The IIII. Chapter.
THen answered Eliphas of Theman [ A] and sayde vnto him: Yf we begynne to comon with the, peraduēture thou wilt be myscontent, but who can witholde himself from speakynge? Beholde, thou hast bene a teacher of many, and hast comforted the weery hondes.
Thy wordes haue set vp those that were fallen, thou hast refresshed the weake knees. But now that the plage is come vpon the, thou shrēckest awaye: now that it hath tou¦ched thyself, thou art faint harted.* 1.1 Where is now thy feare of God, thy stedfastnesse, thy pacience, and the perfectnesse of thy life? Considre (I praye the) who euer peryshed, be¦ynge an innocent? Or, when were the godly destroyed? As for those that plowe wicked∣nesse (as I haue sene myself) and sowe mysche¦fe, they reape ye same.* 1.2 For whē God bloweth vpon them, they perysh, and are destroyed thorow the blast of his wrath. The roaringe of the lyon, the cryenge off the lyonesse, & ye teth off ye lyōs whelpes are brokē. The grea¦te lyon perysheth, because he cā get no pray and the lyons whelpes are scatred abro∣de.
There is spoken vnto me a thynge in coun¦cell, [ B] which hath geuen a terrible sounde in myne eare, with a vision in the night,* 1.3 when men are fallen a slepe. Soch feare and drede came vpō me, that all my bones shoke. And when the wynde passed ouer by me, the hay∣res of my flesh stode vp.
Then stode there one before me, whose fa∣ce I knewe not: an ymage there was, and the wether was still, so that I herde this voyce•• Maye a man be iustified before God? Ma∣ye there eny man be iudged to be clene,* 1.4 by rea¦son of his owne workes? Beholde, he hath founde vnfaythfulnesse amonge his owne seruauntes, and proude disobedience amon∣ge his angels.
How moch more thē shal they (that dwell