The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. II.

[verse 1] Therfor putte ȝe awei al malice, and al gile, and [and alle Rk sec. m.] feynyngis, and enuyes, and [verse 2] alle bacbityngis; as now [Om. g.] borun ȝonge children, resonable, with out gile, coueite ȝe mylk, that in it ȝe wexe in to helthe; [verse 3] if netheles ȝe han tastid, that the Lord is swete. [verse 4] And neiȝe ȝe to hym, that is a lyuyng stoon, and repreuyd of men, but [verse 5] chosun of God, and onourid; and ȝe [ȝoure E. ȝe ȝou IKa.] silf as quyk stoonys be ȝe aboue bildid in to spiritual housis [aboue bildid in spiritual housis; that is, into spiritual housis. hooly presthood; as Crist man is the temple of God, for the Godhed dwell|ith in him, and he is prest and sacrifice, in as myche as he offride himself to God the fa|dir for helthe of the world; so feithful men that ben con|uertid to him and ben con|fermed, ben the hous either temple of God, in as myche as he dwellith in hem bi grace; also thei ben prestis and sa|crifice, in as myche as thei offren hemself to God bi de|uocioun and hooly worching. Therfore it su|eth, for to offre spiritual sacri|fices, not flessh|ly sacrifices, as in the olde lawe. in Syon; that is, hooly chirche. stoon hiȝest; that is, Crist. corner stoon; for whi Crist ioynede togidere Jewis and hethene men as twey wallis in oo chirche. bi|leeue; bi feith formed with charite. in to him; as Sauy|our of alle men. schal not be confoundid; but schal be onourid in holy onour. the bilderis; that is, scribis either techeris of lawe, and the prestis of Jewis. Lire here. ve.] , and an hooli preesthod, to offre spiritual sacrifices, ac|ceptable to God bi Jhesu Crist. [verse 6] For which thing the scripture seith, Lo! Y schal sette in [on a.] Syon the hiȝeste corner stoon, chosun and preciouse; and he that schal belieue in [in to K sec. m.] hym, schal not be con|foundid. [verse 7] Therfor onour [Om. A pr. m. Egk pr. m. b pr. m.] to ȝou that bileuen; but to men that bileuen not, the stoon whom the bilderis repreuyden, this is maad in to the heed of the corner; [verse 8] and the stoon of hirtyng, and stoon [the stoon Xek.] of sclaundre, to hem that offenden [offend|iden k.] to the word, nethir bileuen it, in which thei ben set. [verse 9] But ȝe ben a chosun kyn [a chosen kyn; bi bap|tym in which ȝe ben maad the sones of God that ben purchasid bi grace, and so ȝe ben of the kyn of God. a kingly prest|hod; that is, maad lijc Crist, which is king and prest bi the ordre of Mel|chisedech, that was king and prest in xiiii. c^o. of Genesis, and so it is of veri Cristen men, that ben veri kingis bi subieccioun, and prestis bi sacrifice of de|uout preier; therfore in the V. c^o. of Apoca|lips, Thou hast maad us a rewme and presthod to oure God. an hooly folc; that is, waschen and clensid bi bap|tym. of pur|chasing; bi the preciouse blood of Crist. that ȝe telle, etc.; bi woord of hooly preching. Lire here. ve.] , a kyngli [kindely Egh.] preesthod, hooli folc, a puple of purchas|ing, that ȝe telle the vertues of hym, that clepide ȝou fro derknessis in to his won|dirful liȝt. [verse 10] Which sum tyme were not a

puple of God, but now ȝe ben the puple of God; which hadden not merci, but now ȝe han merci. [verse 11] Moost dere, Y bi|seche you, as comelyngis and pilgrymys, to absteine ȝou fro fleischli desiris, that [verse 12] fiȝten aȝens the soule; and haue ȝe ȝoure conuersacioun good among hethene men, that in that thing that thei bacbite of ȝou, as of mysdoeris, thei biholden ȝou of good werkis, and glorifie God in the dai of visitacioun. [verse 13] Be ȝe suget to ech crea|ture [creature of man M sec. m. Q marg. Xb sec. m. Oα.] , for God; ethir to the kyng, as to [verse 14] hym that is hiȝer in [of E.] state [the staat C. astaat X.] , ethir to duykis, as to thilke [ilke Kg. thoo R.] that ben sent of hym to the veniaunce of mysdoers, and to the preisyng of good men. [verse 15] For so is [it is b.] the wille of God, that ȝe do wel, and make the vnkunnyngnesse of vnprudent men to be doumb. [verse 16] As fre men, and not as hau|ynge fredom the keuering of malice, but [Om. gk pr. m.] as the seruauntis of God. [verse 17] Onoure ȝe alle men, loue ȝe brithirhod, drede ȝe God, onoure ȝe the king [in as myche as he beerith the persoone of God. in al dreede; that is, perfit dreede, whanne a man eschewith of|fencis of God, and also of man for God. suf|frith; paciently peynes don vn|iustly to him. this is grace; that is, a gra|cious thing bi|fore God. Lire here. v.] . [verse 18] Seruauntis, be ȝe [Om. E.] sugetis [suget alii.] in al drede to lordis, not oneli to good and to [Om. A pr. m. R.] mylde, but also to tyrauntis [tryuauntis CEIKRUa sec. m. e.] . [verse 19] For this is grace, if for con|science of God ony man suffrith heuy|nessis, and suffrith vniustli. [verse 20] For what grace is it, if ȝe synnen, and ben buffatid, and suffren? But if ȝe don wel [Om. gk pr. m.] , and suffren pacientli, this is grace anentis God. [verse 21] For to this thing [that is, that ȝe suffre wrongis paciently. for Crist suffride for us; lyk peynes and myche grettere. Lire here. v.] ȝe ben clepid. For also Crist suffride for vs, and lefte ensaumple to ȝou, that ȝe folewe the steppis of hym. [verse 22] Which dide not synne, nethir gile was foundun in his mouth. [verse 23] And whanne he was cursid, he curside not; whanne he suffride, he manasside not; but [Om. gk pr. m.] he bitook hym silf to hym,

that demyde hym vniustli. [verse 24] And he hym silf bar oure synnes in his bodi on a tre, that we be deed to synnes, and lyue to riȝtwisnesse, bi whos wan wounde ȝe ben heelid. [verse 25] For ȝe weren as scheep errynge, but ȝe ben now turned to the schipherde, and bischop of ȝoure soulis.