe with his greate mâ—sery and trouble and yf he haue a childe it getteth nothinge Like as he came naked out of his mothers wombe so goeth he thither agayne and carieth nothinge awaye with him of all his laboure This is a miserable plage y t he shal go awaye euen as he came What helpeth it him then y t he hath labored in the wynde All the daies of his life also must he eate in the darcke with greate carefulnesse sicknesse sorow Therfore me thinke it a better and a fayrer thinge a man to eate and drynke and to be refreshed of all his laboure y t he taketh vnder the Sonne all the dayes of his life which God geueth him for this is his porcion For vnto whom so euer God geueth riches goodes and power he geueth it him to enioye it to take it for his porcion and to be refreshed of his laboure this is now the gifte of God For he thinketh not moch how longe he shal lyue for so moch as God fylleth his hert with gladnesse The VI. Chapter THere is yet a plage vnder y e Sonne it is a generall thinge amonge meÌ„ when God geueth a man riches goodes honoure so that he wanteth nothinge of all that his herte can desyre and yet God geueth him not leue to enioye the same but another man speÌ„deth them This is a vayne thinge a miserable plage Yf a man begett an hundreth children and lyue many yeares so that his dayes are many in nombre and yet can not enioye his good nether be buried as for him I saye that an vntymely byrth is better then he For he coÌ„meth to naught goeth his waye in to darcknes and his name is forgotten Morouer he seyth not the Sonne and knoweth of no rest nether here ner there Yee though he lyued two thousande yeares yet hath he no good life Come not all to one place All the laboure that a man taketh is for himself and yet his desyre is neuer fylled after his mynde For what hath the wyse more then the foole What helpeth it the poore that he knoweth to walke before the lyuynge The sight of the eyes is better then that the soule shulde so departe awaye Howbeit this is also a vayne thinge and a disquietnesse of mynde What is more excellent then man yet can he not in the lawe get the victory of him that is mightier theÌ„ he A vayne thinge is it to cast out many wordes but what hath a man els The VII Chapter FOr who knoweth what is good for man lyuynge in y e dayes of his vayne life which is but a shadowe Or â–ª who wil tell a man what shal happen after him vnder the Sonne A good name is more worth then a precious oyntment and the daye of death is better theÌ„ y e daye of byrth It is better to go in to an house of mournynge then in to a bancket house For there is the ende of all men and he that is lyuinge taketh it to herte It is better to be sory then to laugh for wheÌ„ the countenaunce is heuy the herte is ioyfull The herte of y e wyse is in the mournynge house but the hert of the foolish is in the house of myrth It is better to geue eare to the chastenynge of a wyse man then to heare the songe of fooles For the laughinge of fooles is like y e crackynge of thornes vnder a pott And y t is but a vayne thinge Who so doeth wronge maketh a wyse man to go out of his witt and destroyeth a gentle hert The ende of a thinge is better then the begynnynge The pacient of sprete is better then the hie mynded
to be an abhominacion curse and synne like as it hath happened vnto oure fathers also because of all their wickednesse and departynge from the. O Israel heare the commaundementes of life pondre them well with thine eares that thou mayest lerne wysdome But how happeneth it Israel that thou art in thyne enemies lōde thou art waxen olde in a straūge countre and defyled with the deed Why art thou become like them that go downe to their graues Euē because thou hast forsaken the well of wysdome For yf thou haddest walked in the waye of God truly thou shuldest haue remayned still safe ī thine owne londe O lerne then where discrecion is where vertu is where vnderstōdinge is that thou mayest knowe also frō whence cōmeth longe life a necessary lyuynge the light of the eyes quyetnes Who euer foūde out hir place or who came euer in to hir treasures Where are y e prynces of the Heithen become and soch as ruled the beestes vpon the earth They that had their pastyme with the foules of the ayre they that hoorded vp syluer and golde wherin men trust so moch and made no ende of their gatheringe What is worth of them that coyned siluer and were so carefull and coude not bringe their workes to passe They be roted out and gone downe to hell and other men are come vp in their steade Yonge men haue sene light and dwelt vpon earth but the waye of reformacion haue they not knowne ner vnderstonde the pathes therof nether haue their children receaued it yee right farre is it frō thē It hath not bene herde of in the lōde of Canaan nether hath it bene sene at Theman The Agarenes sought after wisdome but that which is earthly like as the marchauntes of the lōde do They of Theman are connynge also they laboure for wisdome vnderstondinge but y e waye of true wisdome they knowe not nether do they thynke vpon the pathes therof O Israel how greate is the house of God and how large is the place of his possession Greate is he and hath none ende hye and vnmeasurable What is become of those famouse giauntes that were so greate of bodyes and so worthy men of warre Those had not the LORDE chosen nether haue they founde the waye of reformacion therfore were they destroyed and for so moch as they had no wisdome they perished because of their foolishnesse Who hath gone vp in to heauen to take wisdome there brought her downe frō the cloudes Who hath gone ouer the see to fynde her hath chosen her aboue golde and so brought her hither No man knoweth the wayes of wisdome nether is there eny y t can seke out hir pathes But he that woteth all thynges knoweth her he hath founde her out with his foreknowlege This same is he which prepared the earth at the begynnynge fylled it with all maner of foules beestes When he sendeth out the light it goeth whē he calleth it agayne it obeyeth hī w t feare The starres kepe their watch geue their light yee and y t gladly When he calleth them they saye here we be And so with chearfulnes they shewe light vnto him y t made thē This is oure God ād there shall none other be cōpared vnto him It is he y t hath founde out all wisdome and hath geuen her vnto Iacob his seruaunt to Israel his beloued Afterwarde dyd he shewe himself vpon earth and dwelt amonge men The IIII. Chapter THis is the boke off the commaundemētes of God and the lawe y e endureth for euer All they y t kepe it shall come to life but soch as forsake it shall come to death Turne the o Iacob and take holde of it walke by this waye thorow his brightnesse and shyne Geue not thyne honoure to another and thy worshipe to a straunge people O Israel how happie are we seīge that God hath shewed vs soch thynges as are pleasaūt vnto him Be of good cheare thou people of God o thou awnciēt Israel Now are ye solde amonge the Heithen howbeit not for youre vtter destruccion but because ye prouoked God the LORDE to wrath and displeasure therfore were ye delyuered vnto vnto youre enemies For ye displeased the euerlastinge God that made you offerynge vnto deuels and not God Ye haue forgottē him that brought you vp ād youre nurse haue ye greued o. Ierusalem When she sawe that the wrath off God was commynge vpon you she sayde Herkē o ye that dwell aboute Sion for God hath brought me into greate heuynesse ād why I se the captyuyte of my people of my sonnes and doughters which the euerlastynge God will brynge vpon them With ioye dyd I norish them but now must I leaue them with wepynge and sorow Let no man reioyce ouer me wyddowe ād forsaken which for the synnes off my children am desolate of euery man For why they departed from the lawe of God they wolde not knowe his rightuousnes ner walke in the waye off his cōmaundementes and as for the pathes off the treuth and godlynesse they had no lust to go in them O ye dwellers aboute Sion come and let vs call to remembraunce the captiuyte that the euerlastinge God hath brought vpon my sonnes and my doughters He hath brought a people vpon them from farre an vncurteous people and of a straunge lāguage which nether regarde the olde ner pyte the yonge These haue caried awaye the deare beloued of my wyddowes leauynge me alone both desolate and childlesse But alas what can I helpe you Now he y t hath brought these plages vpon you delyuer you also frō the hondes of youre enemies Go youre waye O my children go youre waye for I am desolate and forsaken I haue put of the clothinge of peace and put vpon me the sack cloth off prayer and for my tyme I will call vpon the most hyest Be off good cheare o my children crie vnto the LORDE and he shal delyuer you from the power of the prynces youre enemies For verely I haue euer a good hope off youre prosperous health yee a very gladnesse is come vpon me from the holy one because of the mercy that ye shall haue off oure euerlastinge Sauioure With mournynge and wepinge dyd I let you go fro me but with ioye and perpetuall gladnesse shall the LORDE brynge you agayne vnto me Like as the neghbours of Sion sawe youre captyuite from God Euē so shal they also se shortly youre health in God which shal come on you with greate honoure and euerlastinge worshipe O my children suffre paciētly the wrath that shal come vpon you For the enemie hath persecuted the but shortly thou shalt se his destruccion and shalt treade vpon his necke My derlinges haue gone rough harde wayes for they are led awaye as a flocke that is scatred abrode with the enemies But be of good cōforte o my children crie vnto the LORDE For he that
beanes growell sede milium and fitches and put these together in a vessell and make the loaues of bred therof acordinge to the nombre of the dayes that thou must lye vpon y t syde that thou mayest haue bred to eate for thre hundreth and XC dayes And the meate that thou eatest shall haue a certayne waight apoynted Namely twentie sycles euery daye This apoynted meate shalt thou eate daylie from the beginnynge to the ende Thou shalt dryncke also a certayne measure off water Namely the sixte parte of an Hin shalt thou drynke daylie from the begynnynge to the ende Barly cakes shalt thou eate yet shalt thou first strake thē ouer with mās donge y t they maye se it And with that sayde the LORDE Euen thus shal the children of Israel eate their defyled bred in the myddest off the Gentiles amonge whom I will scatre them Then sayde I Oh LORDE God Beholde my soule was yet neuer stayned for fro my youth vp vnto this houre I dyd neuer eate of a deed carcase or of that which was slayne of wilde beestes nether came there euer eny vnclene flesh in my mouth Where vnto he answered me and sayde Well than I will graunte the to take cowes donge for the donge off a man and to strake the bred ouer with all before thē And he sayde vn to me Beholde thou sonne off man I will mynishe all the prouysion of bred in Ierusalem so that they shall we ye their bred and eate it with scarcenesse But as for water they shall haue a very litle measure theroff to drynke And when they haue nomore bred ner water one shal be destroyed with another and famish awaye for their wickednesse The V. Chapter TAke the then a sharpe knyfe O thou sonne of man namely a rasoure Take that and shaue the hayre off thy heade and beerd Then take the scoales and the waight and deuyde the hayre a sunder And burne the thirde parte therof in the fyre in the myddest off the cite and cut the other thirde parte in peces with a knyfe As for the thirde parte that remayneth cast it in the wynde and then shewe the bare knyfe Yet afterwarde take a litle off the same bynde it in they cote lappe Then take a curtesy of it and cast it in the myddest of y e fyre and burne it in the fyre Out of the same fyre shall there go a flame vpon the whole house of Israel Morouer thus sayde the LORDE God This same is Ierusalem I set her in the middest of the Heithen and nacions that are rounde aboute her but she hath despised my iudgmētes more then y e Gentiles thē selues and broken my cōmaundementes more then the nacions that lye rounde aboute her For they haue cast out myne ordinaunces and not walked in my lawes Therfore thus saieth the LORDE God For so moch as ye w t youre wickednesse farre exceade the Heithē that dwell rounde aboute you For ye haue not walked in my lawes nether haue ye kepte myne ordinaūces Therfore thus saieth y e LORDE God I will also come vpon the for in the myddest of the will I syt in iugdmēt in the sight of the Heithen and will handle the of soch a fashion as I neuer dyd before and as I neuer wil do from that tyme forth and that because of all thy abhominacions For in the the fathers shal be fayne to eate their owne sonnes and the sonnes their owne fathers Soch a courte will I kepe in the and the whole remnaunt will I scatre in to all the wyndes Wherfore as truly as I lyue saieth the LORDE God seynge thou hast defyled my Sanctuary with all maner off abhominacions and with all thy shamefull offences For this cause will I also destroye the ▪ Myne eye shall not ouersee the nether will I spare the. One thirde parte within the shall die of the pestilence and of honger Another thirde parte shall be slayne downe rounde aboute the with the swearde The other thirde parte that remayneth will I scatre abrode towarde all the wyndes and drawe out the swearde after them Thus wil I perfourme my indignacion and set my wrath agaynst them and ease my self So that when I haue fulfilled myne anger agaynst them they shall knowe that I am the LORDE which w t a feruent gelousy haue spoken it Morouer I will make the waist and abhorred before all the Heithen that dwell aboute the and in the sight off all them that go by the so that when I punysh the in my wrath in myne anger and with the plage off my whote displeasure thou shalt be a very abhominacion shame a gasinge and wondringe stocke amonge the Heithen that lye aboute the. Euen I the LORDE haue spoken it and it shall come to passe when I shute amonge them the perlous dartes of hōger which shal be but death Yee therfore shall I shute them because I will destroye you I will encrease hunger and mynish all the prouysion off bred amonge you Plages and mysery will I sende you yee and wilde beestes also to destroye you Pestilence and bloud sheddinge shall come vpon you and the swearde wil I bringe ouer you Euen I the LORDE haue sayde it The VI. Chapter THe worde of the LORDE came vnto me sayenge Thou sonne off man turne thy face to the mountaynes of Israel that thou mayest prophecie vnto them and saye Heare the worde of the LORDE God o ye mountaynes off Israel Thus hath the LORDE God spoken to the moūtaynes hilles valleys and dales Beholde I will brynge a swearde ouer you and destroye youre hie places I wil cast downe youre aulters and breake downe youre temples You re slayne men will I laye before youre goddes and the deed carcases off the children off Israel will I cast before their ymages youre bones wil I strowe rounde aboute youre aulters and dwellinge places The cities shal be desolate y e hill chapels layed waist youre aulters destroyed broken youre goddes cast downe and taken awaye yo r tēpels layde eauē with the groūde youre owne workes clene roted out You re slayne men shall lie amonge you that ye maye lerne to knowe how y t I am the LORDE Those y t amōge you haue escaped the swearde will I leaue amonge the Gentiles for I will scatre you amonge the nacions And they that escape from you shall thinke vpon me amonge the heithen where they shal be in captiuyte As for that whorish and vnfaithfull herte of theirs wherwith they runne awaye frome I will breake it yee put out those eyes off theirs that committe fornicacion with their Idols Then shall they be ashamed and displeased with their selues for the wickednesses ād abhominacions which they haue done and shal lerne to knowe how that it is not in vayne that I the LORDE spake to bringe soch mysery vpon them The LORDE sayde morouer vnto me Smyte thine hondes together and stampe with thy fete
were lifted vp aboue This is the beest that I sawe at the water of Cobar Now when the Cherubins wente the wheles wente with them when the Cherubins shoke their wynges to lift them selues vpwarde the wheles remayned not behynde but were with them also Shortly when they stode these stode also And when they were lift vp y e wheles were lift vp also with thē for the sprete of life was in the wheles Then the glory of the LORDE was lift vp from the thresholde of the temple and remayned vpon the Cherubins And the Cherubins flackred with their wynges and lift thē selues vp from the earth so that I sawe when they went and the wheles with them And they stode at the east syde of the porte that is in the house of the LORDE So the glory of the LORDE was vpon them This is the beest that I sawe vnder the God of Israel by the water of Cobar And I perceaued that it was the Cherubins Euery one had foure faces euery one foure wynges vnder their winges as it were mēs hondes Now the figure of their faces was euen as I had sene them by the water of Cobar so was the countenaunce of thē Euery one in his goinge wente straight forwarde The XI Chapter MOrouer the sprete of the LORDE lift me vp brought me vnto y e east porte of the LORDES house And beholde there were xxv men vnder the dore amōge whom I sawe Iaasanias the sonne of Asur Pheltias the sonne of Banias the rulers of the people Then sayde the LORDE vnto me Thou sonne of man These men ymagin myschefe and a wicked councel take they in this cite sayenge Tush there is no destruccion at honde let vs buylde houses This Ierusalem is the cauldron we be the flesh Therfore shalt thou prophecie vnto them yee prophecie shalt thou vnto them O sonne of man And with that fell the sprete of the LORDE vpon me and sayde vnto me Speake thus saieth the LORDE On this maner haue yee spokē O ye house of Israel and I knowe the ymaginaciōs of youre hertes Many one haue ye murthured in this cite filled the stretes full of the slayne Therfore thus saieth the LORDE God The slayne men that ye haue layed on the grounde in this cite are the flesh this cite is the cauldron But I wil bringe you out of it ye haue drawē out y e swearde euē so wil I also bringe a swearde ouer you saieth y e LORDE God I will dryue you out of this cite and delyuer you in to youre enemies honde wil condemne you Ye shal be slayne in all the coastes of Israel I wil be avenged of you to lerne you for to knowe that I am the LORDE This cite shal not be youre cauldron nether shal ye be the flesh therin but in the coastes of Israel wil I punysh you that ye maye knowe that I am the LORDE in whose commaundementes ye haue not walked ner kepte his lawes but haue done after the customes of the Heithen that lie rounde aboute you Now when I preached Pheltias the sonne of Banias dyed Then fell I downe vpō my face cried with a loude voyce O LORDE God wilt thou then vterly destroye all the remnaunt in Israel And so the worde of the LORDE came to me on this maner Thou sonne of man Thy brethren thy kynsfolke y e whole house of Iuda which dwell at Ierusalem saye They be gone farre from the LORDE but the londe is geuen vs in possession Therfore tell them thus saieth the LORDE God I wil sende you farre of amōge the Gentiles scatre you amonge the nacions I wil halowe you but a litle in the londes where ye shall come Tell them also thus saieth the LORDE God I wil gather you agayne out of the nacions bringe you from the countrees where ye be scatred will geue you the londe of Israel agayne thither shal ye come And as for all impedimentes all youre abhominacions I will take them awaye And I wil geue you one herte wil plante a new sprete within yo r bowels That stony herte wil I take out of youre body geue you a fleshy herte that ye maye walke in my commaundementes and kepe myne ordinaunces do them that ye maye be my people and I youre God But loke whose hertes are disposed to folowe their abhominacions and wicked lyuynges Those mens dedes will I bringe vpon their owne heades saieth the LORDE God After this dyd the Cherubins lift vp their winges and the wheles wente with them and the glory of the LORDE was vpon them So the glory of the LORDE wente vp from the myddest of the cite stode vpon the mount of the cite towarde the east But the wynde toke me vp in a vision which came by the sprete of God it brought me agayne in to Caldea amonge the presoners Then the vision that I had sene vanyshed a waye fro me So I spake vnto the presoners all the wordes of the LORDE which he had shewed me The XII Chapter THe worde of the LORDE came vnto me sayenge Thou sonne of mā thou dwellest in the myddest of a frauwerde housholde which haue eyes to se yet se not eares haue they to heare and yet heare they not for they are an obstinate housholde Therfore O thou sonne of man make thy gere redy to flit and go forth by fayre daye light y t they maye se. Yee euē in their sight shalt thou go from thy place to another place yf peraduenture they wil considre y t they be an vnobedient housholde Thy gere that thou hast made redy to flit withall shalt thou beare out by fayre daye light that they maie se thou y i self shalt go forth also at euē in their sight as a mā doth whē he flitteth Dygge thorow the wall that they maye se and beare thorow it the same thinge that thou tokest vp in their sight As for thy self thou shalt go forth in the darcke Hyde thy face that thou se not y e earth for I haue made the a shew tokē vnto the house of Israel Now as y e LORDE cōmaunded me so I dyd y e gere that I had made redy brought I out by daye At euen I brake downe an hole thorow the wall with my honde when it was darcke I toke the gere vpō my shulders and bare them out in their sight And in the mornynge came the worde of the LORDE vnto me sayenge Thou sonne of man yf Israel y t frauwerde housholde axe the and saye what dost thou there Then tell them Thus saieth the LORDE God This punyshment toucheth the chefe rulers at Ierusalem and all the house of Israel that dwell amonge them Tell them I am youre shew token like as I haue done so shal it happen vnto you Flyt shal ye also and go in to captiuyte The chefest that is
nothinge vpon vsury he taketh nothinge ouer he withdraweth his honde from doinge wronge he hādleth faith fully betwixte man man he walbeth in my commaundementes kepeth my lawes perfourmeth thē faithfully This is a rightuous mā he shal surely lyue saieth the LORDE God Yf he now get a sonne that is a murthurer a shedder of bloude yf he do one of these thinges though he do not all he eateth vpon the hilles he defyleth his neghbours wife he greueth the poore and nedy he robbeth and spoyleth he geueth not the detter his pledge agayne he lifteth vp his eyes vnto Idols medleth with abhominable thinges he lendeth vpon vsury and taketh more ouer Shal this man lyue He shal not lyue Seinge he hath done all these abhominacions he shall dye his bloude shal be vpon him Now yf this man get a sonne also that seith all this fathers synnes which he hath done and feareth nether doth soch like Namely he eateth not vpon the mountaynes he lifteth not his eyes vp to the Idols of Israel he defyleth not his neghbours wife he vexeth no man he kepeth no mans pledge he nether spoyleth ner robbeth eny man he dealeth his meate with the hungrie he clotheth the naked he oppresseth not the poore he receaueth no vsury ner eny thinge ouer he kepeth my lawes and walketh in my commaundementes This man shal not dye in his fathers synne but shall lyue without fayle As for his father because he oppressed and spoyled his brother and dyd wyckedly amonge his people lo he is deed in his owne synne And yet saye ye Wherfore thē shulde not this sonne beare his fathers synne Therfore because the sonne hath done equyte and right hath kepte all my commaundementes and done them therfore shall he lyue in dede The same soule y t synneth shall dye The sonne shal not beare the fathers offence nenether shal the father beare the sonnes offence The rightuousnes of the rightuous shall be vpon himself and the wickednes of the wicked shal be vpon himself also But yf y e vngodly will turne awaye from all his synnes that he hath done and kepe all my commaundemētes and do the thinge y t is equall right doutles he shal lyue and not dye As for all his synnes that he dyd before they shall not be thought vpon but in his rightuousnes that he hath done he shal lyue For haue I eny pleasure in the death of a synner saieth the LORDE God but rather that he conuerte and lyue Agayne yf the rightuous turne awaye from his rightuousnes and do iniquyte acordinge to all the abhominacions that y e wicked mā doth shal he lyue All the rightuousnes that he hath done shall not be thought vpō but in the fawte that he hath offended withall and in the synne that he hath done he shal dye And yet ye saye Tush the waye of y e LORDE is not indifferēt Heare therfore ye house of Israel Is not my waye right Or are not youre wayes rather wicked When a rightuous mā turneth awaye from his rightuousnesse and medleth with vngodlynes he must dye therin Yee for the vnrightuousnes that he hath done must he dye Agayne when the wicked man turneth awaye from his wickednesse that he hath done and doth the thinge which is equall and right he shal saue his soule alyue For in so moch as he remembreth himself and turneth him from all the vngodlynes that he hath vsed he shall lyue and not dye And yet saieth the house of Israel Tush the waye of the LORDE is not equall Are my wayes vnright o ye house of Israel Are not youre wayes rather vnequall As for me I wil iudge euery man acordinge to his wayes O ye house of Israel saieth the LORDE God Wherfore be conuerted and turne you clene from all youre wickednesse so shal there no synne do you harme Cast awaye frō you all youre vngodlynesse that ye haue done make you new hertes and a new sprete Wherfore wil ye dye O ye house of Israel seynge I haue no pleasure in y e death of him that dyeth saieth the LORDE God Turne you then and ye shal lyue The XIX Chapter BVt mourne thou for the prynces off Israel saye Wherfore laye thy mother that lyonesse amōge the lyons norished hir yonge ones amōge the lyons whelpes One of hir whelpes she brought vp it became a lyon it lerned to spoyle and to deuoure folke The Heithen herde of him toke him in their nettes brought him in chaynes vnto the londe of Egipte Now when the damme sawe that all hir hope comforth was awaye she toke another of hir whelpes and made a lyon of him which wente amonge the lyons became a fearce lyon lerned to spoyle and to deuoure folcke he destroyed their palaces and made their cities waist In so moch that the whole londe and euery thinge therin were vtterly desolate thorow the very voyce of his roaringe Then came the Heithen together on euery syde out of all countrees agaynst him layed their nettes for him and toke him in their pytte So they bounde him with chaynes and brought him to the kinge of Babilon which put him in preson that his voyce shulde nomore be herde vpon the mountaynes of Israel As for thy mother she is like a vyne in thy bloude planted by the water syde hir frutes and braunches are growen out of many waters hir stalkes were so stronge that men might haue made staues therof for officers she grew so hie in hir stalkes So when men sawe that she exceaded y e heith and multitude of hir braunches she was roted out in displeasure and cast downe to the grounde The East wynde dryed vp hir frute hir stronge stalkes were broken of wythered and brent in the fyre But now she is planted in the wildernesse in a drye and thurstie grounde And there is a fyre gone out of hir stalkes which hath brēt vp hir braunches and hir frute so that she hath no mo stronge stalkes to be staues for officers This is a piteous and miserable thinge The XX. Chapter IN in the xvij yeare the x daye of the v Moneth it happened that certayne of the elders of Israel came vnto me for to axe councell at the LORDE and sat them downe by me Then came the worde of the LORDE vnto me on this maner Thou sonne of man Speake to the elders of Israel and saye vnto them Thus saieth the LORDE God Are ye come hither to axe eny thinge at me As truly as I lyue saieth the LORDE I will geue you no answere Wilt thou not reproue them thou sonne of man wilt thou not reproue them Shewe them the abhominacions of their forefathers tell thē Thus saieth the LORDE God In the daye when I chose Israel and lift vp myne honde vpon the sede of the house of Iacob shewed my self vnto them in the londe of Egipte Yee when I lifte
vp myne honde ouer thē and sayde I am the LORDE youre God euen in the daye that I lift vp myne honde ouer them to bringe them out of the londe of Egipte in to a londe that I had prouyded for them which floweth with mylcke and hony and is a pleasaunt lōde amonge all other Then sayde I vnto them Cast awaye euery man the abhominacions that he hath before him and defyle not youre selues with the Idols of Egipte for I am the LORDE youre God But they rebelled agaynst me and wolde not folowe me to cast awaye euery man the abhominacions of his eyes and to forsake the Idols of Egipte Then I made me to poure my indignacion ouer them and to satisfie my wrath vpon them yee euen in the myddest of the londe of Egipte But I wolde not do it for my names sake that it shulde not be vnhalowed before the Heithen amonge whom they dwelt and amonge whom I shewed my self vnto them that I wolde bringe them out of the londe of Egipte Now when I had caried them out of the londe of Egipte and brought them in to the wildernesse I gaue them my commaundementes shewed thē my lawes which who so kepeth shal lyue in them I gaue them also my holy dayes to be a token betwixte me and them and therby to knowe that I am the LORDE which haloweth them And yet the house of Israel rebelled agaynst me in the wildernesse they wolde not walke in my commaundementes they haue cast awaye my lawes which who so kepeth shulde lyue in them and my Sabbath daies haue thy greatly vn halowed Thē I made me to poure out my indignacion vpon them to cōsume them in the wildernesse Yet I wolde not do it for my names sake lest it shulde be dishonoured before the Heithē from the which I had caried them awaye But I swore vnto them in the wildernesse that I wolde not bringe them into the londe which I gaue them a londe that floweth with mylcke hony is a pleasure of all londes y t because they refused my lawes walked not in my cōmaundemētes but had vnhalowed my Sabbathes for their herte was gone after their Idols Neuertheles myne eye spared thē so y t I wolde not vtterly slaye thē cōsume thē in the wildernes Morouer I sayde vnto their sonnes in y e wildernesse walke not in the statutes of yo r forefathers kepe not their ordinaunces and defyle not youre selues with their Idols for I am the LORDE youre God But walke in my statutes kepe my lawes do them halowe my Sabbathes for they are a token betwixte me you that ye maye knowe how y t I am the LORDE Notwithstōdinge their sonnes rebelled against me also they walked not in my statutes they kepte not my lawes to fulfill them which he that doth shal lyue in them nether halowed they my Sabbath dayes Thē I made me agayne to poure out my indignacion ouer them and to satisfie my wrath vpon them in the wildernesse Neuertheles I with drewe my honde for my names sake lest it shulde be vn halowed amonge the Heithē before whom I had brought them forth I lift vp myne honde ouer them also in the wildernesse that I wolde scatre them amonge the Heithen and strowe them amonge the nacions because they had not kepte my lawes but cast asyde my commaundementes vnhalowed my Sabbathes and lift vp their eyes to their fathers Idols Wherfore I gaue them also commaundementes not good lawes thorow the which they shulde not lyue I vnhalowed them in their owne giftes when I appoynted for myself all their first borne to make them desolate that they might knowe how that I am the LORDE Therfore O thou sonne of man tell the house of Israel thus saieth the LORDE God Besyde all this youre forefathers haue yet blasphemed me more and greatly offended agaynst me For after I had brought them in to the londe y t I promysed to geue them when they sawe euery hie hill all the thicke trees they made there their offringes and prouoked me with their oblacions makinge swete sauoures there poured out their drinke offeringes Then I axed them ▪ what haue ye to do with all that ye go thither And therfore is it called the hie place vnto this daye Wherfore speake vnto the house of Israel Thus saieth the LORDE God Ye are euen as vnclene as youre forefathers committe whordome also with their abhominaciōs In all youre Idols where vnto ye bringe youre oblaciōs to whose honoure ye burne youre children ye defyle youre selues euen vnto this daye how darre ye thē come and axe eny question at me O ye housholde of Israel As truly as I lyue saieth the LORDE God ye get no answere of me as for the thinge that ye go aboute it shal not come to passe where as ye saye we wil be as the Heithen do as other people in the londe wod stone wil we worshipe As truly as I lyue saieth the LORDE God I myself wil rule you with a mightie honde with a stretched out arme and with indignacion poured out ouer you wil bringe you out of the nacions and londes wherin ye are scatred and gather you together with a mightie hōde with a stretched out arme w t indignacion poured out vpon you wil bringe you in to the wildernesse of the people there I will reason with you face to face Like as I punished yo r forefathers in the wildernesse so wil I punish you also saieth the LORDE God I wil bringe you vnder my iuriszdiction and vnder the bonde of the couenaunt The forsakers also and the transgressours wil I take from amonge you bringe them out of the londe of youre habitacion as for the londe of Israel they shall not come in it that they maye knowe how that I am the LORDE Go now then saieth the LORDE God ye house of Israel cast awaye and destroye euery man his Idols then shal ye heare me and nomore blaspeme my holy name with youre offrynges and Idols But vpon my holy hill euē vpon the hie hill of Israel shal all the house of Israel and all that is in the londe worshipe me and in the same place will I fauoure them and there will I requyre youre heaue offringes and the first linges of youre oblacions with all youre holy thinges I wil accepte youre swete sauoure when I bringe you from the nacions and gather you together out of the londes wherin ye be scatred that I maye be halowed in you before the Heithen and that ye maye knowe that I am the LORDE which haue brought you in to the londe of Israel yee in to the same lōde that I swore to geue vnto youre fore fathers There shal ye call to remembraunce youre owne wayes and all youre ymaginacions wherin ye baue bene defyled and ye shal be displeased with
thus saieth the LORDE God As truly as I lyue I will haÌ„dle the acordinge to thy wrath and gelousy like as thou hast dealt cruelly with them that I maye be knowne amoÌ„ge them how I haue punyshed the. Yee and that thou also mayest be sure that I the LORDE haue herde all thy despyteful wordes which thou hast spokeÌ„ agaynst the mountaynes of Israel sayenge Lo they are made waist and geuen vs to deuoure Thus with youre mouthes ye haue made youre boost agaynst me yee multiplied youre pronde wordes agaynst me which I haue herde altogether Where vnto thus saieth y e LORDE God when the whole worlde is in wealth then wil I make the waist And like as thou o mount Seir wast glad because the heretage of the house of Israel was destroyed euen so wil I do vnto the also that thou and whole Edom shall be destroyed knowe that I am the LORDE The XXXVI Chapter THou sonne of man prophecie vpon the mountaynes of Israel speake Heare the worde of the LORDE o ye mountaynes of Israel Thus saieth the LORDE God Because yo r enemie hath sayde vpon you A ha y e hie euerlastynge places are now become ours prophecy therfore speake thus saieth y e LORDE God Seinge ye be waisted trodeÌ„ downe on euery syde become a possession vnto y e resydue of y e GeÌ„tiles which haue bâ—ought you in to meÌ„s mouthes vnto an euel name amonge y e people Therfore heare the worde of the LORDE God o ye mountaynes of Israel Thus saieth the LORDE God vnto the mountaynes and hilles valleys dales to the voyde wildernesses desolate cities which are spoyled and had in deâ—ision on euery syde amonge the resydue of the HeitheÌ„ Yee eueÌ„ thus saieth the LORDE God In the â—yre of my gelousy haue I taken a deuyce agaynst the resydue of the GeÌ„tiles and agaynst all Edom which haue takeÌ„ in my loÌ„de vnto theÌ„ selues for a possession which also reioysed froÌ„ their whole herte w t a despiteful stomacke to waist it and to spoyle it Prophecy therfore vpon the londe of Israel speake vnto y e mountaynes and hilles to valleys and dales thus saieth the LORDE God Beholde this haue I deuysed in my gelousy and terrible wrath For so moch as ye haue suffred reprofe of the Heithen therfore thus saieth the LORDE God I haue sworne that the Gentiles which lye aboute you shal beare youre confucion them selues And as for you o mountaynes of Israel ye shall shute out youre braunches and bringe forth youre frute to my people of Israel for it is harde by that it wil come Beholde I come vnto you and vnto you will I turne me that ye maye be tylled and sowen I wil sende you moch people which shal be all of the house of Israel the cities shal be inhabited and y e decayed places shal be repayred againe I wil prouyde you with moch people and catell which shal increase bringe frute I wil restore you also to youre olde estate and shewe you more kindnes theÌ„ euer ye had before wherby ye shal knowe y t I am the LORDE Yee people wil I sende vnto you o my folke of Israel which shal haue the in possession and thou shalt be their inheritaunce so that thou shalt nomore be without them Agayne thus saieth the LORDE God For so moch as they saye vnto you thou art an eater vp of men and a waister of thy people therfore thou shalt eate no mo men nether destroye thy people eny more saieth the LORDE God And I wil not suffre the for to heare thine owne confucion amonge the Gentiles from hensforth Thou shalt not beare the reprofe of the nacions ner cast out thine owne people enymore saieth the LORDE God Morouer the worde of the LORDE came vnto me sayenge O thou sonne of maÌ„ when the house of Israel dwelt vpon their owne grounde they defyled them selues with their owne wayes ymaginacions so that in my sight their waye was like the vnclennesse of a menstruous woman Wherfore I poured my wrothfull displeasure vpon them because of the bloude that they had shed in the londe because of their Idols wherwith they had defyled them selues I scatred them also amonge the Heithen so that they were strowed aboute in the loÌ„des Acordinge to their wayes after their owne inuencions so dyd I punysh them Now when they were gone vnto the Hetthen and come in amonge them they dishonoured my holy name so that it was sayde of them Are these the people of God must go out of their owne londe Then spared I my holy name which y e house of Israel had dishonoured amonge the Gentiles to whom they came Therfore tell y e house of Israel Thus saieth the LORDE God I do not this for yo r sakes O house of Israel but for my holy names sake which ye dishonoured amoÌ„ge the Heithen when ye came to them Therfore I wil halowe my greate name agayne which amonge the GeÌ„tiles is euel spoken of for ye youre selues haue dishonoured it amoÌ„ge them And the Gentiles shal knowe that I am the LORDE when I am honoured in you before their eyes saieth y e LORDE God As for you I wil take you from amonge the Heithen and gather you together out of all countrees and bringe you agayne into youre owne londe Then will I poure cleare water vpon you ye shal be clene Yee from all youre vnclennesse and from all yo r Idols shal I clense you A new herte also wil I geue you and a new sprete wil I put in to you As for that stony hert I will take it out of youre body and geue you a fleszshy herte I wil geue you my sprete amonge you and can se you to walke in my commaundemeÌ„tes to kepe my lawes and to fulfill them And so ye shall dwell in the londe that I gaue to yo r forefathers ye shal be my people and I wil be youre God I wil helpe you out of all youre vncleÌ„nesse I wil call for the corne and wil increase it and wil let you haue no honger I will multiplie the frutes of the trees and y e increase of the felde for you so that ye shal beare no more reprofe of honger amoÌ„ge the HeitheÌ„ Then shal ye remeÌ„bre yo r owne wicked wayes and youre ymaginacioÌ„s which were not good so that ye shal take displeasure at youre owne selues by reason of youre synnes and abhominacions But I wil not do this for youre sakes saieth the LORDE God be ye sure of it Therfore o ye house of Israel be ashamed of youre synnes Morouer thus saieth the LORDE God what tyme as I shal cleÌ„se you from all youre offences then wil I make the cities to be occupied agayne and wil repayre the places that be decayed The desolate londe shal be buylded agayne which afore tyme laye waist in the sight of all them that weÌ„te
was oure house fynished vnto the xxiij daye of the moneth Addar in y e vj. yeare of kynge Darius And the children of Israel the prestes the Leuites the other that were come out of captiuyte soch as were ioyned vnto them dyd acordinge as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses And in the dedicacion of the temple they offred an hundreth oxen an C. rammes iiij C. lambes xij goates for the synnes of all the people of Israel after y e nombre of the trybes of Israel The prestes also the Leuites stode arayed in the prestly garmētes after y e trybes ouer all y e workes of the LORDE God of Israel acordinge to y e boke of Moses and the porters by all the dores And the children of Israel w t those y t were come out of captiuyte helde the Passeouer the xiiij daye of the first moneth whan the prestes and the Leuites were sanctified They that came out of captiuyte were not all sanctified together but the Leuites were all sanctified together And so all they that came out of captiuyte kylled the easter lambe for their brethrē for the prestes for them selues And the childrē of Israel y t came out of captiuyte escaped frō all y e abhominacions of the Heithē sought the LORDE and kepte the feast of vnleuended bred vij daies longe eatinge drynkynge were mery before the LORDE y t the LORDE had turned the deuyce of the kynge of Assiria comforted their handes to the workes of y e LORDE God of Israel The VIII Chapter ANd after him whan Artaxerses the kynge of y e Persiās raigned there wēte vnto him Eszdras the sonne of Saraias the sonne of Azarias the sonne of Helchia y e sonne of Sallū the sonne of Sadoc y e sonne of Achitob the sonne of Amarias y e sonne of Azarias the sonne of Boccus y e sonne of Abisu y e sonne of Phineas the sonne of Eleazar y e sonne of Aaron y e first prest This Eszdras wēte vp from Babilon for he had good vnderstondinge in y e lawe of Moses y t was geuē of the LORDE God of Israel to be taught done in dede And y e kinge fauoured him dyd him greate worshipe and honoure after all his desyres There wente vp with him also certayne of y e children of Israel of the prestes of y e Leuites of the syngers porters and mynisters of y e temple at Ierusalem In the vij yeare of the raigne of kynge Artaxerses in the v. moneth y t is in the vij yeare of the raigne they wente from Babilon in the newmoone of the v. moneth came the hye waye to Ierusalē after his commaundement like as the LORDE had prospered their iourney For in these Eszdras gat greate instruccion y t he shulde leaue none of y e thinges behynde which were in y e lawe cōmaundementes of God And he taught whole Israel all righteousnes iudgment Then came the Secretaries of kynge Artaxerses delyuered y e wrytinges y t were come frō Artaxerses the kynge to Eszdras the prest reder of the lawe of the LORDE And this is y e copye of y e letter Kynge Artaxerses sendeth his gretinge vnto Eszdras the prest reder of the lawe of y e LORDE Of frendshipe good will I haue ordeyned and charged yf there be eny of the Iewes of y e prestes Leuites in my realme which desyreth is contēt to go w t the vnto Ierusalē y t he maye do it Therfore yf eny be mynded to beare the cōpany let thē come together go w t the like as I am contēt my vij frendes my coūcelers to se what they do at Ierusalē in Iewry kepe y e thinges acordinge as thou hast in y e lawe of the LORDE to bringe the giftes vnto God the LORDE of Israel y t I my frendes haue promysed to Ierusalē all the syluer golde y t is in y e countre of Babilon vnto y e LORDE to Ierusalē w t the thinge y t is geuē for the people in the LORDES temple at Ierusalem Yee that the same syluer golde maye be gathered and oxen rammes shepe goates and other that belōge to these thinges and that they maye offer sacrifices vnto the LORDE vpon the aulter of their LORDE which is at Ierusalem And what so euer thou thy brethrē wyl do w t the syluer golde y t do after y e mynde after the cōmaundement of the LORDE thy God like wyse w t all the holy vessels y t are geuē the for the seruyce of the house of the LORDE thy God other thinges what soeuer is necessary for the to the worke of the temple y t shal be geuē the of the kynges treasure loke what thou with thy brethrē wilt do with the golde and syluer that do after y e wil of the LORDE And I kynge Artaxerses haue commaunded the kepers of y e treasures in Syria and Phenices that what soeuer Eszdras the prest and reder of the lawe of the LORDE doth wryte it shal be geue◠him tyll an C. talentes of syluer and of golde in lyke maner Of corne also an C. measures and tyll an hūdreth vessels of wyne and other plenteous thinges without nombre Let all thinges be done after the lawe of y e hyest God that the wrath of God aryse not in the realme of the kynge and of his sonnes I commaunde you also that ye requyne no taxinge ner tribute of the prestes Leuites syngers and mynisters of the temple ner of the wryters and that no man haue auctorite to medle eny thinge against them As for the O Eszdras set thou iudges and arbitrers in the whole lande of Syria and Phenices after the wyszdome of God and lerne all soch as are ignoraunt in the lawe of God thy LORDE and let all them that offende agaynst the lawe be punyshed whether it be with death with payne to be condemned in money or to be banyshed Then sayde Eszdras y e wryter Blessed be y e God of oure fathers that hath geuen so good a mynde and wyll in to the hert of the kynge to magnifie his house y t is at Ierusalem and hath made me to be accepted in the sight of y e kynge of his councell of his frēdes and of his nobles And so I was stedfast in my mynde acordinge as the LORDE my God helped me and I chose out men of Israel to go vp with me And these are the heades after their kynreds houses of their fathers that wente vp with me from Babilon out of the kyngdome of Artaxerses Of the sonnes of Phares Gersonius Of y e sonnes of Siemarith Amenus Of the sonnes of Dauid Accus the sonne of Cecilia Of the sonnes of Phares Zachary and with him there turned agayne an hundreth and fiftie men Of the sonnes of the captayne of Moabilon Zaraei
but of thy people for whose sake I am sory and of thy inheritaunce for whose cause I mourne and of Israel for whom I am wofull and for Iacob for whose sake I am greued therfore begynne I to praye before the for my self and for them for I se the fall of vs euen of vs that dwell vpon earth But I haue herde the swiftnes of the iudge which is to come therfore heare my voyce and vnderstōde my wordes and I shal speake before the. This is the begynnynge of the wordes of Eszdras before he was receaued O LORDE thou that dwellest in euerlastyngnesse whose eyes are lift vp in the ayre whose stole is exceadinge hye whose glory and maiesty maye not be comprehēded before whom the hoostes of heauen stonde with tremblinge whose kepinge is turned in winde and fyre whose worde is true whose talkynge is stedfast whose commaundement is stronge whose ordynaunce is fearfull whose loke dryeth vp the depthes whose wrath maketh the mountaynes to melt awaye whose trueth beareth wytnes O heare y e prayer of thy seruaunt and marck with thine eares the peticion of thy creature For whyle I lyue I wil speake and so lōge as I haue vnderstondinge I will answere O loke not vpō the synnes of thy people which serue y t in the trueth Haue no respecte vnto the wicked studies of the Heithen but to the desyre of those that kepe thy testimonies with sorowes Thinke not vpon those that haue walked faynedly before the but vpon them which with wyll haue knowne thy feare Let it not be thy wyll to destroye them which haue had beastly maners but to loke vpon them that haue clearly taught thy lawe Take thou no indignacion at them which are worse then beastes but loue them that allwaye put their trust in y e righteousnes and glory for we and oure fathers haue all the same sicknes and disease but because of oure synnes thou shalt be called mercifull For yf thou hast mercy vpon vs thou shalt be called mercifull where as we haue no workes of righteousnes for y e righteous which haue layed vp many good workes together shall out of their dedes receaue rewarde For what is man that thou shuldest take displeasure at him Or what is the corruptible mortall generacion that thou shuldest be so rough towarde him For of a trueth there is no man amonge them that be borne but he hath dealt wickedly and amonge the faithfull there is none which hath not done amysse For in this O LORDE thy righteousnes thy goodnes shal be praysed and declared yf thou be mercifull vnto them which are not rych in good workes Then answered he me and sayde Some thinges hast thou spoken a right and acordinge vnto thy wordes it shal be For I wil not verely cōsidre the worke of them which haue synned before death before the iudgment before destrucciō but I wyll reioyse ouer the worke and thought of y e righteous I wil remembre also the pilgramege the holymakynge and the rewarde Like as I haue spoken now so shall it come to passe For as the huszbād man soweth moch sede vpon the grounde and planteth many trees and yet allwaye the thinge that is sowne or plāted is not all kepte safe nether doth it all take rote Euen so is it of them that are sowne in the worlde they shal not all be preserued I answered then sayde Yf I haue founde grace then let me speake Like as the husbāde mans sede perisheth yf it receaue not rayne in due season or yf there come to moch rayne vpon it Euen so perisheth man also which is created with thy handes and is like vnto thine owne ymage and to thy self for whose sake thou hast made all thinges and lickened him vnto the huszbande mans sede Be not wroth at vs O LORDE but spare thy people and haue mercy vpon thine owne inheritaunce O be mercifull vnto thy creature Then answered he me and sayde Thinges present are for the present and thinges to come for soch as be to come For thou wātest yet moch seynge thou mayest loue my creature aboue me I haue oft times drawne nye vnto the but neuer to the vnrighteous In this also thou art maruelous before the Hyest in that thou hast humbled thy self as it becommeth the and hast not regarded thine owne self y t thou art had in soch honoure amonge the righteous Therfore shal greate wrechidnes and mysery come vpon them that in the latter tyme shal dwell in y e worlde for they haue walked in greate pryde But vnderstonde thou for thy self and seke out glory for soch as be like the for vnto you is paradyse opened the tre of life is plāted the tyme to come is prepared plenteousnes made ready a cite is builded for you and a rest is prepared yee perfecte goodnes and wyszdome The rote of euell is marked from you the weaknes and moth is hyd from you in to hell flyeth corrupcion in forgetfulnes Sorowes are vanyshed awaye and in the ende is shewed the treasure of immortalite And therfore axe thou no more questions cōcernynge the multitude of them that perishe For they haue taken libertie despysed the Hyest thought scorne of his lawe and forsaken his wayes Morouer they haue troden downe his righteous and sayde in their hert that there is no God yee and that wittingly for they dye For like as the thinge that I haue spoken of is made ready for you Euē so is thyrst and payne prepared for them For it was not his wil that man shulde come to naught but they which be created haue defyled the name of him that made them and are vn than full vnto him which prepared life for them And therfore is my iudgment now at hande These thinges haue I not shewed vnto all men but vnto few namely vnto the and to soch as be like the. Then answered I and sayde Beholde O LORDE now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the tokens which thou wilt begynne to do at the last but at what tyme and whan thou hast not shewed me The IX Chapter HE answered me then and saide Measure thou the tyme diligenly in it self whan thou seist that one parte of the tokens come to passe which I haue tolde y e before so shalt thou vnderstonde that it is the very same tyme wherin the Hyest wil begynne to vysit the worlde which he made And whā there shal be sene earthquake and vproure of the people in the worlde then shalt thou well vnderstonde that the most hyest spake of those thinges from the dayes that were before the euen from the begynnynge For like as all that is made in the worlde hath a begynnynge and ende and the ende is manyfest Euen so the tymes also of the Hyest haue playne begynnynges in wonders and signes and the ende in workynge and in tokens And euery one that shal be saued and shall be able to escape by his workes by faith wherin
God and sayde the blessynge of the God of Israel haue thou for thou art the sonne of a right verteous iust man of one y t feareth God geueth greate allmes And blessynge haue y e wife and yo r elders that ye maye se yo r children and youre childers childreÌ„ vnto the thirde and fourth generacioÌ„ and that youre sede maye be blessed of y e God of Israel which reigneth worlde without ende And whan they all had sayde Amen they wente to the feast but with the feare of the LORDE helde they the feast of the mariage The X. Chapter NOw whyle yoÌ„ge Tobias made loÌ„ge tarienge by reason of y e mariage his father was full of care and heuynes and thought what shulde be the cause that my sonne tarieth so longe Or why shulde he be kepte so longe there Peraduenture Gabelus is deed and no man wyl geue him the money Thus begaÌ„ne he to be very soroufull he Anna his wife with him beganne to wepe both together because their sonne was not come agayne vnto them at the daye appoynted As for his mother she wepte with discomfortable teares and sayde Wo is me my sonne Oh what ayled vs to sende the awaye into a straunge countre thou light of oure eyes thou staff of oure age thou comforte of oure life thou hope of oure generacion Seinge all y e thinges that we haue are onely in the we shulde not haue sent the awaye from vs. Then Tobias comforted her and sayde holde thy tonge and be not discomforted oure sonne is whole and sounde the man y t we sent him withall is faithfull ynough Neuertheles she might in no wyse be coÌ„forted but daylie wente out loked aboute and wente aboute all the stretes wherby she thought he shulde come againe that yf it were possible she might se him coÌ„mynge afarre of But Raguel saide vnto his sonne iÌ„ lawe O tary here and I shall sende a messauÌ„ger vnto thy father Tobias to tell him y t thou art in good health Tobias sayde vnto him I am sure that my father and my mother counte euery daye and that their hertes are sory So whan Raguel prayed Tobias w t many wordes he wolde in no wyse heare him he delyuered Sara vnto him the half parte of all his good in seruauntes and handmaydeÌ„s in shepe in camels and in kyne and moch money and so sent him awaye from him with peace and ioye and sayde The holy angell of the LORDE be with you in youre iourney and brynge you forth safe sounde that ye maye fynde all thinges in good case with youre elders and that myne eyes maye se youre children afore I dye So the elders enbraced their daughter kyssed her and let her go exortinge her to honoure hir father and mother in lawe to loue hir huszbande to rule well hir huszsholde to kepe hir house in good ordre and to shew hir self fautlesse The XI Chapter NOw as they were goinge homewarde againe vpon y e xj daye they came to Charra which lyeth in the half waye towarde Niniue And the angell sayde Brother Tobias thou knowest how thou hast left thy father therfore yf it please the we two wyll go before and let the husholde with thy wife and y e catell come soft fayrly after vs. And whan Tobias was content that they shulde go before Raphael sayde vnto him Take of the gall of the fish with the for it shal be necessary So Tobias toke of the gâ—ll and they wente their waye But Anna the mother of Tobias sat daylie by the waye syde vpon y e toppe of an hill from whence she might se farre aboute her And whyle she was waytinge there for his coÌ„mynge she loked a farre of and anone she perceaued hir sonne comminge and ranne and tolde hir buszbande sayenge beholde thy sonne commeth And Raphael sayde vnto Tobias As soone as thou commest in to the house immediatly worshipe the LORDE thy God and geue thankes vnto him then go to thy father and kysse him strake his eyes ouer w t the gall of y e fish that thou hast brought with the. For be sure that his eyes shal straight waye be opened and thy father shal se the light of heauen and shal reioyse at the sight of the. Then the dogg that had bene with them in their iourney raÌ„ne before and came as a messauÌ„ger and wagged with his tayle for gladnesse So y e blynde father arose and beganne to renne and stombled with his fete and gaue a seruaunt his hande ranne to mete his sonne receaued him and kyssed him he and his wife and beganne to wepe for ioye Now whan they had worshipped thanked God they satt downe Then toke Tobias of the fishes gall and anoynted his fathers eyes and taried half an houre and then beganne the blemysh to go out of his eyes like as it had bene the whyte szkynne of an egg which Tobias toke and drew from his eyes and immediatly he receaued his sight Then they praysed God he and his wife and all they that knew him And Tobias sayde O LORDE God of Israel I geue the prayse and thankes for thou hast chastened me and made me whole And lo now do I se my sonne Tobias After seuen dayes came Sara his sonnes wife also whole and sounde with all y e housholde and catell with camels and moch money of his wyues and with the money that he had receaued of Gabelus and he tolde his father and his mother all the benefites which God had done for him by the man that led him Achior also and Nabath Tobias sister sonnes came and were glad reioysed with him by reason of all the good that God had shewed vnto him And so for y e space of seuen dayes they made mery and were right ioyfull euerichone The XII Chapter THeÌ„ Tobias called his sonne vnto him sayde What maye we geue this holy man that wente with the Tobias answered his father and sayde Father what rewarde shal we geue him Or what thinge can deserue his benefites He hath bene my gyde and brought me safe agayne he receaued the money from Gabelus he caused me to get my wife he droue the euell sprete from her he hath bene occasioÌ„ of gladnesse to hir father and mother he delyuered me that I was not deuoured of the fish he hath made the to se the light of heauen yee we all haue receaued greate good of him How shulde we worthely deserue these thinges vnto him But I praye the my father that thou wilt desyre him yf happlie he wil voutsafe to take with him the half of all that we haue brought So the father and the sonne called him toke him asyde and beganne to praye him that he wolde be content to take in good worth the half parte of all that they had brought Then sayde he secretly vnto them Prayse y e God of heauen and geue thankes vnto him before all men lyuynge for he
promysed offerynges And Iudith offred all Holofernes weapâ—ns and all the Iewels that y e people had geueÌ„ her and the canapy that she toke from his bed and hanged them vp vnto the LORDE The people was ioyfull as the vse is this ioye by reason of the victory with Iudith endured thre monethes So after these dayes euery man wente home agayne and Iudith was in greate reputacion at Bethulia and right honorably taken in all the londe of Israel Vnto hir vertue also was chastite ioyned so y t after hir huszbonde Manasses dyed she neuer knew man all the dayes of hir life Vpon the hye solempne dayes she wente out with greate worshipe She dwelt in hir huszbandes house an hundreth and fyue yeare left hir hondâ— mayden fre and dyed and was buried besyde hir huszbande in Bethulia And all the people mourned for her seuen dayes So longe as she lyued there was none that troubled Israel and many yeares also after hir death The daye wherin this victory was gotten was solemply holden and rekened of the Iewes in the nombre of the holy dayes and is yet greatly holden of the Iewes euer sence vnto this daye The ende of the boke of Iudith The chapters in the boke of Hester which are not founde in the text of the Hebrue but in the Greke and Latyn The XI Chapter after the Latyn In this chapter is descrybed the dreame of Mardocheus MArdocheus the sonne of Iair the sonne of Semei y e sonne of Cisei of y e trybe of Ben Iamin a Iew which had his dwelllynge in Susis a man of greate reputacioÌ„ excellent amonge all them that were in the kynges courte Neuerthelesse he was one of the presoners whom Nabuchodonosor the kynge of BabiloÌ„ had caried awaye from Ierusalem vnto Babilon w t Iechonias the kynge of Iuda In the seconde yeare of the raigne of greate Artaxerses in the first daye of y e moneth Nisan had this Mardocheus soch a dreame He thought he herde a greate teÌ„pest horrible thonder clappes erthquakes greate vpro r in y e londe y t he sawe two greate dragoÌ„s ready to fight one agaiÌ„st another Their crye was greate At the which roaringe and crye all Heithen were vp to fight agaynst y e righteous people And y e same daye was full of darcknes very vncleare full of trouble anguysh yee a greate fearfulnes was there in all the londe The righteous were amased for they feared y e plage euell y t was deuysed ouer theÌ„ were at a poynte w t them selues to dye So they cried vnto God and while they were cryenge the litle well grew in to a greate ryuer in to many waters And with y t it was daye the sonne rose vp agayne And y e lowly were exalted and deuoured the glorious and proude Now whan Mardocheus had sene this dreame he awoke and mused stedfastly in his hert what God wolde do and so he desyred to knowe all the matter and his mynde was there vpon vntyll the night The XII Chapter In this chapter is declared how Mardocheus vttereth the treason of the two seruauntes agaynst the kynge and therfore doth the kynge rewarde him AT the same tyme dwelt Mardocheus with Bagatha and Thares the kynges chamberlaynes and porters of the palace But whan he herde their deuyce and had diligently considered their ymaginacions he perceaued that they wente aboute to laye their cruell handes vpon the kynge Artaxerses and so he certified the kinge therof Then caused the kynge to examen y e two gelded with tormentes And whan they had graunted it they were put to death This the kynge caused to be put in y e Cronicles for an euerlastinge remembrauÌ„ce and Mardocheus wrote vp the same matter So the kynge commaunded that Mardocheus shulde do seruyce in the courte and for this faithfulnesse of his he gaue him a rewarde But Aman the sonne of Amadathu the Agagite which was holden in greate honoure and reputacion in the kynges courte vndertoke to hurte Mardocheus his people because of the two chamberlaynes that were put to death The XIII Chapter The copie of the commaundement which kiÌ„ge Artaxerses by the entisinge of AmaÌ„ sent out in to all countres for the destruccion of the Iewes The prayer of Mardocheus THe greate kynge Artaxerses which raigneth from India vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundreth and seuen and tweÌ„tye londes sendeth his frendly salutacion vnto all the prynces and debytes of the countrees which be subiecte vnto his dominion Whan I was made lorde ouer many people and had subdued the whole earth vnto my dominion my mynde was not with crueltye and wronge to exalte myself by the reason of my power but purposed w t equyte allwaye and gentylnes to gouerne those that be vnder my iuriszdiccion and wholy to set them in a peaceable life and therby to brynge my kingdome vnto tranquylite that men might safely go thorow on euery syde and to renue peace agayne which all men desyre Now whan I axed my councelers how these thines might be brought to a good ende there was one by vs excelleÌ„t in wyszdome whose good wyll trueth faithfulnes hath oft bene shewed proued which was also y e pryncipall next vnto y e kiÌ„ge AmaÌ„ by name which certified vs how y t in all loÌ„des there was crepte in a rebellious folke y t made statutes lawes agaynst all other people haue allwaye despysed the proclamed commaundementes of kynges and how that for this cause it were not to be suffred that soch rule shulde contynue by you not to be put downe Seinge now we perceaue the same that this people alone are contrary vnto euery man vsynge straunge and other maner of lawes withstonde oure statutes and doinges and go aboute to stablish shrewd matters that oure kyngdome shulde neuer come to good estate and stedfastnes Therfore haue we commauÌ„ded that all they that are appoynted in wrytinge and shewed vnto you by Aman which is ordened and set ouer all oure busynes and the most pryncipall next vnto the kynge and in maner as a father shal with their wiues children be destroyed and roted out with the swerde of their enemies and aduersaries y t there shal be no mercy shewed no man spared And this shal be done y e xiiij daye of the moneth called Adar of this yeare that they which of olde and now also haue euer bene rebellious maye in one daye with violence be thrust downe in to the hell to the inteÌ„t that after this maner oure empyre maye haue peace and tranquylite But Mardocheus thought vpon all the workes and noble actes of y e LORDE made his prayer vnto him sayenge O LORDE LORDE thou valeaunt and allmightie kynge for all thinges are in thy power and yf thou wilt helpe and delyuer Israel there is no maÌ„ that can withstoÌ„de ner lett the for thou hast made heauen earth and what
maketh a god of the same claye this doth euen he which a litle afore was made of earth himself and within a litle whyle after whan he dyeth turneth to earth agayne Notwithstandinge he careth not y e more because he shal labo r ner because his life is shorte but stryueth to excell goldsmythes y e syluer smythes copper smithes and taketh it for an hono r to make vayne thinges For his hert is ashes his hope is but vaine earth his life is more vyle then claye for so moch as he knoweth not his awne maker that gaue him his soule to worke and brethed in him the breth of life They counte oure life but a pastyme and oure conuersacion to be butt a market and that men shulde euer be gettinge yee and that by euell meanes Now he y t of earth maketh frayle vessell and ymages knoweth himself to offende aboue all other All the enemies of thy people and y t holde them in subieccion are vnwyse vnhappie and exceadinge proude vnto their owne soules for they iudge all the Idols of the HeitheÌ„ to be goddes which nether haue eyesight to se ner noses to smell ner eares to heare ner fingers of handes for to grope as for their fete they are to slowe to go For man made them and he that hath but a borowed sprete fashioned them But no man can make a God like vnto him for seinge he is but mortall himself it is but mortall that he maketh with vnrighteous handes He himself is better then they whom he worshippeth for he lyued though he was mortall but so dyd neuer they Yee they worshippe beestes also â–ª which are most miserable for compare thinges that can not fele vnto them they are worse then those Yet is there not one of these beestes that with his sight caÌ„ beholde eny good thinge nether haue they geuen prayse ner thankes vnto God The XVI Chapter FOr these and soch other thinges haue they suffred worthy punyshment thorow y e multitude of beestes are they roted out Insteade of y e which punishmentes thou hast graciously ordred thine awne people geuen them their desyre that they loÌ„ged for a new straunge taist preparinge them quales to be their meate to the intent y t by the thinges which were shewed and sent vnto them they y t were so gredy of meate might be withdrawen euen from the desyre that was necessary But these within shorte tyme were brought vnto pouerte and taisted a new meate For it was requisite y t without eny excuse destruccion shulde come vpoÌ„ those which vsed tyraÌ„ny to shewe onely vnto the other how their enemies were destroyed For whan the cruell woodnesse of the beestes came vpon them they peryshed thorow the stinges of the cruell serpentes â–ª NotwithstoÌ„dinge y i wrath endured not perpetually but they were put in feare for a litle season y t they might be refourmed hauynge a token of saluacion to remembre the coÌ„maundement of thy lawe For he y t coÌ„uerted was not healed by the thinge y t he sawe but by THE O sauio of all So in this thou shewdest thine enemies y t it is thou which deliuerest froÌ„ all euell As for theÌ„ whan they were bytten w t greshoppers and flyes they died for they were worthy to perish by soch But nether the teth of dragons ner of venymous wormes ouer came y e children for thy mercy was euer by them helped theÌ„ Therfore were they punyshed to remeÌ„bre thy wordes but hastely were they healed agayne lest they shulde fall in to so depe forgetfulnesse that they might not vse thy helpe It was nether herbe ner plaster y t restored theÌ„ to health but thy worde o LORDE which healeth all thinges It is thou o LORDE y t hast the power of life death thou ledest vnto deathes dore bringest vp agayne But man thorow wickednes slayeth his owne soule when his sprete goeth forth it turneth not agayne nether maye he call agayne y e soule y t is takeÌ„ awaye It is not possible to escape y i hande For y e vngodly y t wolde not knowe y e were punyshed by y e streÌ„gth of thine arme w t strauÌ„ge waters hales and raynes were they persecuted thorow fyre were they coÌ„sumed For it was a wonderous thinge that fyre might do more then water which queÌ„cheth all thinges but y e worlde is y e aueÌ„ger of the righteous Some tyme was y e fyre so tame y t the beestes which were sent to punysh y e vngodly brent not y t because they shulde se knowe y t they were persecuted w t the punyshmeÌ„t of God And somtyme brent the fyre in the water on euery syde y t it might destroye y e vnrighteous nacioÌ„ of the earth Againe thou hast fed thine awne people w t angels fode sent theÌ„ bred ready from heaueÌ„ without their labo beynge very pleasauÌ„t well gusted And to shewe thy riches swetnesse vnto thy childreÌ„ thou gauest euery one their desyre so y t euery man might take what liked him best But the snowe yse abode the violeÌ„ce of the fyre melted not y t they might knowe y t the fyre burninge in the hale rayne destroied y e frute of y e enemies y e fyre also forgatt his streÌ„gth agayne y t y e righteous might be norished For y e creature y t serueth y e which art y e maker is fearse in punyshinge y e vnrighteous but it is easy geÌ„tle to do good vnto soch as put their trust in the. Therfore dyd all thinges alter at the same tyme were all obedieÌ„t vnto thy grace which is y e norse of all thinges acordinge to y e desyre of theÌ„ y t had nede therof y t y e childreÌ„ O LORDE whoÌ„ thou louest might knowe y t it is not nature the growinge of frutes y t fedeth meÌ„ but y t it is y e worde which preserueth theÌ„ y t put their trust in the. For loke what might not be destroyed w t the fyre as soone as it was warmed w t a litle Sonne beame it melted y t all men might knowe y t thankes ought to be geuen vnto y e before y e Sonne ryse y t thou oughtest to be worshipped before y e daye sprynge For y e hope of y e vnthankfull shal melt awaie as the wynter yse perishe as water y t is not necessary The XVII Chapter GReate are thy iudgmeÌ„tes o LORDE thy councels can not be expressed therfore men do erre y t wil not be refourmed w t thy wyszdome For whan the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subiecioÌ„ they were bounde w t the bandes of darcknes longe night shutt vnder y e rofe thinkinge to escape y e euerlaâ—tinge wiszdome And whyle they thought to be hyd in y e darcknesse of their synnes they were scatered abrode
of the LORDE is the rote of wyszdome and hir braunches are longe life In the treasures of wyszdome is vnderstondinge and deuocion of knowlege but wyszdome is abhorred of synners The feare of the LORDE dryueth out synne for he that is without feare can not be made righteous his wilfull boldnes is his owne destruccion A paciēt man wyl suffre vnto the tyme and thē shal he haue y e rewarde of ioye A good vnderstōdinge wil hyde his wordes for a tyme and many mēs lippes shal speake of his wyszdome In the treasures of wyszdome is the declaracion of doctrine but the synner abhorreth the worshipe of God My sonne yf thou desyre wiszdome kepe the commaundement and God shal geue her vnto the for the feare of the LORDE is wyszdome nurtoure he hath pleasure in faith and louynge mekenesse and he shal fyll the treasures therof Be not obstinate and vnfaithfull to the feare of the LORDE and come not vnto him with a duble hert Be not an ypocrite in the sight of men and take good hede what thou speakest Marck well these thinges lest thou happen to fall and brynge thy soule to dishonoure and so God discouer thy secretes and cast the downe in the myddest of the congregacion because thou woldest not receaue the feare of God and because thy hert is full of faynednes and disceate The II. Chapter MY sonne yf thou wilt come in to y e seruyce of God stonde fast in rightousnes and feare arme thy soule to tentacion sattle thine hert and be paciēt bowe downe thine eare receaue the wordes of vnderstondinge and shrencke not awaye whan thou art entysed Holde the fast vpon God ioyne thy self vnto him suffre that thy life maye encreace at the last What so euer happeneth vnto the receaue it suffre in heuynesse and be pacient in thy trouble For like as golde and syluer are tryed in the fyre euen so are acceptable men in the fornace of aduersite Beleue in God and he shal helpe the ordre thy waie a right and put thy trust in him Holde fast his feare and growe therin ▪ O ye y t feare the LORDE take sure holde of his mercy shrencke not awaye frō him that ye fall not O ye that feare y e LORDE beleue him and youre rewarde shall not be emptye O ye that feare y e LORDE put youre trust in him mercy shal come vnto you for pleasure O ye y t feare y e LORDE set yo r loue vpō him yo r hertes shal be lightened Considre the olde generacions of men o ye children and marck them well was there euer eny one confounded that put his trust in the LORDE Who euer contynued in his feare and was forsaken Or whom dyd he euer despyse that called faithfully vpō him For God is gracious and mercifull he forgeueth synnes in y e tyme of trouble and is a defender for all them y t seke him in y e trueth Wo be vnto him that hath a dubble hert wicked lippes and euell occupied handes to the synner y t goeth two maner of waies Wo be vnto them that are lowse of hert which put not their trust in God and therfore shal they not be defended of him Wo be vnto them that haue lost pacience forsaken the right wayes and are turned back in to frowarde wayes What wyl they do whan the LORDE shal begynne to vyset thē They that feare y e LORDE wil not mystrust his worde and they that loue him wyl kepe his commaundement They that feare the LORDE wyl seke out y e thinges that are pleasaunt vnto him and they that loue him shal fulfill his lawe They that feare y e LORDE wil prepare their hertes and hūble their soules in his sight They that feare the LORDE kepe his commaundementes and wil be pacient tyll they se himself sayenge better it is for vs to fall in to the handes of y e LORDE then in to the hādes of men for his mercy is as greate as him self The III. Chapter THe children of wyszdome are a cōgregacion of the righteous and their exercise is obedience and loue Heare me youre father o my deare children and do there after that ye maie be safe For the LORDE wil haue the father honoured of the children and loke what a mother commaūdeth hir children to do he wil haue it kepte Who so honoureth his father his synnes shall be forgeuē him and he that honoureth his mother is like one that gathereth treasure together Who so honoureth his father shal haue ioye of his owne children whan he maketh his prayer he shal be herde He that honoureth his father shall haue a longe life he that is obedient for y e LORDES sake his mother shal haue ioye of him He that feareth the LORDE honoureth his father and mother and doth them seruyce as it were vnto the LORDE himself Honoure thy father in dede in worde and in all pacience that thou mayest haue his blessinge for the blessinge of y e father buyldeth vp the houses of the children but the mothers curse roteth out the foundacions Reioyse not whan thy father is reproued for it is no honoure vnto the but a shame For the worshipe of a mans father is his awne worshipe and where the father is without honoure it is the dishonesty of the sonne My sonne make moch of thy father in his age and greue him not as longe as he lyueth And yf his vnderstandinge fayle haue pacience w t him despyse him not in thy strength For the good dede that thou shewest vnto thy father shall not be forgotten and whan thou thy self wantest it shall be rewarded the and for thy mothers offence thou shalt be recompensed with good yee it shal be founded for the in righteousnes and in the daye of trouble thou shalt be remembred thy synnes also shall melt awaye like as the yse in y e fayre warme wether He y t forsaketh his father shall come to shame he that defyeth his mother is cursed of God My sonne perfourme y e workes w t louynge mekenesse so shalt thou be loued aboue other men The greater thou art the more hūble thy self in all thinges and thou shalt fynde fauo r in the sight of God For greate power belongeth onely vnto God he is honoured of the lowly Seke not out the thinges that are aboue thy capacite and search not the grounde of soch thinges as are to mightie for the but loke what God hath commaunded the thinke vpō that allwaye and be not curious in many of his workes For it is not nedefull for the to se w t thine eyes y e thinges y t are secrete Make not thou to moch search in superfluous thinges and be not curious in many of his workes for many thinges are shewed vnto the allready which be aboue y e capacite of men The medlinge with soch hath begyled
BE not y e neghbours enemye for y e freÌ„des sake for who so is euel shal be y e heyre of rebuke dishono who soeuer beareth envye and a dubble toÌ„ge offendeth Be not proude in the deuyce of thyne owne vnderstandinge lest y e leaues wyther and y e frute be destroyed so thou be left as a drye tre â–ª For a wicked soule destroyeth him that hath it maketh him to be laughed to scorne of his enemies and bringeth him to the porcion of the vngodly A swete worde multiplieth frendes and pacifieth theÌ„ y t be at variaunce and a thankfull tonge will be plenteous in a good man Holde frendshipe w t many neuertheles haue but one counceler of a thousande Yf thou gettest a frende proue him first and be not haistie to geue him credence For some man is a frende but for a tyme and wyl not abyde in the daye of trouble And there is some frende that turneth to enemyte and taketh parte agaynst the and yf he knowe eny hurte by the he telleth it out Agayne some frende is but a companyon at the table and in the daye of nede he contynueth not But a sure frende wil be vnto y t euen as thyne owne self and deale faithfully with thy housholde folke Yf thou suffre trouble and aduersite he is with the and hydeth not him self from the. Departe froÌ„ thine enemies yee and bewarre of thy frendes A faithful frende is a stronge defence who so findeth soch one findeth a noble treasure A faithfull frende hath no peare the weight of golde and syluer is not to be compared to the goodnesse of his faith A faithfull frende is a medicyne of life they y t feare the LORDE shal fynde him Who so feareth the LORDE shal prospere with frendes and as he is himself so shal his frende be also My sonne receaue doctryne froÌ„ thy youth vp so shalt thou fynde wyszdome tyll thou be olde Go to her as one that ploweth and soweth and wayte pacieÌ„tly for hir good frutes For thou shalt haue but litle laboure in hir worke but thou shalt eate of hir frutes right soone O how exceadiÌ„ge sharpe is wiszdome to vnlerned men an vnstedfast body wyl not remayne in her Vnto soch she is as it were a twichstone he casteth her from him in all the haist for wyszdome is w t him but in name there be but few y t haue knowlege of her But with them that knowe her she abydeth eueÌ„ vnto y e appearinge of God Geue eare my sonne receaue my doctryne and refuse not my councell Put thy fote in to hir lynckes and take hir yock vpon thy neck bowe downe thy shulder vnder her beare hir paciently and be not weery of hir bandes Come vnto her with y e whole hert and kepe hir wayes with all thy power Seke after her and she shal be shewed the and whaÌ„ thou hast her forsake her not For at the last thou shalt fynde rest in her and that shal be turned to thy greate ioye Then shal hir fetters be a stronge defence for the hir yock a glorious rayment For the bewtye of life is in her and hir bandes are the couplinge together of saluacion Yee a glorious rayment is it thou shalt put it on and the same crowne of ioye shalt thou weere My sonne yf thou wilt take hede thou shalt haue vnderstaÌ„dinge and yf thou wilt applye y e mynde thou shalt be wyse Yf thou wilt bowe downe thine eare thou shalt receaue doctryne and yf thou delyte in hearinge thou shalt be wyse Stonde with y e multitude of soch elders as haue vnderstandinge and consente vnto their wyszdome with thine hert that thou mayest heare all godly sermons and that the worthy sentences escape the not And yf thou seist a man of discrete vnderstandinge gett the soone vnto him and let thy fote treade vpon the steppes of his dores Let thy mynde be vpon the commaundementes of God be earnestly occupied in his lawes so shal he stablish y e hert and geue y e wyszdome at thine owne desyre The VII Chapter DO no euell so shall there no harme happen vnto the. Departe awaye from the thinge that is wicked and no mysfortune shal medle with the. My sonne sowe no euell thinges in the sorowes of vnrighteousnes so shalt thou not reape theÌ„ seuenfolde Labo not vnto man for eny lordshipe nether vnto the kynge for the seate of honoure Iustifie not thy self before God for he knoweth the hert and desyre not to be reputed wyse in the presence of the kynge Make no laboure to be made a iudge excepte it so were y t thou coudest mightely put downe wickednes for yf thou shuldest stoÌ„de in awe of y e presence of the mightie thou shuldest fayle in geuynge sentence Offende not in y e multitude of the cite and put not thyself amonge the people Bynde not two synnes together for in one synne shalt thou not be vnpunyshed Saye not tush God wil loke vpoÌ„ the multitude of my oblacions and whan I offre to the hyest God he wyl accepte it Be not faynt harted whan thou makest y e prayer nether slack in geuinge of allmesse Laugh no man to scorne in the heuynesse of his soule for God which seyth all thinges is he that can bringe downe and set vp agayne Accepte no lesynge agaynst thy brother nether do the same agaynst thy frende Vse not to make eny maner of lye for the custome therof is not good Make not many wordes whan thou art amonge the elders and whan thou prayest make not moch bablinge Let no laborious worke be tedious vnto the nether the huszbandrie which the Allmightie hath created Make not thy boast in the multitude of thy wickednes but humble thy self euen from thine hert and remembre that the wrath shall not be longe in tarienge and that the vengeaunce of the flesh of y e vngodly is a very fyre and worme Geâ—e not ouer thy frende for eny good ner thy faithfull brother for the best golde Departe not from a discrete and good woman that is fallen vnto the for thy porcion in the feare of the LORDE for y e gift of hir honesty is aboue golde Where as thy seruaunt worketh truly intreate him not euell ner the Hyrelinge that is faithfull vnto the. Loue a discrete seruaunte as thine owne soule defraude him not of his libertie nether leaue him a poore man Yf thou haue catell loke well to them and yf they be for thy profit kepe them Yf thou haue sonnes brynge them vp in nurto r and lernynge holde theÌ„ in awe from their youth vp Yf thou haue daughters kepe their body shew not thy face cherefull towarde theÌ„ Marye y e daughter and so shalt thou perfourme a weightie matter but geue her to a man of vnderstandinge Yf thou haue a wife after thine owne mynde forsake her not but coÌ„mitte not thy self to
e wyne and despyse him not in his myrth Geue him no despytefull wordes and preasse not vpon him with contrary sayenges The XXXII Chapter YF thou be made a ruler pride not thy self therin but be thou as one of the people Take diligent care for them and loke well therto and whan thou hast done all thy dewtye syt the downe that thou mayest be mery with them and receaue a crowne of honoure Talke wysely honestly for wyszdome becommeth the right well Hynder not musyck Speake not where there is no audyence and poure not forth wyszdome out of tyme at an importunyte Like as the Carbuncle stone shyneth that is set in golde so doth a songe garnysh the wyne feast and as y e Smaragde that is set in golde so is the swetnes of Musyck by y e myrth of wyne Thou yonge mā speake that becommeth the that is profitable and yet scarse whan thou art twyce axed Comprehende moch with few wordes In many thinges be as one that is ignoraunt geue eare and holde thy tonge withall Yf thou be amonge men of hyer auctorite desyre not to compare thy self vnto them and whā an elder speaketh make not thou many wordes therin Before the thonder goeth lightenynge and before nurtoure and shamefastnesse goeth loue and fauoure Stōde vp by tymes and be not the last but get the home soone there take thy pastyme do what thou wilt so y t thou do no euell and defye no mā But for all thinges geue thankes vnto him that hath made the and replenished the with his goodes Who so feareth the LORDE wyl receaue his doctryne and they that get them to him by tymes shall fynde grace He that seketh the lawe shall be fylled withall As for him y t is but fayned he wyll be offended therat They that feare the LORDE shal fynde the iudgment their righteousnes shal be kyndled as a light An vngodly man will not be refourmed but can helpe him self with the example of other in his purpose A man of vnderstondinge despyseth no good councell but a wylde and proude body hath no feare My sonne do nothinge without advisement so shal it not repēt the after y e dede Go not in the waye where thou mayest fall ner where thou mayest stomble against the stone Geue not y i self in to a laborious slypery waye and bewarre of thine owne children In all thy workes put thy trust in God from thy whole hert for that is the kepinge of the cōmaundementes Who so beleueth Gods worde taketh hede to the commaundementes he that putteth his trust in y e LORDE shal wante nothinge The XXXIII Chapter THere shall no euell happen vnto him that feareth God but whan he is in tentacion the LORDE shall delyuer him A wyse man hateth not y e lawe but an ypocryte is as a shyp in a raginge water A man of vnderstondinge geueth credence vnto the lawe of God and y e lawe is faithfull vnto him Be sure of the matter then talke therof Be first wel instructe thē maiest thou geue answere The hert of y e foolish is like a cartwhele and his thoughtes renne aboute like the axell tre Like as a wylde horse that neyeth vnder euery one y t sytteth vpon him so is it with a scornefull frende Why doth one daie excell another seynge all the dayes of the yeare come of the Sonne The wyszdome of the LORDE hath so parted them a sunder and so hath he ordened the tymes and solempne feastes Some of them hath he chosen and halowed before other dayes And all men are made of the grounde out of the earth of Adam In the multitude of scyence hath y e LORDE sundered them and made their wayes of dyuerse fashions Some of them hath he blessed made moch of them halowed them claymed them to himself But some of thē hath he cursed brought thē lowe put thē out of their estate Like as y e claye is in the potters hande all the ordrynge therof at his pleasure so are men also in the hande of him y t made thē so that he maye geue them as it liketh him best Agaynst euell is good and agaynst death is life so is the vngodly agaynst soch as feare God Beholde thus all the workes of the Hyest there are euer two agaynst two and one set agaynst another I am awaked vp last of all as one that gathereth after in haruest In the giftes of God and in his blessynge I am increased haue fylled my wyne presse like a grape gatherer Beholde how I haue not laboured onely for my self but for all soch as loue nurtoure and wyszdome Heare me O ye greate men of the people harken w t yo eares ye rulers of y e congregacion Geue not y e sonne wyfe y e brother frende power ouer the whyle thou lyuest geue not awaye thy substaunce and good to another lest it repent the thou be fayne to begg therfore thy self As longe as thou lyuest hast breth let no man chaunge the For better it is thy children to praye the then y t thou shuldest be fayne to loke in their handes In all thy workes be excellent that thy honoure be neuer stained At the tyme whan thou shalt ende thy dayes and fynish thy life distribute thine inheretaūce The fodder the whyppe and the burden belongeth vnto the Asse Meate correccion and worke vnto the seruaunt Yf thou set thy seruaunt to laboure thou shalt fynde rest But yf thou let him go ydel he shal seke libertye The yock y e whyppe bowe downe the neck but tame thou thy euell seruaunt with bōdes correccion Sende him to laboure that he go not ydle For Idylnesse bryngeth moch euell Sett him to worke for that belongeth vnto him and becōmeth him well Yf he be not obedient bynde his fete but do not to moch vnto him in anye wyse without discrecion do nothinge Yf thou haue a faithfull seruaūt let him be vnto the as thine owne soule for in bloude hast thou gotten him Yf thou haue a seruaunt holde him as thy self for thou hast nede of him as of thy self Yf thou intreatest him euell and kepest him harde and makest him to be proude and to renne awaye from y e thou canst not tell what waye thou shalt seke him The XXXIIII Chapter VNwyse people begyle them selues w t vayne and disceatfull hope and fooles trust in dreames Who so regardeth dreames is like him that wil take holde of a shadowe and folowe after the wynde Euen so is it with the appearinges of dreames Before the face is the licknes of a face Who can be clensed of y e vncleane Or what treuth can be spoken of a lyar Soythsayenge witchcraft sorcery and dreaminge is but vanyte like as whan a womā trauayleth w t chylde and hath many fantasyes in hir herte Where as soch visions come not of God set not
yet are ye in no wyse able sufficiently to prayse him Who hath sene him that he might tell vs Who can magnifie him so greatly as he is For there are hyd yet greater thinges thē these be as for vs we haue sene but few of his workes For the LORDE hath made all thinges and geuen wyszdome to soch as feare God The XLIIII Chapter A commendacion of the olde vertuous fathers LEt vs commende the noble famous men and the generacion of oure foreelders and fathers Many more glorious actes hath the LORDE done and shewed his greate power euer sens y e begynnynge The noble famous men raigned in their kyngdomes and bare excellent rule In their wyszdome and vnderstondinge they folowed the councell shewed in the prophecies They led the folke thorow the councell and wyszdome of the scrybes of the people Wyse sentences are founde in their instruccion They sought the swetenes and melody of Musick and brought forth the pleasaunt songes in scripture They were riche also coude comforte and pacifie those that dwelt with them All these were very noble and honorable men in their generacions and were well reported of in their tymes These haue left a name behynde them so that their prayse shal allwaye be spokē of Afterwarde there were some whose remembraunce is gone They came to naught and perished as though they had neuer bene and became as though they had neuer bene borne yee their children also with them Neuertheles these are louynge men whose righteousnes shal neuer be forgotten but contynue by their posterite Their children are an holy good heretage Their sede endured fast in y e couenaunt For their sakes shal their childrē sede contynue for euer their prayse shal neuer be put downe Their bodies are buried in peace but their name lyueth for euermore The people can speake of their wyszdome the congregacion can talke of their prayse Enoch walked right acceptably before the LORDE therfore was he trāslated for an example of amendemēt to y e generacions Noe was a stedfast righteous man in the tyme of wrath he became a recōcylinge Therfore was he left a remnaunt vnto the earth whan the floude came An euerlastinge couenaunt was made w t him that all flesh shulde perishe nomore with y e water Abraham was a greate father of many people in glory was there none like vnto him He kepte the lawe of the Hyest came in to a couenaunt with him He set the couenaunt in his flesh and whan he was tempted he was founde faithfull Therfore swore God vnto him with an ooth that he wolde blesse all people in his sede that he wolde multiplie and increase him as the dust of the earth and to exalte his sede as the starres yee and that his sede shulde haue y e possession and inheretaunce of the londe from see to see and from the ryuer vnto y e borders of the londe With Isaac dyd he stablish y e same couenaūt for Abrahā his fathers sake Yee y t gracious blessynge and health of all men and couenaunt dyd he stablysh with Isaac and made it to rest vpon the heade of Iacob He knew him in that he prospered him so well and richely and gaue him an heretage and sundered his porcion by it self and parted it amonge the twolue trybes Mercifull men brought he out of him which founde fauo r before all flesh The XLV Chapter MOses beloued of God and mē whose remembraunce is in hye prayse him hath the LORDE made like in the glory of the sayntes and magnified him so that the enemies stode in awe of him thorow his wordes he dyd greate wonders He made him greate in the sight of kynges gaue him commaundement before his people and shewed him his glorious power He stablyshed him with faithfulnes and mekenes and chose him out of all men For he herde his voyce and led him in the darcke cloude and there he gaue him the commaundementes yee the lawe of life and wyszdome that he might teach Iacob the couenaunt and Israel his lawes He chose Aaron his brother also out of y e trybe of Leui exalted him made him soch like An euerlastinge couenaunt made he w t him and gaue him the presthode in the people He made him glorious in bewtifull araye and clothed him with the garment of honoure He put perfecte ioye vpō him and gyrded him with strength He deckte him with syde clothes and a tunycle with an ouerbody cote also and gyrdle Rounde aboute made he him belles of golde and that many that whan he wente in the sounde might be herde that they might make a noyse in the Sanctuary and geue the people warnynge The holy garment was wrought broderd with golde yalow sylke and purple And in the brestlappe there was a goodly worke wherin was fastened light and perfectnesse Vpon y e same also there was a worke fastened and set with costly precious stones all bounde with golde and this he brought in his mynistracion The stones also were fastened for a remembraunce after the twolue trybes of Israel Vpon his mytre there was a plate of pure golde a grauen ymage of holynes a famous and noble worke garnished and pleasaunt to loke vpon Before him were there sene no soch fayre ornamētes and these it behoued hī allwaye to vse There might none other put them on but onely his children and his childers children perpetually Daylie perfourmed he his burnt offeringes two tymes Moses fylled his handes and anoynted him w t holy oyle This was now confirmed him with an euerlastinge couenaunt and to his sede as y e dayes of heauē namely that his childrē shulde allwaye mynistre before him and perfourme the office of the presthode and wysh the people good in his name Before all men lyuynge chose he him that he shulde offre before the LORDE and make odours for a swete sauoure and remembraūce that he shulde reconcyle the people of the LORDE with him agayne He gaue him auctorite also in his commaundementes and in y e couenaūt that he shulde teach Iacob the statutes and testimonies and to enfourme Israel in his lawe Therfore there stode vp certayne agaynst him and had envye at him in the wyldernes namely they that were of Dathan Abirams syde and the furious congregaciō of Chore. This the LORDE sawe and it displeased him and in his wrothfull indignacion were they consumed A greate wonder did he vpon them and consumed them with the fyre Besydes this he made Aaron yet more honorable and glorious He gaue him an heretage and parted the first frutes vnto him Vnto him specially he appoynted the bred for sustenaunce for the prestes ate of y e offerynges of the LORDE this gaue he vnto him his sede Els had he no heretage ner porcion in y e londe and with the people For the LORDE himself is
vs go make a couenaunt with the Heithen y t are rounde aboute vs for sence we departed from them we haue had moch sorow So this deuyce pleased them well and certayne of y e people toke vpon thē for to go vnto y e kynge which gaue them licence to do after the ordinaūce of the Heithen Then set they vp an open scole at Ierusalem of the lawes of the Heithē and were nomore circumcised but forsoke y e holy Testamente and ioyned them selues to y e Heithē were cleane solde to do myschefe So when Antiochus beganne to be mightie in his kyngdome he wente aboute to optayne y e londe of Egipte also that he might haue the dominion of two realmes Vpon this entred he in to Egipte with a stronge hoost with charettes elephantes horsmen a greate nombre of shippes and beganne to warre agaynst Ptolomy the kynge of Egipte But Ptolomy was afrayed of him and fled and many of his people were wounded to death Thus Antiochus wāne many strōge cities and toke awaye great good out of the londe of Egipte And after that Antiochus had smytten Egipte he turned agayne in the Cxliij yeare wente towarde Israel and came vp to Ierusalem with a mightie people and entred proudly into y e Sanctuary and toke awaye the golden altare the candilsticke and all y e ornamētes therof the table of the shewbred the pouringe vessel the chargers the golden spones the vale the crownes and golden apparel of the temple and brake downe all He toke also the syluer and golde the precious Iewels and the secrete treasures that he foūde And when he had taken awaye alltogether caused a greate murthur of men and so fulfilled his malicious pryde he departed in to his owne londe Thus there arose greate heuinesse and misery in all the londe of Israel The prynces and the elders of the people mourned the yōge men and the maydens were defyled and the fayre beutye of women was chaunged the brydegrome and the bryde toke them to mournynge the londe and those that dwelt therin was moued for all the house of Iacob was brought to confucion After two yeares the kynge sent his chefe treasurer vnto the cities of Iuda which came to Ierusalem with a greate multitude of people speakīge peaceable wordes vnto thē but all was disceate for when they had geuen him credence he fell sodēly vpon the cite and smote it sore and destroyed moch people of Israel And when he had spoyled the cite he set fyre on it castinge downe houses and walles on euery syde The women their children toke they captiue and led awaye their catell Then buylded they the castel of Dauid with a greate and thicke wall and with mightie towres made it a stronge holde for them Besyde all this they sett wicked people and vngodly men to kepe it stoared it with weapens and vytales gathered the goodes of Ierusalem and layed thē vp there thus became it a theuysh castell And this was done to laye waite for the people that wente in to the Sanctuary and for the cruell destruccion of Israel Thus they shed innocent bloude on euery syde of y e Sanctuary and defyled it In so moch that the citesyns were fayne to departe and the cite became an habitacion of straungers beynge desolate of hir owne sede for hir owne natyues were fayne to leaue her Hir Sāctuary was clene waisted hir holy dayes were turned in to mournynge hir Sabbathes were had in derision and hir hono r brought to naught Loke how greate hir glory was afore so greate was hir confucion and hir ioye turned in to sorow Antiochus also the kynge sent out a commission vnto all his kyngdome that all the people shulde be one Then they left euery man his lawe and all the Heithen agreed to the cōmaundement of kynge Antiochus Yee many of the Israelites consented there vnto offerynge vnto Idols and defylinge the Sabbath So the kynge Antiochus sent his messaungers with his commission vnto Ierusalem and to all y e cities of Iuda that they shulde folowe y e lawes of the Heithē and for bad ether burnt offerynge meat offerynge or peace offerynge to be made in the temple of God that there shulde no Sabbath ner hye feast daye be kepte but commaunded that the Sanctuary and the holy people of Israel shulde be defyled He commaunded also that there shulde be set vp other altares temples and Idols to offre vp swynes flesh and other vnclene beastes that men shulde leaue their children vncircumcised to defyle their soules with all maner of vnclennesse abhominacions that they might so forget the lawe and chaūge all the holy ordinaunces of God and that who so euer wolde not do acordynge to the commaundement of kynge Antiochus shulde suffre death In like maner commaunded he thorow out all his realme and sett rulers ouer the people for to compell them to do these thynges commaundinge the cities of Iuda to do sacrifice vnto Idols Then wente the people vnto the Heithen by heapes forsoke the lawe of the LORDE and committed moch euell in the londe yee and chaced out the secrete Israelites which had hyd them selues in corners and preuy places The xv daye of the moneth Casleu in the Cxlv. yeare set kynge Antiochus an abhominable Idol of desolacion vpon the altare of God and they buylded altares thorow out all the cities of Iuda on euery syde before the dores of the houses and in the stretes where they brent incense and dyd sacrifyce And as for the bokes of the lawe of God they brent them in the fyre and rente them in peces What so euer he was that had a boke of the Testament of the LORDE founde by hym yee who so euer endeuored himself to kepe the lawe of the LORDE the kynges commaundement was y t they shulde put him to death And thorow his anctorite they executed these thinges euery moneth vpon the people of Israel that were founde in the cities The fyue and twentye daye of the moneth what tyme as they dyd sacrifice vpon the altare which stode in the steade of the altare of the LORDE acordinge to the commaundement of kynge Antiochus they put certayne women to death which had caused their children to be circumcised Not only that but they hanged vp the children by the neckes thorow out all their houses and slewe the circumcisers of them Yet were there many of the people of Israel which determed in them selues that they wolde not eate vncleane thinges but chose rather to suffre death then to be defyled with vncleane meates So because they wolde not breake the blessed lawe of God they were cruelly slayne And this greate tyranny increased very sore vpon the people of Israel The II. Chapter IN those dayes there dyd stōde vp one Matathias the sonne of Symeon the prest out of the kynred of Ioaris frō Ie Ierusalem and dwelt vpon the mount of
Modin and had v. sonnes IhoÌ„ called Gaddis Symon called Thasi Iudas other wyse called Machabeus Eleazer other wyse called Abaron and Ionathas whose surname was Apphus These sawe the euell y t was done amonge the people of Iuda and Ierusalem And Matathias sayde Wo is me alas that euer I was borne to se this misery of my people and y e piteous destruccioÌ„ of the holy cite thus to syt so styll it beynge delyuered in to the hondes the enemies Hir Sanctuary is come in to the power of straungers hir temple is as it were a man y t hath lost his good name Hir precious ornamentes are caried awaye captyue hir olde men are slayne in the stretes and hir yonge men are fallen thorow the swearde of the enemies What people is it that hath not some possession in hir kyngdome Or who hath not gotten some of hir spoyles All hir glory is taken awaye She was a Quene and now she is become an handmayde Beholde oure Sanctuary oure bewtye and honoure is waisted awaye and defyled by the Gentiles What helpeth it vs then to lyue And Matathias rente his clothes he and his sonnes and put sack cloth vpon them mourned very sore Then came the men thither which were sent of kynge Antiochus to compell soch as were fled in to the cite of Modin for to do sacrifice and to burne incense vnto Idols and to forsake the lawe of God So many of the people of Israel consented and enclyned vnto them but Matathias and his sonnes remayned stedfast Then spake the commissioners of kynge Antiochus sayde vnto Matathias Thou art a noble man of hye reputacion and greate in this cite hauinge fayre children and brethren Come thou therfore first and fulfill the kynges commaundemeÌ„t like as all the Heithen haue done yee and y e men of Iuda and soch as remayne at Ierusalem so shalt thou and thy children be in y e kynges fauoure and enriched with golde syluer and greate rewardes Matathias answered and spake with a loude voyce Though all nacions obeye the kynge Antiochus and fall awaie euery man froÌ„ kepynge y e lawe of their fathers though they consente to his commaundementes yet wil I my sonnes and my brethren not fall from the lawe oure fathers God forbyd we shulde that were not good for vs that we shulde forsake the lawe and ordinaunces of God and to agre vnto the commaundement of kynge Antiochus Therfore we will do no soch sacrifice nether breake the statutes of o r lawe to go another waye And wheÌ„ he had spoken these wordes there came one of the Iewes which openly in the sight of all dyd sacrifice vnto the Idols vpon the aulter in the cite of Modin acordinge to the kynges commaundement When Matathias sawe this it greued him at the herte so that his raynes shoâ—e withall and his wrath kindled for very zele of the lawe With that he gaue a szkippe forth and kylled the Iew besyde the aulter Yee and slewe y e kynges commissioner that coÌ„pelled him to do sacrifice destroyed the aulter at the same time soch a zele had he vnto the lawe of God like as Phinees dyd vnto Zambri the sonne of Salomi And Matathias cried with a loude voyce thorow y e cite sayenge Who so is feruent in the lawe wil kepe y e couenaunt let him folowe me So he and his sonnes fled in to the mountaynes and left all that euer they had in y e cite Many other godly men also departed in to the wyldernesse with their children their wyues and their catell and remayned there for the tyranny increaced so sore vpon them Now when the kynges seruauntes and the hoost which was at Ierusalem in the cite of Dauid herde that certayne meÌ„ had broken the kynges commaundement and were gone their waye to the wyldernesse in to secrete places and that there were many departed after them they folowed vpon them to fight agaynst them in the Sabbath daye and sayde Wyll ye yet rebell Get you hence do the commaundement of kynge Antiochus and ye shall lyue They answered We wil not go forth nether wil we do the kinges coÌ„maundement to defyle y e Sabbath daye Then beganne they to fight agaynst them neuerthelesse they gaue them none other answere nether cast they one stone at them ner made fast their preuy places but sayde We wil dye all in oure innocency heauen earth shal testifie with vs that ye put vs to death wrongeously Thus they fought agaynst them vpon the Sabbath slewe both men and catell their wyues and their children to the nombre of a thousande people When Matathias and his frendes herde this they mourned for them right sore and sayde one to another Yf so be that we all do as oure brethreÌ„ haue done and fight not for oure lyues for oure lawes agaynst the Heithen then shall they the sooner rote vs out of the earth So they coÌ„cluded amonge theÌ„ selues at the same tyme sayenge What so euer he be that coÌ„meth to make battayll w t vs vpon the Sabbath daye we wyll fight agaynst him not dye all as o r brethren y t were murthured so haynously VpoÌ„ this came the Synagoge of the Iewes vnto theÌ„ stronge men of Israel all soch as were feruent in the lawe And all they that were fled for persecucion came to helpe them and to stonde by them In so moch that they gathered an hoost of men and slewe the wicked doers in their gelousy and the vngodly men in their wrath Some of the wicked fled vnto the Heithen and escaped Thus Matathias and his frendes wente aboute and destroyed the aulters and circumcided the children that had not yet receaued circumcision as many as they founde within y e coostes of Israel and folowed mightely vpon the children of pryde and this acte prospered in their hondes In so moch that they kepte the lawe agaynst the power of the Gentiles and the kynges and gaue not ouer their dominion vnto wicked doers After this when the tyme drew on fast that Matathias shulde dye he sayde vnto his sonnes Now is pryde and persecucion increased now is the tyme of destruccion and wrathfull displeasure Wherfore o my sonnes be ye feruent in the lawe and ioperde youre lyues for the Testament of the fathers call to remembraunce what actes oure fathers dyd in their tyme so shall ye receaue greate honoure and an euerlastinge name Remembre Abraham was not he founde faithfull in tentacion and it was reckened vnto him for righteousnesse Ioseph in tyme of his trouble kepte the commaundement and was made a lorde of Egipte Phinees oure father was so feruent for the honoure of God that he optayned the couenauÌ„t of an euerlastinge presthode Iosue for fulfillinge the worde of God was made the captayne of Israel Caleb bare recorde before the coÌ„gregacion and receaued an heretage Dauid also in his mercifull kyndnesse optayned the trone of an
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
and lighted the candels settinge forth cakes and bred And now come ye vnto the feast of tabernacles in the moneth Casleu In the Clxxxviij yeare y e people y t was at Ierusalem and in Iewry the councell and Iudas himself sent this wholsome salutaciō vnto Aristobolus kynge Ptolomys master which came of the generacion of the anoynted prestes and to the Iewes that were in Egipte In so moch as God hath delyuered vs from greate parels we thanke him hylie In that we resisted so mightie a kynge And why he brought men out of Persis by heapes to fight agaynst vs and the holy cite For as he was in Persis namely y e captayne w t the greate hoost he perished in the temple of Naneas beynge disceaued thorow the deuyce of Naneas prestes For as he was purposed to haue dwelt there Antiochus his frēdes came thither to receaue moch moneye for a dowry So whē Naneas prestes had layed forth y e moneye he entred with a small company in to the compasse of the temple and so they shut the temple Now when Antiochus entred by openynge the preuy intraunce of the temple y e prestes stoned y e captayne to death hewed thē in peces that were with him smote of their heades and threwe them out In all thinges God be praysed which hath delyuered the wicked in to oure hondes Where as we now are purposed to kepe the purificacion of the temple vpon y e xxv daye of the moneth Casleu we thought necessary to certifie you therof that ye also might kepe the tabernacles feast daye the daye of the fyre which was geuen vs when Nehemias offred after that he had set vp y e temple the aulter For what tyme as o r fathers were led awaye vnto Persis y e prestes which then sought the hono r of God toke y e fyre priuely from y e aulter hyd it in a valley where as was a depe drye pyt therin they kepte it because the place was vnknowne to euery man Now after many yeares when it pleased God y t Nehemias shulde be sent from the kynge of Persia he sent the childers children of those prestes which had hyd the fyre to seke it And as they tolde vs they founde no fyre but thicke water Thē cōmaunded he them to drawe it vp to brynge it him y e offerynges withall Now when y e sacrifices were layed on ordred the prest Nehemias commaunded to sprenkle them the wod w t the water Whē this was done the tyme come y t the Sonne shone which afore was hyd in the cloude there was a greate fyre kyndled In so moch y t euery man marueled Now all the prestes prayed whyle the sacrifice was a makynge Ionathas prayed first and y e other gaue answere And Nehemias prayer was after this maner O LORDE God maker of all thinges thou fearfull stronge thou righteous mercifull thou y t art onely a gracious kynge onely lyberall onely iust Allmightie and euerlastinge thou y t delyuerest Israel from all trouble thou y t hast chosen the fathers halowed them receaue the offeringe for the whole people of Israel preserue thine owne porcion halowe it Gather those together y t are scatred abrode from vs delyuer them y t are vnder the Heithēs bondage loke vpon them which are despysed abhorred y t the Heithen maie knowe se how y t thou art o r God Punyshe them y t oppresse and proudly put vs to dishonoure Set y e people agayne in thy holy place like as Moses hath spokē And the prestes songe Psalmes of thankesgeuynge so lōge as the sacrifice endured Now when the sacrifice was brent Nehemias commaunded the greate stones to be sprenkled w t the resydue of the water Which when it was done there was kyndled a flamme of thē also but it was consumed thorow the light y t shyned from the aulter So whē this matter was knowne it was tolde the kynge of Persia that in the place where the prestes which were led awaye had hyd fyre there apeared water in steade of fyre that Nehemias his company had purified the sacrifices withall Then the kynge considerynge ponderynge y e matter diligently made him a temple to proue the thinge y t was done And whē he founde it so in dede he gaue the prestes many giftes dyuerse rewardes yee he toke them w t his owne hōde gaue thē And Nehemias called the same place Nephthar which is as moch to saye as a clensynge but many men call it Nephi The II. Chapter IT is founde also in the writinges of Ieremy the prophet y t he commaunded them which were caried awaye to take fyre as it is sayde afore He cōmaunded them also y t they shulde not forget the lawe cōmaundementes of the LORDE y t they shulde not erre in their myndes whē they se ymages of syluer golde w t their ornamentes These soch other thinges commaunded he them exorted them that they shulde not lett the lawe of God go out of their hertes It is wrytten also how the prophet at y e commaundement of God charged them to take the tabernacle the arke w t them he wente forth vnto the mountaine where Moses clymmed vp sawe y e heretage of God And when Ieremy came there he founde an open caue wherin he layed the tabernacle y e arke the aulter of incense so stopped the hole There came certayne men together also folowinge him to marck the place but they coude not fynde it Which when Ieremy perceaued he reproued thē sayenge As for that place it shal be vnknowne vntill y e tyme that God gather his people together againe receaue thē vnto mercy Then shal God shewe them these thinges the maiesty of the LORDE shall appeare the cloude also like as it was shewed vnto Moses like as when Salomon desyred y t the place might be sanctified it was shewed him For he beynge a wyse man handled honorably wysely offerynge vnto God in y e halowinge of the temple when it was fynisshed And like as when Moses prayed vnto the LORDE the fyre came downe from heauen consumed the burnt offeringe Euen so prayed Salomon also the fyre came downe from heauen cōsumed the burnt offeringe And Moses sayde because the syn offerynge was not eaten therfore it is cōsumed In like maner Salomon kepte the dedicacion or halowynge eight dayes In y e Annotacions wrytynges of Ieremy were these thinges put also how he made a lybrary how he gathered out of all countrees the bokes of the prophetes of Dauid the epistles of the kynges and of the presentes Euen so Iudas also loke what he lerned by experiēce of warre soch thinges as hath happened vnto vs he gathered thē all together so we haue them by vs. Yf ye
but durst go in to the most holy temple Menelaus that traytoure to y e lawes to his owne naturall countre beynge his gyde with his wicked hondes toke y e holy vessell which other kynges cities had geuen thither for y e garnishinge hono of y e place thē toke he in his hōdes vnworthely defyled them So madd was Antiochus that he considered not how that God was a litle wroth for the synnes of them that dwelt in the cite for the which soch confucion came vpon that place And why yf it had not happened them to haue bene lapped in many synnes this Antiochus as soone as he had come had sodenly bene punished and shot out for his presumpciō like as Heliodorus was whom Seleucus the kynge sente to robbe y e treasury Neuertheles God hath not chosen the people for the places sake but the place for the peoples sake and therfore is the place become partaker of the peoples trouble but afterwarde shall it enioye the wealth of them And like as it is now forsaken in the wrath of allmighty God so when the greate God is reconcyled it shal be set vp in hye worshipe agayne So when Antiochus had taken a M. and viij C. talentes out of the temple he gat him to Antioche in all the haist thinkinge in his pryde that he might make mē sale vpon the drye londe and to go vpon y e see soch an hye mynde had he He lefte debites there to vexe the people At Ierusalem left he Philippe a Phrigian in maners more cruell thē himself y t set him there At Garisim he left Andronicus Menelaus which were more greuous to the citisyns then other Now as he was thus set in malyce agaynst y e Iewes he sent Appollonius an hated prynce w t xxij M. cōmaundinge him to slaye all those y t were of perfecte age and to sell the womē maydes children When he came now to Ierusalem he fained peace kepte him still vntill y e Sabbath daye And then he cōmaunded his men to take them to their weapens for y e Iewes kepte holy daye and so he slewe all them y t were gone forth to the open playe runninge here and there thorow the cite with his men wapened and murthured a greate nombre But Iudas Machabeus which was the tenth fled into the wyldernesse led his life there with his company amonge the wylde beestes and vpon the mountaynes dwellinge there and eatinge grasse lest they shulde be partakers of the fylthynesse The VI. Chapter NOt longe after this sent the kynge a messaunger of Antioche for to compell y e Iewes to altre y e ordinaunces of y e fathers the lawe of God to defyle the temple y t was at Ierusalem to call it the tēple of Iupiter Olimpius y t they shulde be in Gazarim as those which dwell at y e place of Iupiter the harberous This wicked sediciō of y e vngodly was heuy vpon all y e people For y e temple was full of voluptuousnes bebbinge bollinge of y e Heithē of ribaudes harlottes together The womē wente in to y e holy place bare in that was not laufull The aulter also was full of vnlaufull thinges which y e lawe forbyddeth to laye vpō it The Sabbathes were not kepte the other solempne feastes of y e londe were not regarded To be plaine there durst no mā be a knowne that he was a Iewe. In the daye of the kynges byeth they were compelled perforce to offre when y e feast of Bachus was kepte they were cōstrayned to weere garlandes of yven and so to go aboute for the honoure of Bachus Morouer thorow the councell of Ptolomy there wente out a commaundement in y e nexte cities of the Heithen y t they shulde intreate the Iewes in like maner namely to cōpell thē for to do sacrifice after y e lawes of y e Gentiles and who so wolde not to put them to death A piteous thinge was it to se. There were ij women accused to haue circumcided their sonnes whom when they had led rounde aboute the cite the babes hanginge at their brestes they cast them downe headlinges ouer the walles Some y t were crepte in to dennes and had kepte the Sabbath were accused vnto Philippe and brent in the fyre because that for the feare of God they kepte the commaūdement so stiffly and wolde not defende them selues Now I beseke all those which reade this boke that they refuse it not for these falles of aduersite iudge the thinges y t are happened for no destruccion but for a chastenynge of o people And why Whē God suffreth not synners longe to folowe their owne mynde but shortly punysheth them it is a tokē of his greate louynge kyndnes For this grace haue we of God more then other people y t he suffreth not vs longe to synne vnpunyshed like other nacions that when the daye of iudgment commeth he maye punysh thē in the fulnes of their synnes Yf we synne he correcketh vs but he neuer withdraweth his mercy frō vs though he punysh w t aduersite yeth doth he neuer forsake his people But let this that we haue spokē now w t few wordes be for a warninge exortaciō of y e Heithē Now wil we come to the declaringe of the matter Eleazar one of y e principall scribes an aged mā of a welfauored coūtenaūce was cōstrained to gape w t opē mouth to eate swynes flesh But he desyringe rather to dye gloriously thē to liue w t shame offred himself willīgly to y e martirdome Now whē he sawe y t he must nedes go to it he toke it paciētly for he was at a poynte w t himself y t he wolde consente to no vnlaufull thynge for eny pleasure of life They y t stode by beynge moued w t pyte but not a right for y e olde frendshipe of the man toke him asyde priuely and prayed him y t he wolde let soch flesh be brought him as were laufull to eate thē to make a coūtenaūce as though he had eaten of y e flesh of y e sacrifice like as the kynge commaunded for so he might be delyuered from death so for the olde frendshipe of y e man they shewed him this kindnes But he beganne to considre his discrete and honorable age his noble and worshipfull stocke and how y t frō his youth vp he had bene of an honest and good conuersacion yee how constantly he had kepte y e ordinaunces and lawes commaūded by God wherfore he gaue them this answere and sayde Yet had I rather first be layed in my graue For it becommeth not myne age sayde he in eny wyse to dyssemble wherby many yonge personnes might thinke that Eleazar beinge lxxx yeare olde and ten were now gone to a straunge life and so thorow myne ypocrisy for a litle tyme of a transitory life they
might be disceaued by this meanes also shulde I defyle myne age make it abhominable For though I were now delyuered from the tormentes of men yet shulde I not escape the honde of allmightie God nether alyue ner deed Wherfore I will dye manfully do as it becommeth myne age Wherby I maie peraduenture leaue an exāple of stedfastnesse for soch as be yonge yf I w t a ready mynde manfully dye an honest death for the most worthy and holy lawes When he had sayde these wordes immediatly he was drawen to the tormēte Now they that led him and were mylde a litle afore beganne to take displeasure because of the wordes y t he sayde for they thought he had spokē them of an hye mynde But whē he was in his martirdome he mourned and sayde Thou O LORDE which hast the holy knowlege knowest openly that where as I might be delyuered frō death I suffre these sore paynes of my body but in my mynde I am wel contente to suffre them because I feare the. Thus this man dyed leauynge y e memoriall of his death for an example not only vnto yonge men but vnto all y e people to be stedfast and manly The VII Chapter IT happened also that there were vij brethren with their mother taken compelled by the kynge agaynst the lawe to eate swynes flesh namely w t scourges and lethren whippes And one of them which was y e chefe sayde What sekest thou and what requyrest thou of vs As for vs we are ready rather to suffre death then to offende the lawes of God and the fathers Then was the kynge angrie and bad heare cauldrons and brasen pottes Which when they were made hote immediatly he commaunded y e tonge of him that spake first to be cut out to pull the skynne ouer his heade to payre of the edges of his handes and fete yee and that in the sight of his mother and the other of his brethren Now when he was cleane marred he commaunded a fyre to be made so whyle there was eny breath in him to be fryed in the caudron In the which when he had bene longe payned the other brethren with their mother exorted him to dye manfully sayēge The LORDE God shal regarde the treuth and comforte vs like as Moses testifieth and declareth in his songe sayenge and he wyl haue compassion on his seruauntes So whē the first was deed after this maner they brought the seconde to haue him in derision pulled the skynne with the hayre ouer his heade and axed him yf he wolde eate swynes flesh or he were payned in y e other membres also thorow out his body But he answered boldly and sayde I will not do it And so was he tormented like as y e first And whē he was euē at y e geuinge vp of y e goost he sayde Thou most vngracious personne puttest vs now to death but the kynge of y e worlde shall rayse vs vp which dye for his lawes in y e resurreccion of euerlastinge life After him was the thirde had in derision and when he was requyred he putt out his tonge and that right soone holdinge forth his hondes manfully and spake with a stedfast faith These haue I of heauē but now for the lawe of God I despyse them for my trust is that I shall receaue them of him agayne In so moch that the kynge and they which were with him marueled at the yonge mans boldnesse that he nothinge regarded the paynes Now when he was deed also they vexed the fourth with tormentes in like maner So when he was now at his death he sayde It is better that we beynge put to death of mē haue oure hope and trust in God for he shal rayse vs vp agayne As for the thou shalt haue no resurreccion to life And when they had spoken to the fifth they tormēted him Then loked he vnto y e kinge sayde Thou hast power amōge mē for thou art a mortall man also y i self to do what thou wilt but thinke not y t God hath forsaken o r generacion Abyde the tary styll a whyle thou shalt se the greate power of God how he wil punysh the thy sede After him they brought the sixte which beynge at the poynte of death sayde Be not disceaued o kynge for this we suffre for oure owne sakes because we haue offended oure God therfore marvelous thinges are shewed vpon vs. But thinke not thou which takest in honde to stryue agaynst God that thou shalt escape vnpunyshed This excellent mother worthy to be well reported of and had in remembraunce sawe hir seuen sonnes dye in one daye and suffred it paciētly because of the hope that she had in God Yee she exorted euery one of them in especiall and that boldly and stedfastly w t parfite wyszdome wakynge vp hir wyuysh thought with a manly stomacke and sayde vnto them I can not tell how ye came in my wombe for I nether gaue you breth ner soule no ner life It is not I y t ioyned y t mēbres of yo bodies together but y e maker of y e worlde which fashioned y e byrth of mā begāne all thinges Euen he also of his owne mercy shall geue you breath and life agayne like as ye now regarde not youre owne selues for his lawes sake Now thought Antiochus that she had despysed him therfore he let her go with hir reproues and beganne to exorte the yongest sonne which yet was left not only w t wordes but swore vnto him w t an ooth y t he shulde make him a rich welthy man yf he wolde forsake y e lawes of his fathers yee and y t he shulde geue him what so euer were necessary for him But whē the yonge man wolde not be moued for all these thinges he called his mother counceled her to saue hir sonnes life And when he had exorted her with many wordes she promised him that she shulde speake vnto hir sonne So she turned her vnto him laughinge y e cruell tyraunte to scorne spake w t a boylde voyce O my sonne haue pite vpon me y t bare y e ix monethes in my wombe that gaue the sucke norished the and brought the vp vnto this age I beseke the my sonne loke vpon heauen and earth and all that is therin and considre that God made them and mans generacion of naught so shalt thou not feare this hangman but suffre death stedfastly like as thy brethren haue done that I maye receaue the agayne in the same mercy with thy brethren Whyle she was yet speakynge these wordes the yonge man sayde Whom loke ye for ▪ Wherfore do ye tary I wil not obeye the kynges commaundement but the lawe that God gaue vs by Moses As for the that ymaginest all myschefe agaynst the Iewes thou shalt not escape the honde of God for we suffre these thinges because of oure synnes And though
sawe a greate lyght to them which sat in the region shadowe of deeth lyght is begoÌ„ne to shyne From that tyme forth beganne Iesus to preach and to saye Amende youre selues y e kingdome of heauen is at honde As Iesus walked by the see of Galile he sawe two brethren Simon which was called Peter Andrew his brother castynge a net into y e see for they were fiszhers and he sayde vnto them folowe me I will make you fiszhers of meÌ„ And they strayght waye lefte their nettes and folowed hym And whan he weÌ„t forth from thence he sawe other two brethren Iames the sonne of zebede and Ihon his brother in the ship with zebede their father mendynge their nettes and called them And they without tarynge lefte y e shyp and their father and folowed hym And Iesus went aboute all Galile teachyng in their synagoges and preachynge the gospel of the kyngdome and healed all maner of siknes all maner dyseases amonge the people And his fame spred abrode through out all Siria And they brought vnto hym all sick people that were taken with diuers diseases and gripinges and theÌ„ y t were possessed with deuils those which were lunatyke and those that had the palsie he healed theÌ„ And ther folowed hym a greate nombre of people from Galile from the ten cities and from Ierusalem and from the regions that lye beyonde Iordan The V. Chapter WHen he sawe the people he went vp into a mountayne and when he was set his disciples came to hym and he opened his mouth and taught them sayinge Blessed are the poore in sprete for theirs is the kyngdome of heueÌ„ Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be coÌ„forted Blessed are the meke for they shall inheret the erth Blessed are they which honger thyrst for rightewesnes for they shal be filled Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obteyne mercy Blessed are the pure in herte for they shall se God Blessed are the peacemakers for they shal be called the chyldren of God Blessed are they which suffre persecucion for rightwesnes sake for theirs is the kyngdome of heuen Blessed are ye when men reuyle you and persecute you and falsly say all manner of yuell saynges against you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for greate is youre rewarde in heueÌ„ For so persecuted they the Prophetes which were before youre dayes Ye are y e salt of the earth but and yf the salt haue lost his saltnes what can be salted therwith It is thence forth good for nothynge but to be cast out and to be trodden vnder fote of men Ye are the light of the worlde A cite that is set on an hill can not be hid nether do men lyght a candell and put it vnder a buszhell but on a candelstick and it lighteth all that are in the house Let youre light so shyne before men that they maye se youre good workes and glorify youre father which is in heauen Thinke not that I am come to destroye the lawe or the Prophetes no I am not come to destroye them but to fulfyll them For truly I saye vnto you till heauen and earth periszhe one iott or one tyttle of the lawe shall not escape tyll all be fulfilled Whosoeuer breaketh one of these least coÌ„maundmentes and teacheth meÌ„ so he shal be called the leest in the kyngdome of heauen But whosoeuer obserueth and teacheth the same shal be called greate in the kyngdome of heauen For I saye vnto you excepte youre rightewesnes exceade the righetewesnes of the Scribes and Pharises ye can not entre in to the kyngdome of heauen Ye haue herde how it was sayde to theÌ„ of the olde tyme Thou shalt not kyll For whosoeuer kylleth shall be in daunger of iudgement But I saye vnto you whosoeuer is angrie with his brother is in daunger of the iudgement Whosoeuer sayeth vnto his brother Racha is in daunger of y e couÌ„sell But whosoeuer sayeth thou foole is in daunger of hell fyre Therfore when thou offrest thy gift at the altare and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst the leaue there thyne offrynge before the altare and go thy waye first and reconcyle thy selfe to thy brother then come and offre thy gyfte Agre with thine aduersary quicklye whyle thou art in the waye with hym lest that aduersary deliuer the to the iudge and the iudge deliuer the to the minister and then thou be cast in to preson I saye vnto the verely thou shalt not come out theÌ„ce till thou haue payed the vtmost farthinge Ye haue herde how it was sayde to them of olde tyme Thou shalt not committe aduoutrie But I saye vnto you that whosoeuer loketh on a wife lustinge after her hath committed aduoutrie with hir already in his hert Wherfore yf thy right eye offende the plucke hym out and cast him from the. Better it is for the that one of thy membres periszhe then that thy whole body shulde be cast in to hell Also yf thy right honde offende the cut hym of and cast him from the. Better â—t is that one of thy meÌ„bres periszh theÌ„ y t all y e body shulde be cast in to hell It is sayde whosoeuer putteth awaye his wyfe let hym geue her a testimonyall of the deuorcemeÌ„t But I saye vnto you whosoeuer putteth awaye his wyfe except it be for fornicacioÌ„ causeth her to breake matrymony And whosoeuer maryeth her that is deuorsed breaketh wedlocke Agayne ye haue herde how it was sayde to theÌ„ of olde tyme Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe thyne ooth to God But I saye vnto you sweare not at all nether by heaueÌ„ for it is God is seate nor yet by the earth for it is his fote stole nether by Ierusalem for it is the cyte of y e greate kinge nether shalt thou sweare by thy heed because thou canst not make one heer whyte or blacke But your communicacion shal be yee yee nay nay For what soeuer is more then that commeth of euel Ye haue herde howe it is sayde An eye for an eye a toth for a toth But I saye vnto you that ye resist not euell But whosoeuer geueth the a blowe on thy right cheke turne to him the other also And yf eny man will sue the at the lawe take awaye thy coate let him haue thy cloake also And who so compelleth the to go a myle go w t hym twayne Geue to hym that axeth and from hym that wolde borowe turne not awaye Ye haue herde how it is saide thou shalt loue thyne neghboure hate thyne enemy But I saye vnto you loue youre enemies Blesse theÌ„ that cursse you Do good to theÌ„ that hate you Praye for theÌ„ which do you wronge and persecute you that ye maye be the chyldern of youre father which is in heauen for he maketh
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
He sayde vnto him What is wrytten in the lawe How readest thou He answered and sayde Thou shalt loue thy LORDE God with all thy hert with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neghboure as thy self He sayde vnto him Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt lyue But he wolde haue iustified himself sayde vnto Iesus Who is then my neghboure Then answered Iesus and sayde A certayne man wente downe from Ierusalem vnto Iericho and fell amonge murthurers which stryped him out of his clothes and wounded him and wente their waye and left him half deed And by chaūce there came downe a prest the same waye and whan he sawe him he passed by And likewyse a Leuite whā he came nye vnto the same place and sawe him he passed by But a Samaritane was goynge his iourney and came that waye and whan he sawe him he had compassion vpon him wente vnto him bounde vp his woundes and poured oyle and wyne therin and lifte him vp vpon his beast and brought him in to the ynne and made prouysion for him Vpon the next daye whan he departed he toke out two pens and gaue them to the oost and sayde vnto him Take cure of him and what so euer thou spendest more I wil paye it the whan I come agayne Which of these thre now thinkest thou was neghboure vnto him that fell amonge the murtherers He sayde He that shewed mercy vpon him Then sayde Iesus vnto him Go thy waye then and do thou likewyse It fortuned as they wēte that he entred in to a towne where there was a woman named Martha which receaued him in to hir house And she had a sister called Mary which sat hir downe at Iesus fete and herkened vnto his worde But Martha made hir self moch to do for to serue him And she srepte vnto him and sayde LORDE carest thou not that my sister letteth me serue alone Byd her therfore that she helpe me But Iesus answered and sayde vnto her Martha Martha thou takest thought and combrest thy self aboute many thinges there is but one thinge nedefull Mary hath chosen a good parte which shal not be taken awaye from her The XI Chapter ANd it fortuned that he was in a place and prayed And whan he had ceassed one of his disciples sayde vnto him LORDE teach vs to praye as Ihon also taught his disciples He sayde vnto thē Whan ye praye saye O oure father which art in heauen halowed be thy name Thy kyngdome come Thy wil be fulfilled vpon earth as it is in heauen Geue vs this daye oure daylie bred And forgeue vs oure synnes for we also forgeue all them that are detters vnto vs. And lede vs not in to temptacion but delyuer vs from euell And he sayde vnto them Which of you is it that hath a frende and shulde go to him at mydinght and saye vnto him frende lende me thre loaues for a frende of myne is come to me out of the waye and I haue nothinge to set before him and he within shulde answere and saye Disquyete me not the dore is shutt allready and my children are with me in the chamber I can not ryse and geue the. I saye vnto you and though he wolde not aryse and geue him because he is his frende Yet because of his vnshame fast begginge he wolde aryse and geue him as many as he neded And I saye vnto you also Axe and it shal be geuen you Seke and ye shal fynde knocke and it shal be opened vnto you For who so euer axeth receaueth and he that seketh fyndeth and to him that knocketh shal it be opened Yf the sonne axe bred of eny of you that is a father wyl he geue him a stone therfore Or yf he axe a fyszhe wyl he for the fish offre him a serpent Or yf he axe an egg wyl he profer him a scorpion Yf ye then which are euell can geue youre children good giftes how moch more shal the father of heauen geue the holy sprete vnto them that axe him And he droue out a deuell that was domme and it came to passe whan the deuell was departed out the domme spake and the people wondred But some of them sayde He dryueth out the deuels thorow Beelzebub the chefe of the deuels The other tempted him and desyred a token of him from heauen But he knewe their thoughtes and sayde vnto them Euery kyngdome deuyded within it self shal be desolate and one house shal fall vpō another Yf Sathan then be at variaunce within himself how shal his kyngdome endure Because ye saye that I dryue out deuels thorow Beelzebub And yf I dryue out deuels thorow Beelzebul by whom thē do youre children dryue them out Therfore shall they be youre iudges But yf I cast out the deuels by the fynger of God then is the kyngdome of God come vnto you Whan a stronge harnessed man kepeth his house that he possesseth is in peace but whan a stronger then he commeth vpō him and ouercommeth him he taketh frō him all his wapens wherin he trusted and deuydeth the spoyle He that is not with me is agaynst me and he that gathereth not with me scatereth abrode Whan the vncleane sprete is gone out of a man he walketh thorow drye places sekynge rest and fyndeth none Then sayeth he I wil turne agayne in to my house from whence I wente out And whan he commeth he fyndeth it swepte and garnished Then goeth he and taketh vnto him seuen other spretes worse thē himself And whan they are entred in they dwell there And the ende of that man is worse then the begynnynge And it fortuned whan he spake soch a certayne woman amonge the people lift vp hir voyce and sayde vnto him Blessed is y e wombe that bare the and the pappes that thou hast sucked But he sayde Yee blessed are they that heare the worde of God and kepe it Whan the people were gathered thicke together he beganne to saye This is an euell generacion they desyre a tokē and there shal no token be geuen them but the tokē of the prophet Ionas For like as Ionas was a tokē vnto the Niniuytes so shal the sonne of man be vnto this generacion ▪ The quene of the south shal aryse at the iudgmēt with the men of this generacion and shall condempne them for she came from the ende of the worlde to heare the wyszdome of Salomon And beholde here is one more then Salomon The men of Niniue shal aryse at the iudgment with this generacion and shall condempne them for they dyd pennaunce after the preachinge of Ionas and beholde here is one more thē Ionas No man lighteth a candell and putteth it in a preuy place nether vnder a buszhell but vpon a candilsticke that they which come in maye se y e light The eye is the light of the body Yf thine eye then be
with the synne for yf thorow the synne of one many be deed yet moch more plenteously came the grace and gifte of God vpon many by the fauoure that belonged vnto one man Iesus Christ. And the gifte is not onely ouer one synne as death came thorow one synne of one that synned For the iudgment came of one synne vnto condempnacion but the gifte to iustifye fro many synnes For yf by y e synne of one death raigned by the meanes of one moch more shal they which receaue the abūdaunce of grace and of the gifte vnto righteousnes raigne in life by y e meanes of one Iesus Christ. Likewyse thē as by the synne of one condemnacion came on all men euen so also by the righteousnes of one came the iustififienge off life vpon all men For as by the disobedience of one many became synners euen so by the obedience of one shal many be made righteous But the lawe in the meane tyme entred that synne shulde increace Neuertheles where abundaunce of synne was there was yet more plenteousnes of grace that like as synne had reigned vnto death euē so mighte grace reigne also thorow righteousnes to euerlastinge life by the meanes of Iesus Christ. The VI. Chapter WHat shal we saye then Shal we contynue in synne that there maye be abundaunce of grace God forbyd How shal we lyue in synne y t are deed from it Knowe ye not that all we which are baptysed in to Iesu Christ are baptysed in to his death Therfore are we buried w t him by baptyme in to death that like as Christ was raysed vp from the deed by the glory of the father euen so we also shulde walke in a new life For yf we be grafted w t him vnto like death then shal we be like the resurreccion also For so moch as we knowe that oure olde man is crucified with him that the synfull body mighte ceasse that hence forth we shulde serue synne nomore For he that is deed is made righteous frō synne But yf we be deed with Christ we beleue that we shal lyue also with him and are sure that Christ raysed from the deed dyeth nomore Death shal haue nomore power ouer him For as touchinge that he dyed he dyed cōcernynge synne once but as touchinge that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God Likewyse ye also counte youre selues to be euen deed concernynge synne and to lyue vnto God thorow Iesus Christ oure LORDE Let not synne reigne therfore in youre mortall bodye that ye shulde obeye vnto the lustes of it Nether geue ye ouer youre membres vnto synne to be wapens of vnrighteousnes but geue ouer youre selues vnto God as they that off deed are become lyuynge and youre membres vnto God to be wapēs off righteousnes For synne shal not haue power ouer you in so moch as ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace How then Shal we synne because we are not vnder y e lawe but vnder grace God forbyd Knowe ye not that loke vnto whō ye geue ouer youre selues as seruauntes to obeye his seruauntes ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of synne vnto death or of obediēce vnto righteousnes But God be thanked that though ye haue bene the seruauntes of synne ye are now yet obedient of herte to the ensample off the doctryne whervnto ye are commytted For now that ye are made fre from synne ye are become the seruauntes of righteousnes I wil speake grosly because of the weaknes of youre flesh Like as ye haue geuen ouer youre membres to the seruyce of vnclennesse from one wickednesse to another Euē so now also geue ouer youre membres to the seruyce of righteousnesse that they maye be holy For whan ye were the seruauntes of synne ye were lowse from righteousnes What frute had ye at that tyme in those thinges wherof ye are now ashamed For the ende of soch thinges is death But now that ye be fre from synne and are become the seruauntes of God ye haue youre frute that ye shulde be holy but the ende is euerlastinge life For death is the rewarde of synne but the gifte of God is euerlastinge life The VII Chapter KNowe ye not brethren for I speake vnto them that knowe the lawe how that y e lawe hath power vpon a man as longe as he lyueth For the woman y t is in subieccion to the man is bounde vnto the lawe whyle the man lyueth but yf the man dye then is she lowsed from the lawe that concerneth the man Yf she be now with another man whyle the manlyneth she shal be called a wedlocke breaker But yf the man be deed then is she fre from the lawe so that she is no wedlocke breaker yf she be with another man Euen so my brethren ye also are deed vnto the lawe by the body of Christ that ye shulde be with another namely w t him which is raysed vp from the deed that we shulde brynge forth frute vnto God For whan we were in the flesh the synfull lustes which were stered vp by the lawe were mightie in oure membres to brynge forth frute vnto death But now are we lowsed from the lawe and deed vnto it that helde vs captyue so that we shulde serue in a new conuersacion of the sprete and not in the olde conuersacion of the letter What shal we saye then Is the lawe synne God forbyd Neuertheles I knewe not synne but by y e lawe For I had knowne nothinge of lust yf the lawe had not sayde Thou shalt not lust But then toke synne occasion at the commaundement and stered vp in me all maner of lust For without the lawe synne was deed As for me I lyued some tyme without lawe Howbeit whan the commaundement came synne renyued but I was deed And the very same commaundement that was geuen me vnto life was founde to be vnto me on occasion of death For synne toke occasion at the cōmaundement and disceaued me and slewe me by the same commaundement The lawe in dede is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good Is that then which is good become death vnto me God forbyd But synne that it mighte appeare how y t it is synne hath wroughte me death thorow good that synne mighte be out of measure synfull by the commaundement For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I knowe not what I do For I do not y t I will but what I hate y t do I. Yf I do now that which I wil not thē graunte I that the lawe is good So then it is not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me for I knowe that in me y t is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thinge To wyll is present w t me but to perfourme y t which is good I fynde not For y e good that I wyll do I not but the euell which I wil not
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
wall that was a stoppe betwene vs and hath also thorow his flesh put awaye the cause off hatred namely the lawe of the commaundemeÌ„tes contayned in the lawe wrytten that of twayne he mighte create one new man in him selfe and make peace and to reconcyle both vnto God in one body thorow the crosse and so he slewe y e hatred thorow his owne selfe and came and preached peace in the Gospell vnto you which were afarre of and to theÌ„ that were nye For thorow him we both haue intraunce in â—ne sprete vnto the father Now therfore ye are nomore gestes and straungers but citesins with the sayntes of the housholde of God buylded vpon y e foundacion of y e Apostles and prophetes where Iesus Christ is y e heade corner stone in whom euery buyldinge coupled together groweth to an holy temple in the LORDE in whom ye also are buylded together to be an habitacion of God in the sprete The III. Chapter FOr this cause I Paul am a presoner of Iesus Christ for you Heythen acordinge as ye haue herde of y e office of the grace of God which is geuen me to you warde For by reuelacion was this mystery shewed vnto me as I wrote abouâ— in fewe wordes wherby whan ye rede it 〈◊〉 maye perceaue myne vnderstondynge in y e mystery of Christ which mystery in tymes past was not opened vnto the childreÌ„ of meÌ„ as it is now declared to his holy Apostles and prophetes by the sprete namely that the Heythen shulde be inheritours also and of the same body and partakers of his promes in Christ by the Gospell wherof I am made a mynister acordynge to the gifte of the grace of God which is geueÌ„ me acordinge to the workynge of his power Vnto me the leest of all sayntes is this grace geuen that I shulde preach amonge the HeytheÌ„ y e vnsearcheable riches of Christ and to make all men se what is the fellishippe of the mystery which froÌ„ the begynnynge of the worlde hath bene hyd in God which made all thiÌ„ges thorow Iesus Christ to the intent that now vnto the rulers and powers in heaueÌ„ mighte be knowne by the congregacion the manifolde wyszdome off God acordinge to y e eternall purpose which he hath shewed in Christ Iesu oure LORDE by whom we haue boldnesse and intraunce in all confideÌ„ce thorow faith on him Wherfore I desyre that ye faynte not because of my tribulacions y t I suffre for you which is youre prayse For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which is the true father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he graunte you acordinge to y e riches of his glory to be strengthed with power by his sprete in y e inwarde maÌ„ that Christ maye dwell in youre hertes by faith that ye beynge roted and grounded in loue maye be able to coÌ„prehende with all sayntes what is the bredth and the length and the deepth and the heyth and to knowe the loue of Christ which loue yet passeth all knowlege that ye maye be fylled with all maner of fulnesse of God Vnto him that is able to do exceadinge abundauntly aboue all that we axe or vnderstonde acordinge to y e power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacion which is in Christ Iesu at all tymes for euer and euer Amen The IIII. Chapter I Therfore which am presoner in the LORDE exhorte you that ye walke as it becoÌ„meth yo r callinge wherin ye are called with all humblenes off mynde and mekenes and longe sufferinge forbearinge one another in loue and be diligent to kepe the vnite of the sprete thorow the bonde of peace One body and one sprete eueÌ„ as ye are called in one hope of youre callynge One LORDE one faith one baptyme one God and father of vs all which is aboue all and thorow all and in you all Vnto euery one of vs is geuen grace acordinge to the measure off the gifte off Christ. Therfore sayeth he He is gone vp an hye and hath led awaye captiuyte captyue and hath geueÌ„ giftes vnto men That he wente vp what is it but that he first came downe in to y e lowest partes of y e earth He that came downe is euen the same which is gone vp aboue all heauens to fulfill all And y e same hath set some to be Apostles some to be prophetes some to be Euangelistes some to be shepherdes teachers wherby the sayntes mighte be coupled together thorow comen seruyce to the edifienge of y e body of Christ tyll we all come vnto one maner of faith and knowlege of the sonne of God and become a perfecte man in to the measure of the perfecte age of Christ that we be nomore children waueringe caried aboute with euery wynde of doctryne thorow the wickednes of men and craftynes wherby they laye awayte for vs to disceaue vs. But let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thinges growe in him which is the heade euen Christ in whom all the body is coupled together and one membre hangeth by another thorow out all y e ioyntes Wherby one mynistreth vnto another acordinge to the operacion as euery membre hath his measure and maketh that y e body groweth to the edifienge of it selfe in loue This I saye therfore and testifye in the LORDE that ye walke nomore * as y e other Heythen walke in the vanite of their mynde blynded in their vnderstondinge beynge straungers froÌ„ the life which is in God thorow the ignoraunce that is in them because of the blyndnes of their hert which beynge past repentaunce haue geueÌ„ them selues ouer vnto wantonnes to worke all maner of vnclennes euen with gredynesse But ye haue not so learned Christ yf so be that ye haue herde of him are taught in him euen as the trueth is in Iesu. So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tyme past laye from you that olde man which marreth himselfe thorow disceauable lustes but be ye renued in the sprete of youre mynde and put on that new man which is shapen after God in true righteousnes and holynes Wherfore put awaye lyenge and speake euery man the trueth vnto his neghboure for as moch as we are membres one of another Be angrie but synne not Let not y e Sonne go downe vpoÌ„ youre wrath nether geue place to the bacbyter He that hath stollen let him steale nomore but let him laboure rather and do some good with his hondes that he maye haue to geue vnto him that nedeth Let no filthy communicacion proceade out of youre mouth but that which is good to edifye withall whaÌ„ nede is that it be gracious to heare And greue not the holy sprete of God wherwith ye are sealed vnto y e daye of redempcion Let all bytternes and fearsnes and wrath and
And so wil we do yf God permytte For it is not possible that they which were once lighted and haue taisted of the heaueÌ„ly gyfte and are become partakers of the holy goost haue taisted of y e good worde of God and of the power of the worlde to come yf they fall awaye and concernynge them selues crucifye the sonne of God afreszhe and 〈◊〉 mocke off him that they shulde be 〈◊〉 agayne vnto repentaunce For the earth that drynketh 〈…〉 which commeth oft vpon 〈…〉 forth herbes mete for 〈…〉 receaueth blessynge of God But y t grounde which beareth thornes and thistles is nothinge worth and nye vnto cursynge whose ende is to be brent Neuertheles ye dearly beloued we trust to se better of you and y t saluacioÌ„ is nyer though we thus speake For God is not vnrighteous that he shulde forget youre worke and laboure of loue which ye shewed in his name whan ye mynistred vnto the sayntes and yet mynister Yee and we desyre that euery one of you shewe the same diligence to the stablyshinge of hope euen vnto the ende that ye faynte not but folowe them which thorow faith and pacieÌ„ce inheret the promyses For whan God made promes to Abraham because he had none greater to sweare by he sware by himselfe and sayde Surely I wil blesse the and multiplye y e in dede And so he abode pacieÌ„tly and optayned the promes As for men they sweare by him that is greater then them selues and the ooth is the ende of all stryfe to confirme the thinge amoÌ„ge them But God wyllinge very abundauntly to shewe vnto the heyres of promes the stablenes of his councell added an ooth y t by two immutable thinges in the which it is vnpossible y t God shulde lye we mighte haue a stronge consolacion euen we which are fled to holde fast the hope that is set before vs which hope we haue as a sure and stedfast anker of oure soule Which hope also entreth in in to those thinges that are within y e vayle whither the foreruÌ„ner is for vs entred in eueÌ„ Iesus which is made an hye prest foreuer after y e order of Melchisedech The VII Chapter THis Melchisedech kynge of Salem which beynge prest of the most hye God met Abraham as he returned agayne from the slaughter of the kynges blessed him vnto whom Abraham also gaue tithes of all the goodes first is by interpretacion kynge of righteousnes after that is he kynge of Salem also that is to saye kynge of peace without father without mother without kynne and hath nether begynnynge of dayes ner ende of life but is likened vnto the sonne of God and contynueth a prest for euer But coÌ„sider how greate a man this was to whom the Patriarke Abraham gaue tiâ—hes of the spoyles And verely the children 〈…〉 whan they receaâ—â— the presthode 〈…〉 â—â—mmaundement acordynge to the 〈…〉 he tithes of the people that 〈…〉 their brethreÌ„ though they also came out of the loynes of Abraham But he whose kynred is not counted amoÌ„ge them receaued tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promes Now is it so without all naysayenge that the lesse receaueth blessynge of y e better And here men that dye receaue tithes But there he receaueth tithes of whom it is witnessed that he lyueth And to saye the trueth Leui himselfe also which receaueth tithes payed tithes in Abraham for he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham whan Melchisedech met him Yf now therfore perfeccion came by the presthode of the Leuites for vnder the same presthode the people receaued the lawe what neded it then furthurmore that another prest shulde ryse after the order of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron For yf the presthode be traÌ„slated theÌ„ of necessite must the lawe be translated also For he of whom these thinges are spoken is of another trybe of the which neuer man serued at the altare For it is euideÌ„t that oure LORDE spronge of the trybe of Iuda to the which trybe Moses spake nothinge coÌ„cernynge presthode And it is yet a more euident thinge yf after the symilitude of Mechisedech there aryse another prest which is not made after y e lawe of the carnall commaundement but after the power of the endlesse life For he testifieth Thou art a prest for euer after the order of Melchisedech then the commaundement that wente before is disanulled because of his weaknesse and vnprofitablenes For the lawe made nothinge perfecte but was an introduccion of a better hope by y t which hope we drawe nye vnto God And for this cause is it a better hope y t it was not promysed without an ooth Those prestes were made without an ooth but this prest with an ooth by him that sayde vnto him The LORDE sware and wyl not repente Thou art a prest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Thus is Iesus become a stabliszher of so moch a better TestameÌ„te And amonge them many were made prestes because they were not suffred to endure by the reason of death But this man because that he endureth euer hath an euerlastinge presthode Wherfore he is able also euer to saue them that come vnto God by him lyueth euer to make intercession for vs. For it became vs to haue soch an hye prest as is holy innocent vndefyled separate from synners and made hyer then heauen which nedeth not daylie as yonder hye prestes to offre vp sacrifice first for his awne synnes and then for the peoples synnes For that dyd he once for all whan he offered vp him selfe For the lawe maketh men prestes which haue infirmitie but the worde of the ooth that came sence the lawe maketh the sonne prest which is perfecte for euermore The VIII Chapter OF the thinges which we haue spoken this is the pyth We haue soch an hye prest that is set on y e righte hande of the seate of maiestie in heaueÌ„ and is a mynister of holy thinges and of the true Tabernacle which God pitched not man For euery hye prest is ordened to offre giftes and sacrifices Wherfore it is of necessite y t this man haue somwhat also to offer For he were not a prest yf he were vpon earth where are prestes y t acordynge to the lawe offer giftes which prestes serue vnto the ensample and shadowe of heaueÌ„ly thinges euen as the answere of God was geuen vnto Moses whan he was aboute to fynish the Tabernacle Take hede sayde he that thou make all thinges acordinge to the patrone shewed the in the mount But now hath he optayned a more excellent office in as moch as he is the mediatour of a better Testament which was made for better promyses For yf that first Testament had bene fautles then shulde no place haue bene soughte for the secoÌ„de For in rebukynge theÌ„ he sayeth Beholde the dayes wyll come sayeth the LORDE that I wyl fynish
vpoÌ„ the house of Israel and vpon the house off Iuda a new Testament not as the Testament which I made with their fathers in that daye whan I toke them by the handes to lede them out of the londe of Egipte for they contynued not in my Testament and I regarded them not sayeth the LORDE For this is the Testament that I wil make w t the house of Israell after those dayes sayeth the LORDE I wyl geue my lawes in their mynde and in their hertes wyl I wryte them And I wil be their God and they shal be my people and they shal not teach euery maÌ„ his neghboure and euery man his brother sayenge knowe y e LORDE for they shal knowe me from the leest to the most of them for I wil be mercifull ouer their vnrighteousnesses And on their synnes on their iniquyties wyl I not thynke eny more In that he sayeth A new he weereth out y e olde Now y t which is worne out and waxed olde is ready to vanish awaye The IX Chapter THat first Tabernacle verely had ordinaunces and seruynges off God and outwarde holynes For there was made a foretabernacle wherin was y e candilsticke and the table and the shewe bred and this is called y e Holy But behynde the seconde vayle was the Tabernacle which is called Holiest of all which had the golden censor and the Arke of the Testament ouerlayed rounde aboute with golde wherin was the golden pot with Manna and Aarons rodd that florished and the tables of the Testament Aboue therin were the Cherubins off glory ouershadowynge the Mercyseate Of which thinges it is not now to speake perticularly When these thinges were thus ordeyned the prestes wente allwayes in to the first Tabernacle and excuted y e seruyce of God But in to the seconde wente the hye prest alone once in the yeare not without bloude which he offred for himselfe and for the ignoraunce of the people Wherwith the holy goost this signifyeth that the waye of holynes was not yet opened whyle as yet the first Tabernacle was stondynge Which was a symilitude for the tyme then present in the which were offred giftes and sacrifices and coulde not make perfecte as partaynynge to the conscience him that dyd the Gods seruyce onely with meates and drynkes and dyuerse waszhinges and iustifienges of the flesh which were ordeyned vnto the tyme of reformacion But Christ beynge an hye prest of good thinges to come came by a greater and a more perfecte Tabernacle not made with handes that is to saye not of this maner buyldynge nether by the bloude of goates or calues but by his owne bloude entred he once for all in to the holy place and hath founde eternall redempcion For yff the bloude off oxen and off goates and the aszhes off the cowe whan it is sprenkled haloweth the vncleane as touchynge the purificacion of the flesh How moch more shal the bloude of Christ which thorow the eternall sprete offred him selfe without spot vnto God pourge oure conscience from deed workes for to serue tâ—â—geuynge God And for this cause is â—â—â—eâ—diatour of the new 〈…〉 thorow death which chaursed 〈◊〉 redempcion of those traÌ„sgressons that were vnder the first Testament they which were called mighte receaue the promes of eternall inheritaunce For where soeuer is a Testament there must also be the death of him that maketh the testament For a TestameÌ„t taketh auctorite whan men are deed for it is of no value as longe as he that made it is alyue For the which cause that first TestameÌ„t also was not ordeyned without bloude For whan all the commaundementes acordinge to the lawe were red of Moses vnto all the people he toke y e bloude of calues and of goates with water and purple woll and ysope and sprenkled the boke and all the people sayenge * This is the bloude of the Testament which God hath appoynted vnto you And the Tabernakle and all the vessels of the Gods seruyce sprenkled he with bloude likewyse And allmost all thinges are pourged with bloude after the lawe and without sheddynge of bloude is no remyssion It is necessary then that the symilitude of heauenly thinges be purified with soche but y e heauenly thinges themselues are purified with better sacrifices then are those For Christ is not entred in to the holy places y t are made with handes which are but symilitudes of true thinges but in to the very heauen for to apeare now before the face of God for vs Not to offer himselfe offâ— as the hye prest entreth in to the holy place euery yeare with straunge bloude for theÌ„ must he often haue suffred sence the worlde beganne But now in the ende of the worlde hath he appeared once to put synne to flight by the offerynge vp of himselfe And as it is appoynted vnto meÌ„ y t they shal once dye and then coÌ„meth the iudgmeÌ„t EueÌ„ so Christ was once offred to take awaye the synnes of many And vnto them that loke for him shal he appeare agayne without synne vnto saluacion The X. Chapter FOr the lawe * which hath but the shadowe off good thinges to come and not the thinges in their awne fashion can neuer by the sacrifices which they offer yeare by yeare continually make the commers there vnto perfecte Els shulde they haue ceassed to haue bene offred because that the offerers once pourged shulâ—◠〈◊〉 had nomore conscience of synnes 〈…〉 in those sacrifices there is maâ—e but a â—â—â—â—â—braunce of synnes euery yeaâ—e * For 〈…〉 y t the bloude of oxen â—nd of goates shulde take awaye synnes Wherfore whan he commeth in to the worlde he sayeth Sacrifice offerynge thou woldest not haue but a body hast thou ordeyned me Burnt offerynges and synneofferynges hast thou not alowed Then sayde I Lo I come I the begynnynge of the boke it is wrytten of me that I shulde do y e wyll O God Aboue whaÌ„ he had sayde Sacrifice and offerynge and burntsacrifices syn offerynges thou woldest not haue nether hast alowed which yet are offered after y e lawe TheÌ„ sayde he Lo I come to do wil thy O God there taketh he awaye the first to stablyszhe the latter In the which wyll we are sanctified by the offerynge vp of the body of Iesus Christ once for all And euery prest is ready daylie mynistringe and oftymes offereth one maner of offerynges which can neuer take awaye synnes But this man whan he had offred for synnes one sacrifice which is of value for euer sat him downe on the righte hande of God and from hence forth tarieth tyll his foes be made his fote stole For with one offerynge hath he made perfecte for euer theÌ„ that are sanctified And the holy goost also beareth vs recorde of this euen whan he sayde before This is the Testament that I wyl make vnto them after those dayes sayeth y e LORDE I
faith and heyres of the kyngdom which he promysed to theÌ„ that loue him But ye haue despised the poore Are not the rych they which oppresse you they which drawe you before iudges Do not they speake euell of that good name after which ye be named Yf ye fulfill the royall lawe acordinge to the scripture which saith Thou shalt loue thyne neghbour as thy selfe ye do well But yf ye regarde one person more then another ye coÌ„mit synne and are rebuked of the lawe as trâ—aÌ„gressours Whosoeuer shal kepe the whole lawe and yet fayle in one poynt he is gyltie in all For he that sayde Thou shalt not commit adulterie sayed also thou shalt not kyll Though thou do none adulterie yet yf thou kill thou art a transgresser of the lawe So speake ye and so do as they that shal be iudged by the lawe of libertie For ther shal be iudgement merciles to him that sheweth no mercy mercy reioiseth against iudgment What a vayleth it my brethreÌ„ though a man saye he hath faith when he hath no dedes Can faith saue him If a brother or a sister be naked or destitute of dayly fode one of you saye vnto them Departe in peace God sende you warmnes and fode not withstoÌ„dinge ye geue them not tho thinges which are nedfull to the body what helpeth it them Euen so faith yf it haue no dedes is deed in it selfe Ye a man might saye Thou hast faith and I haue dedes Shewe me thy faith by thy dedes and I wil shewe the my faith by my dedes Beleuest thou y t ther is one God Thou doest well The deuils also beleue and tremble Wilt thou vnderstoÌ„de o thou vayne man that faith with out dedes is deed Was not Abraham oure father iustified thorow workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter Thou seist how y t faith wrought with his dedes and through y e dedes was the faith made perfect the scripture was fulfilled which faith AbrahaÌ„ beleued God and it was reputed vnto him for rightewesnes and he was called y e frende of God Ye se then how that of dedes a man is iustified and not of faith only Likewise also was not Raab the harlot iustified thorow workes when she receaued the messengers and sent them out another waye For as the body with oute the sprete is deed euen so faith w t out dedes is deed The III. Chapter MY brethreÌ„ be not euery man a master remeÌ„brynge how that we shall receaue the more damnacion for in many thinges we synne all Yf a man synne not in worde the same is a parfecte man able to tame all the body Beholde we put bittes into the horses mouthes y t they shulde obeye vs and we turne aboute all the body Beholde also y e shyppes which though they be so gret and are dryuen of fearce windes yet are they turned about with a very smale helme whither soeuer the violence of the gouerner wyll Euen so the toÌ„ge is a lyttell member and bosteth great thinges Beholde how gret a thinge a lyttell fyre kyndleth and the tonge is fyre and a worlde of wyckednes So is the tonge set amonge oure membres that it defileth the whole body and setteth a fyre all that we haue of nature and is it selfe set a fyre euen of hell All the natures of beastes and of byrdes and of serpentes and thinges of the see are meked and tamed of the nature of maÌ„ But the toÌ„ge can no man tame Yt is an vnruely euell full of deedly poyson Therwith blesse we God the father and therwith cursse wemen which are made after the similitude of God Out of one mouth proceadeth blessynge and cursynge My brethreÌ„ these thinges ought not so to be Doth a fountayne sende forth at one place swete water and bytter also Can the fygge tree my Brethren beare oliue beries ether a vyne beare fygges So can no fountayne geue bothe salt water and freszhe also If eny man be wyse and endued with learnynge amonge you let him shewe the workes of his good coÌ„uersacion in meknes that is coupled with wiszdome But yf ye haue bitter enuyenge and stryfe in yo r hertes reioyce not nether belyars agaynst the trueth This wiszdome descendeth not from aboue but is erthy and naturall and dyuelishe For where enuyenge and stryfe is there is vnstablenes and all maÌ„ner of euell workes But the wiszdom that is froÌ„ aboue is fyrst pure theÌ„ peasable gentle and easy to be entreated full of mercy and good frutes without iudgynge and without simulacion yee and the frute of rightewesnes is sowen in peace of theÌ„ that mayntene peace The IIII. Chapter FRom whence commeth warre and fightynge amonge you come they not here hence euen of yo r volupteousnesses that rayne in youre meÌ„bres Ye lust and haue not Ye envie and haue indignacion and can not obtayne Ye fight warre and haue not because ye axe not Ye axe receaue not because ye axe amysse eueÌ„ to coÌ„sume it vpoÌ„ yo r voluptuousnes Ye aduouterars wemeÌ„ that breke matrimonie knowe ye not how that the frenshippe of y e worlde is ennimite to godwarde Whosoeuer wil be a frende of the worlde is made y e enemie of god Ether do ye thinke y t the scripture sayth in vayne The sprete y t dwelleth in you lusteth euen contrary to enuie but geueth more grace Submit youre selues to God and resist the deuell he wil flye froÌ„ you Drawe nye to God he wil drawe nye to you Clense yo r hondes ye synners and pourge youre hertes ye wauerynge mynded Suffre affliccions sorowe ye and wepe Let youre laughter be turned to mornynge and youre ioye to heuynes Cast downe youre selues before the LORDE and he shal lift you vp Backbyte not one another brethren He that backbyteth his brother and he y t iudgeth his brother backbyteth the lawe and iudgeth the lawe But and yf thou iudge the lawe thou art not an obseruer of the lawe but a iudge There is one lawe geuer which is able to saue and to distroye What art thou that iudgest another man Go to now ye that saye to daye to morow let vs go into soche a citie and continue there a yeare and bye and sell and wynne yet caÌ„ not tell what shal happeÌ„ to morowe For what thinge is youre life It is euen a vapoure that apereth for a lytell tyme and theÌ„ vanysheth awaye For that ye ought to say yf the LORDE wil and yf we liue let vs do this or that But nowe ye reioyce in youre bostinges All soche reioysynge is euell Therfore to him that knoweth how to do good and doth it not to him it is synne The V. Chapter BOo to now ye riche men Wepe and howle on yo wretchednes that shal come vpon you You re riches is corrupte youre garmeÌ„tes are motheaten Youre golde